To celebrate its centenary at the 1998 Paris Motor Show, Renault show its new Vel Satis concept car, on the theme of the top-range model. The Vel Satis is an elegant 4-seat Coupé, “avant-garde” in both concept and design. It combines a respect for the “traditional values” of top-range models with a spirit of anticipation, a freedom of expression, and a refinement which is French and very Renault. The Vel Satis thus reveals the manufacturer’s approach to the design of its future top-range models.

The Vel Satis offers a new solution in terms of layout, in an elegant and refined design. The style is clean and incisive, with taut lines in the forward section and a simply rounded back end. The contrast between the long front overhang and the extremely short rear overhang creates a dynamic aspect.

The Vel Satis draws inspiration from the Renault bonnets of the pre-war period, such as the 40CV, with a lozenge placed in view, as though weightless, in a convex housing in the sheet metal. The vertical headlamps, a concentration of technology, are equipped with glass covers comprised of four layers one above the other, responsible for light distribution. The two engine air intakes are positioned on either side of the front face.

The front section is treated in a one-box fashion, with a continuous sweep from the bonnet into the windscreen. The entire windscreen and roof is composed of a single piece of glass, formed using a technique specially developed for the Vel Satis. This glass component creates the maximum lightness and exterior vision. This taut front end profile makes a deliberate contrast with the back end, with its rounded boot and panoramic vertical window. The boot opens in two sections, like a jewel-case, in a double movement of the upper lid towards the window and of the lower lid towards the bottom. The rear lamp clusters, which use neon technology, are installed vertically, like the headlamps at the front.

The sides, flat and high, contribute to the solid and protective air of Vel Satis. The wheels, flush fitted and of large size (20-inch), are equipped with the new Michelin PAX vertically anchored tyres.

Renault Presse Release