Today Renault official unveiled the Renault Laguna 3 and its elegant, fluid, dynamic exterior styling. The new Laguna received a meticulous attention in choosing high quality materials and high standards that reflect the extensive work that has gone into perceived quality both on the outside as well as in the cabin.

2008 Renault Laguna

Specifications
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  • Model: 2008 Renault Laguna
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Elegant, fluid, dynamic lines


New Laguna's styling epitomizes the quest for dynamism and driving pleasure that prevailed throughout its design and development.  Its front end features sweeping headlamps, a long, steeply-raked bonnet and large grille that combine to hint at a range of satisfying powerplants.


The new Laguna is 4.69 meters in length and it naturally balanced proportions ensure a dynamic stance, while the plunging shoulder line contributes to the new model's assertive, elegant looks. Chrome side window surrounds provide an extra touch of status-enhancing class and the distinctive sills ensure that the car sits squarely on its 16- to 18-inch alloy wheels. The waistline crease of the Saloon version extends across the boot and underneath the LED rear lights which give the car a distinctive night-time lighting signature. The higher performance versions feature twin chrome exhaust tailpipes, a tell-tale sign of the presence of a pedigree powerplant at the other end of the car


 A distinctive Estate with real personality


The new Laguna is also offered in an Estate version that features a steeply-raked rear screen, while the generous glazed area of the rearmost side windows further accentuates the newcomer's assertive looks. Ensuring a functional and practical interior was another key priority, as can be seen by the numerous new innovative stowage solutions.


Interior


The new Laguna features an elegant interior made by a blend of high-grade materials that exude an inescapable sense of quality and comfort. The enveloping dashboard makes an active contribution to this upper-range ambience, while the design and location of the controls and displays have been ergonomically tailored to facilitate driving. Depending on trim level, the centre console houses the controls for the parking brake assist and cruise control/speed limiter, as well as for the navigation and hands-free telephone functions of the Carminat Navigation and Communication system.


The Initiale trim level aims to appeal to the broadest possible clientele thanks to its wood and leather finish and is available in a choice of either dark charcoal or a lighter hue. The Alcantara leather upholstery of Dynamique versions combines with a metallic ambience. The unmistakably sporty feel of the dark charcoal interior of Dynamique models is further reinforced by the flat-section steering wheel and the seats' more pronounced lateral support.


Engine


Everything about New Laguna has been carefully thought through to guarantee genuine driving pleasure that combines benchmark handling and first class dynamic performance. Its carefully engineered chassis and precise, responsive steering enable drivers to profit fully from the new car's contained weight and comprehensive range of powertrain packages that deliver both performance and fuel economy.



The new Laguna is powered by a range of engines, all of them offered with a six-speed transmission. The first in the petrol range is a 2.0 16V (M4R) engine developed with the help of Nissan. The engine has an output of 145 hp. The next in the petrol range is a 170 hp 2.0 16V Turbo engine coupled to a six-speed Proactive automatic transmission.


The Laguna is also offered with a choice of diesel engines. The first one is a 1.5 dCi, which delivers 110hp (81kW) and strikes the segment's best balance between performance and fuel consumption. With CO2 emissions of just 136g/km, its also qualifies for 'eco-leader' status. Meanwhile, the 2.0 dCi block is available in a choice of three versions (130hp, 150hp and 175hp; respectively 96, 110 and 127kW), the second of which will be available with six-speed Proactive automatic transmission from launch. Equipped with a low inertia, variable geometry turbo and ultra-fast glow plugs, this version truly comes into its own under the bonnet of New Laguna.


Renault will also add a few more engines after the new model will be launched.


A precise, responsive chassis


New Laguna's chassis features among the very best in its segment. Engineered by Renault to surpass the acclaimed dynamic performance of its predecessor, its steering precision and cornering roll control are sure to satisfy the most exacting drivers. Development focused on New Laguna's specific body-roll with front and rear suspension stiffness uprated by 20 and 50%, respectively, plus higher performance anti-roll bars. For enhanced driving pleasure along twisty roads, New Laguna also features closer-ratio steering, as well as unrivalled filtering of the surface's irregularities and an even greater sense of  contact with the road. At the same time, specific work was carried out on the dampers to ensure a remarkably comfortable ride. Indeed, like its forebear, New Laguna continues to figure among the very best in terms of comfort and safety, while the new model's weight has been carefully contained, since it is the first new Renault to be lighter than its predecessor after shedding an average 15kg across the range.


