The new Renault Safrane, a distinctive, user-friendly and reliable sedan is making its World Premiere in the GCC.
Available with the acclaimed V6 2.3l petrol engine and co-developed by the Renault Nissan Alliance, this stylish yet sporty sedan from Renault promises to be a stress-free driving experience. The Renault Safrane will be available at all Renault dealers across the Middle East starting from September 1, 2008.
Renault Safrane is based on the most recent edition (July 2007) of the successful Renault Samsung Motors model, the SM5 (over 600,000 units have been sold since its launch in 1998).
Manufactured in the ultra modern plant of Busan in South Korea, Safrane is the second Renault model after Koleos to be industrialised by Renault Samsung Motors (an 80.1 per cent Renault-owned subsidiary).
Renault Samsung Motors has been rewarded the 1st Korean car manufacturer in terms of product quality for 5 consecutive years.
With a 3 year - 100 000km bumper to bumper warranty, Renault Safrane is the first car in the GCC that will benefit from the new Renault customer care service called 'Customer First'.
The new stress-free space from Renault will be available in three trim levels (PE : 2,0l ; SE & LE with a V6 2,3) from 16,200 US$ up to 22,000 US$.
A stylish, stress-free and user-friendly sedan...
The exterior design of the Renault Safrane has been carefully thought through to give a general feel of dynamism and elegance. The sleek front features expressive headlamps, grille and bumper (with in-built signal indicators) that blend harmoniously with the bodywork while flowing lines have been given to the hood. Stylish sidelines and arch-shaped window lines have been adopted to emphasise the vehicle's elegance. A choice of seven body colors (White, White pearl, Metallic, Neo black, Glamour beige, Olive and Sporty silver) ensures that the car stands out in a crowd.
Inside the cabin, which is accessed using the Renault Smart Card technology, the refinements continue with wood-graining inserts. In-car ambience is further complemented by the steering wheel fingertip-controlled audio entertainment system that features 7-way speakers including an 8-inch sub-woofer which provides a concert hall experience. MP3 players can also be connected to the system enabling occupants to enjoy their favourite music selections.
When on the move, full appreciation of the Safrane's hi-fi set up is enhanced with minimal noise levels. Road and engine sounds have been reduced to a minimum through effective acoustic dampening and the adoption of a semi-permanent silent timing chain which not only reduces vehicle noise but also improves durability.
Air-conditioning has been made a priority with ventilation ducts positioned to promote optimum temperature maintenance both at the font and rear cabins. The automatic climate control also has independent settings both at driver and passenger sides. All this makes the air-conditioning of the Renault Safrane one of the best in the Middle-East market - this being confirmed by recent clinic tests.
The concept of stress-free motoring and ergonomic simplicity can also be seen in the Driver Memory Seat, which automatically adjusts to each driver's preferred seating position. Other practical features include rain-sensing wipers which automatically get activated in the advent of a rare regional downpour; and headlamps which turn on automatically when dark conditions are encountered such as when driving through tunnels. Rear parking sensors are also fitted.
...With first class dynamic performances
The Renault Safrane's 16-inch aluminum wheels announce the car's dynamic potential as do an exclusive trim, bumper grill with satin-grey garnish and a rear spoiler. The new stress-free sedan also boasts a 4-spoke sporty steering wheel for dynamic driving.
The V6 2.3 litre petrol engine available with the new Renault Safrane is a world-leading engine developed by Nissan. More than one million engines are currently being produced annually in Nissan plants across the world.
In addition to the V6 2.3 litre (5-speed automatic transmission + manual mode), which delivers a smooth 170 ps at 6,000 rpm, comes the brand new 2.0 litre 4-cylinder from the Renault-Nissan Alliance in which torque and fuel economy are the highest among its peers at 196Nm and 9,3l/100km respectively (automatic transmission).
The Renault Safrane's 2,0 litre petrol engine only weights 103 kilograms. The secret behind this engine's reduced weight can be found in the application of innovative technology which includes special materials for the intake manifold and locker cover and the use of stainless steel for the exhaust manifold. In addition, a new balance shaft system means that the vehicle's housing structure incorporates the oil pump and pan as a single part, which also helps to reduce size and weight. Renault Samsung Motors' Busan plant has been manufacturing the engine since May 2006 and is sold worldwide.
