In 2001, at the Geneva Motor Show, Renault introduced Vel Satis. The French have created a car with a pointed two-volume body. The design turned out to be unusual and very creative. Renault Vel Satis recalls the concept cars Initiale (1995) and Vel Satis (1998). Formally, the novelty can be attributed to the five-door hatchback - the car has five doors, and the fifth has a characteristic "hatchback" angle of inclination. That's just for the Vel Satis hatchback is very high in terms of the roof, it almost catches up with "crossovers." Vel Satis 13 cm above the classical models, which is an undoubted advantage.
This height provides not only the convenience of landing, but also good visibility. But at the same time, Vel Satis is much lower than minivans and monocabs - a kind of symbiosis of the traditional French hatchback and monocab is obtained. Renault Vel Satis perfectly harmonizes with each other such integral features of the luxury class as solid dimensions, long hood, external involvement in the brand, impeccable reasonableness of design solutions that provide comfort to the driver and passengers. Thanks to its unusual layout, the car is very spacious: there is more than enough space in the front and rear.
The doors of Vel Satis are designed in such a way that they do not have to be bent at the entrance and exit. Spacious comfortable lounge permeated with the spirit of serenity and luxury. Worked out to the smallest detail, Vel Satis embodies a subtle combination of tradition and modernity. The interior is striking luxury and originality. Wood trim. Drawers are made in the style of drawers of an old chest of drawers. Consciously limited colors, soft consecration add Vel Satis charm and sophistication. To ensure maximum comfort Vel Satis use a variety of innovative solutions.
For example, handbrake is a thing of the past. Its use becomes "inconspicuous" for the driver Vel Satis, it is carried out automatically when the ignition is turned off. Moreover, electronics evaluates the angle of inclination of the surface where the car is parked, and, accordingly, tightens the brake tighter or weaker. It also turns off automatically when the engine is wound up and the driver is about to start. The upper parts of the backs of the front seats are asymmetrical and can change the angle of inclination regardless of the position of the base, which allows the person sitting to adjust the position as comfortably as possible.
Additional comfort: seat belts are built into the seat, which provides the perfect “connection” between the seat and the seat in it. The ignition key replaces the plastic card and the start / stop button, the cruise control is equipped with a radar distance measurement system, there is a parktronic and an ESP stabilization system. To help the driver, such auxiliary devices are provided as: speed control with distance control from the object, GPS navigation system Carminat, receiving information about traffic intensity, automated standard operations (switching on headlights, wipers). In Vel Satis laid several remarkable technical solutions that facilitate driving.
For example, cruise control has a “start and reach set speed” mode. Noise isolation is gorgeous. The car is equipped with double side windows and a special "acoustic" windshield. The range of power units is represented by two powerful V-shaped “sixes”: a volume of 3.5 liters capacity of 235 hp. and 3.0 liter 180-horsepower common rail turbo diesel.
With a gasoline engine azgon to 100 km / h takes 8.3 s. Both engines are aggregated with an automatic five-speed proactive transmission. In addition to two 6-cylinder engines, a 4-cylinder duo is offered: turbo diesel (2.2 l / 150 hp) and petrol (2.0 l / 165 hp) are also equipped with a turbocharger. With a speed of 100 km / h, the car stops in just 38 m. This is one of the best indicators in the class. The secret lies in the large wheels (17-inch installed on 4-cylinder versions; 18-inch combined with the V6) and the emergency braking system.
With a sharp impact on the brakes, the system comes into action, increasing the force in the brake line to the maximum, thus shortening the braking distance as much as possible. In April 2005, Renault upgraded the model. The exterior has not undergone significant changes, only a few graceful strokes in order to emphasize the belonging of the Vel Satis to the luxury class. A front grille with chrome ribs appeared in front, the layout of the light elements in the headlights changed, the air intake in the lower part of the bumper acquired a different shape.
The rear end gave the features of sportiness by putting out two exhaust pipes of the exhaust system, and the optics was replaced with a “crystal” one. Chrome door handles now have all versions of Vel Satis. In the list of options appeared the wheels of the new design (in the 17- and 18-inch versions) and two new exterior colors. Interior lines have become more streamlined. The dials and hands of the instruments are made in the “watch” style, the wooden inserts of silver maple are decorated with alder inlay. Fabric upholstery can now be ordered in dark or light gray, leather - in dark gray or tobacco beige.
On the center console are divided bodies related to driving and head of the functions that ensure the comfort of passengers. In Vel Satis appeared keyless door opening system and start the engine. Now you don’t even need to insert the key card into the slot on the front panel in order to start moving - it’s enough to have it in your pocket with you. Rear parking sensors supplemented front. A new multimedia system is being installed on the upgraded car, combining the navigation system, Cabasse Tronic acoustics with a 6-disc player and telephony functions. The color scheme of the menu varies depending on whether the control is exercised over the navigation system, radio or telephone.
The choice of engines remained the same, except that the two-liter turbocharged unit now has more power and torque, and the 2.2 dCi diesel engine has a diesel particulate filter.
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