Active and passive safety


New Laguna has benefited extensively from Renault’s acclaimed expertise in the realms of both active and passive safety. In addition to the outstanding handling afforded by its chassis, New Laguna’s braking performance puts it at the very top end of its class, especially with regard to its hot performance test results (total stopping distance measured over ten consecutive stops from 100kph to standstill).


New generation ABS technology with ESP and electronic Emergency Brake Assist is combined with a new electro-hydraulic control unit. On the passive safety front, Renault has developed several solutions based on accident research and real-life situations, which ensure a further-reaching and more effective approach to the issue of occupant safety.


A much more stringent brief has led to New Laguna being equipped with latest-generation features such as twin-chamber, dual pressure airbags and dualpretensioner seatbelts. The most spectacular progress, however, has been achieved in the domain of protection against side impact, a major cause of accident fatalities. Side impact protection has been improved thanks to the car's advanced electronic architecture, which has evolved to permit occupant protection systems to be triggered sooner.


Based on two sensors positioned in the front door and in the B-post, a specific algorithm automatically adjusts the protection systems' deployment as a function of the impact's force. This set-up is combined with a new-generation, double-side airbag that protects both the thorax and the pelvic area.


Practical and extremely comfortable


Three factors have led to making New Laguna the most silent-running Saloon in its segment: reduced engine-generated noise, especially at low revs, the dampening of road-induced noise and, above all, work on combating wind noise at high speeds. New Laguna is also the first Renault model to benefit from the findings of a series of customer surveys conducted in 2001 and 2002 regarding thermal comfort.


A better understanding of customer expectations, and the development of a new air-conditioning unit in association with Nissan for the American market have combined to ensure class-leading performance in this domain. The adoption of an externally-controlled, high-capacity compressor also means that cool air can be produced quickly while calling on the car's air-conditioning only as required to curb fuel consumption.


On those markets where it has been assessed, New Laguna's air-conditioning system ranks among the very best systems available. In terms of heating, cabin temperature is raised more swiftly thanks to the powerful electrical resistors employed on the diesel versions. The air-conditioning controls feature an innovative new "Soft-Auto-Fast" triple-action system and are intuitively positioned between the air vents. The location of all the controls on the new dashboard and the way information is displayed have also been revised with a view to further facilitating the task of driving.


The promise of low running costs


In addition to being affordable, New Laguna has been designed to be competitive with regard to running costs, too. The new car's attractive running, servicing and repair costs rank it among the best in its segment, thanks notably to its 110hp (81kW) and dCi 150hp (110kW) powerplants.



The constraint of ensuring attractive purchase, running and servicing costs for all category types was imposed on Renault's engineering and development staff. The concept of Total Cost of Ownership was chosen to serve as a yardstick since it takes into account all the financial factors associated with keeping a vehicle (depreciation and residual value), running costs (e.g. fuel duties) and the budget relating to scheduled servicing (tyre wear, servicing, etc.).


Regarding residual value, which is a function of the model's quality and image, New Laguna has several arguments in its favour in terms of real and perceived quality, as well as its performance on the road.


On the running costs front, New Laguna will be highly competitive. Available alongside the 2.0 dCi 150hp (110kW) engine, the dCi 110hp version stands out as a particularly attractive alternative for both private and professional users. Its running and repair costs have been carefully contained regarding both servicing intervals and repair times.


The 1.5 dCi: the market's indisputable eco-leader


Best in its class on New Laguna, this 110hp (81kW) diesel engine sips a mere 5.1 litres of fuel per 100km (equivalent to CO2 emissions of 136g/km), while oil changes are only necessary every 30,000km. This powerful, reliable powerplant is suitable for the toughest of uses, and particularly for high mileage customers.


The 2.0 dCi: a landmark in driving pleasure, reliability and economy


A leader in the realms of performance and driving pleasure, this 150hp (110kW) engine has been carefully tuned to match the performance characteristics of New Laguna's chassis. Given the vehicle's performance characteristics, the Saloon version's combined cycle fuel consumption is an extremely competitive 6 litres/100km, equivalent to 158g of CO2/km. Its timing chain no longer needs replacing and, like the 1.5 dCi version, it offers similarly longer service intervals and complies with forthcoming Euro5 legislation.


An environmentally-respectful design


The Renault eco² appellation is a hallmark of Renault’s environmental policy and applies to vehicles in its range that comply with specific ecological and economical criteria. Renault eco² vehicles must be manufactured in an ISO 14001-certified factory, have CO2 emissions of less than 140g/km (or else run on either E85 bioethanol or B30 biodiesel) and at least 5% of the plastics they contain must be sourced from recycling.