Renault has teased a new flagship coupe SUV called the Rafale that’ll join the new Austral and EU-only Espace at the upper end of the range. It’ll make its debut at the 54th Paris Air Show on June 18, filling the void left by Renault’s previous style-led flagships like the Laguna Coupe and the quirky Avantime before that.
The Rafale will sit on Renault’s CMF-CD platform, but feature a much sharper new look as previewed by this teaser image. This is defined by the sloping roofline and a much stronger shoulder-line, joined by wider rear haunches and a sleek tail.
Renault’s bluff new front end, first previewed by the Austral, looks to be intact, but the lighting graphics are now much more dramatic, mimicking those on the new Clio and forthcoming e-Scenic. As the flagship SUV in the range, we expect this to be the boldest interpretation of Renault’s design language which is currently under the remit of Gilles Vidal.
The Rafale will most likely be powered by the Austral’s 197bhp E-Tech powertrain, which operates as a generator-style hybrid system. This means that the wheels are predominantly driven by one of two electric motors, with the turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine being used mostly to generate electricity. This form of hybrid powertrain is becoming more and more popular due to their impressive efficiency, which in the Austral is rated at around 60mpg.
The D-segment doesn’t currently have much in the way of mainstream coupe SUVs on offer, the Skoda Enyaq Coupe being one of the few, but Renault’s hoping that it’ll be able to tap into the established premium market where cars like the Audi Q5 Sportback, BMW X4 and Mercedes GLC Coupe still sell in reasonable numbers.
We’ll see more of the new Renault Rafale in the coming weeks before its official reveal on June 18.
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