Renault Sand'Up Concept Premieres at Sao Paulo Motorshow

Taking pride of place at Renault's Sao Paulo Motorshow stand is the new Sand'Up Concept that is based on the French firm's Sandero Stepway crossover (click here for details) which is sold in the South American markets. The 2+2 seater concept with the see-through doors features a modular design which allows it to be easily transformed from a three-door hatchback to a convertible or a two-seater pick up with a covered bed. -Continued

Power comes from the same 1.6-liter bio-ethanol engine found on the Sandero Stepway that delivers an output of 112HP and is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. According to Renault, the front-wheel-drive concept can accelerate form standstill to 100 km/h in 10.5 sec. The French carmaker has no plans of introducing a production version of the vehicle.

Renault Z.E. Concept Based on the Kangoo Be-Bop

The best description we could think of for Renault’s Paris Show Z.E. concept car is a Kangoo of the not-so distant future. And truly enough, the Z.E., which by the way stands for Zero Emissions, is indeed based on the new Kangoo Be-Bop that also made its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show. The concept study utilizes the Renault-Nissan Group’s new electric drivetrain that will be massed produced in the beginning of the next decade. -Continued

More specifically, the Z.E. is equipped with a 70kW (95hp) electric motor which delivers torque of 226Nm with energy being provided by a latest generation set of lithium-ion type batteries.

Other notable features on the Z.E. Concept is include the use of heat-reflective paint and insulating bodywork that limits variations in temperature between the exterior and the interior of the car and the roof top solar panels that power a temperature regulation system.

Renault to Perform Three More World Debuts at the Paris Show

Aside from the new Megane 5door hatchback, the Laguna Coupe and the Ondelios luxury crossover concept, details and pictures of which have already been released, Renault will perform three more world debuts at next week’s 2008 Mondial De L’Automobile in Paris. According to the French automaker, the Paris show will see the global unveiling of a third model in the new Kangoo family, plus a further concept car and a production model. -Continued

While we don’t have any information on the new Kangoo or the unnamed concept car, Carscoop’s sources report that the production model Renault is referring to is the new Megane Coupe, which was unceremoniously revealed through these photos. For the other two vehicles, we guess we’ll have to wait until next week when the gates of the Paris motorshow open to the members of the press to find out.

Video: Renault’s Ondelios Luxury Crossover Concept

The Ondelios concept is Renault’s extreme vision for a high-end 6-seat crossover with business-like amenities for all passengers that will debut at next month's Paris Show. But as with all previous attempts from the French automaker to enter the luxury car segment –think R25, Safrane, Avantime and the current Vel Satis, the Ondelios doesn't seem to convince with its odd (to say the least) design. As with most concept cars today, the Ondelios is equipped with a lithium-ion battery and powered by a hybrid drivetrain which combines a powerful 205 HP version of Renault’s 2.0-liter dCi diesel engine, with two 20kW electric motors at the front end rear axles. -Video after the jump

Renault Ondelios: Paris Debut for Luxury Hybrid Crossover Concept

A Paris Motor Show without weird French concepts is like food without salt. Renault on its behalf will attempt to grasp the attention of showgoers and journalists alike with a luxury crossover hybrid concept awkwardly called Ondelios. According to Renault, the 4.8-metre-long, 1.6-metre-high Ondelios has drawn inspiration from the world of aviation and it embodies the company’s vision of high-end car. "Ondelios is inspired by motion rather than speed and is a whole new response to the call of the open road," enthuses Patrick Le Quément, Renault’s Design Director. -Continued

Equipped with a pair of gigantic gullwing doors that also feature an extensive glazed area, the Ondelios treats its passengers with a futuristic looking interior that can accommodate up to six passengers in three rows of (individual) seats. The second row of seats slide forward and folds down to facilitate access to the third row. All passengers, including those in the back row, have their own Samsung interactive portable multimedia devices which they can use for sharing data or multiplayer gaming.

The Ondelios is powered by a hybrid powerplant which combines a more powerful 205 HP version of Renault’s 2.0 dCi turbo diesel engine, with two 20kW electric motors at the front and rear that use a brake and boost system, recovering energy during braking then delivering it to the engine to boost acceleration. The crossover is also equipped with a lithium-ion battery that can deliver power of up to 4kW/h.

Renault says that the 2.0 dCi unit takes the Ondelios from a standing start to 100 km/h (62mph) in 7.8 seconds while fuel consumption is rated at a frugal 4.5 litres/100km or 52.3 US mpg and CO2 emissions at a low (especially for its size) 120g/km.