Renault Koleos Concept

Having already shown off the stunning Nepta concept, Renault has now taken the wraps off its more rugged Koleos Concept. This show car heralds a “sporty” 4WD that also belongs to the world of crossovers thanks to its comfort and roominess. Due to be rolled out in the first half of 2008, this vehicle made for both country roads and city streets is built on a new four-wheel drive chassis and powered by a 2.0 dCi engine, both developed within the framework of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. The car was penned by Renault designers working in collaboration with the Renault Samsung Motors Design Centre in Korea, and you can definitely see shades of the Asian design influence.

The front end features LED headlamps, with additional lights and indicators housed in the exterior mirrors. The glazed roof panel is topped by profiled aluminum roof bars, while the chunky wheel arches house 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels fitted with "concept pattern" tires. The 200mm ground clearance and front and rear aluminum protective skid plates confirm that this is a car built for adventure. The Koleos is build to handle some tough terrain, even though it wouldn’t hold a candle up to something like a Range Rover. Renault has kitted it out with Hill Down Control (HDC) and Hill Start Assist (HAS), as well as a part-time AWD drivetrain.

On the dashboard, the speedometer features LED backlighting. The centre console is made from a transparent material and contains the individual controls for the climate control system.

A long list of equipment is included to enhance traveling comfort. The central part of the dashboard is given over to the navigation system, multimedia applications and specific data useful for all-terrain motoring such as atmospheric pressure, compass bearings, altitude and gradient. The cabin also has a panoramic glass roof panel.

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