The new Renault Safrane offers an exclusive driving experience thanks to its cutting-edge engine electronic controls. CVTC (Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control), ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and ETC (Electronic Throttle Control) systems have been employed to offer superior performance and to ensure that the driver has complete control over the vehicle's manoeuvres in any condition. A finely-tuned suspension system facilitates dynamic driving, which fully caters to the driver's intentions.
A Renault car - a safe and environmentally-friendly car
As expected from any Renault model, active and passive safety equipment is impressive throughout and includes ABS with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), on top of ESC and no less than six airbags - including side and curtain - which are controlled through sensors located in the seatbelts and elsewhere in the cabin. These are programmed to take into account the nature of any impact and the condition of the driver and occupants.
The Renault Safrane's seatbelts also feature load limiters and traveler safety is further ensured with active protection headrests.
Child safety has also been taken into account with ISOFIX fixations (allowing ISOFIX seats to be fixed at the rear seats) and safe windows (preventing any accident as the window stops moving up when hurting something).
Driver and passenger health has also been given great importance especially during the manufacturing of each Safrane car. Lead substances in parts such as brake pads, light bulbs and adhesives have been eliminated and the vehicle's exterior paint has been replaced with a water-based solution. Renault Safrane is manufactured in the ISO 14 001 certified Busan plant: this certification guaranties that constant improvement is made to reduce the environmental impact of industrial activity.
As well as promoting traveler well-being, these considerations are also an extension of Renault's global philosophy of environmental friendliness.
A car with solid credentials:
SM5, best seller in Korea
The SM5 series was launched 10 years ago in March 1998 and earned widespread reputation for having the best quality and delivering outstanding performance - it gave a new paradigm to the Korean market. With the support of Korean customers, Renault Samsung Motors continued to develop its core values of distinguished style, outstanding quality and safety when building the SM5s and as a result have continued to be a steady seller in Korea with over 600 000 SM5 units sold to date.
Renault Samsung Motors, first in quality for five consecutive years
Renault GCC will provide Safrane customers with SM5s warranty policy which helped Renault Samsung Motors earn first place for five consecutive years in the CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) surveys conducted by Marketing Insight - a leading research and survey firm in vehicle quality in Korea. In the GCC, the Renault Safrane will be sold with a 3 year-100 000 km warranty as with all Renault models sold in the region.
Busan, a world class modern plant.
The Renault Samsung Motors facility is located in Busan's Shinho Industrial Complex in South Korea. The factory started construction in April 1995 and was completed by end-1996. Its total surface area is 1,650,000 sq. metres including 531,000 sq. metres of buildings and its annual production capacity is 240,000 vehicles.
The plant's architecture complies with the concept that 'the product is made by the employees' and the factory accordingly offers an optimal working environment and conditions. The factory has a water treatment centre and its paintshop employs hydrosoluble paints.
Production is extensively automated. The press shop has four lines of presses plus a shearing line and is fully automated. The 95 per cent automated body shop is equipped with 515 robots. The factory is based on a flexible, entirely robotised general assembly system of Nissan origin - the Intelligent Body System (IBS) allows up to eight body types to be assembled at the same time.
Guaranteed top quality from start-up
Busan is ISO 9001-, ISO 14001- and ISO 17025-certified.
Eight concrete measures applied in the factory to guarantee top level quality:
- The use of a standard flexible Nissan line for body in white production
- Incorporation in the production line of laser inspection of all body shells that leave the body shop for quality control in real time
- The supply of collections of components alongside the line (strike zone) for reliable assembly operations that eliminate the risk of fitting the wrong part
- The establishment of a 'strike zone' in the body shop alongside the opening panels station with a view to improving productivity by shortening the line
- The use of hydrosoluble paint has led to a 30 per cent reduction in VOC discharges without detracting from quality
- The use of assisted choice practices to ensure that operations are carried out correctly (Poka Yoke),
- Stringent inspection procedures during assembly chiefly with checkmen and repairers whose job is to detect and rectify incorrect operations on the line and identify their cause with a view to eradicating them
- Dynamic track testing of every vehicle that comes off the line
A car with great potential
The mid-size sedan segment: 3rd most important segment in the Middle East
With 203,000 units sold in 2007, the mid-size sedan segment in the Middle East is constantly growing in volume (+14% vs 2006) but has declined slightly in market share mainly due to the strong growth of SUV's over the past five years. This trend can be observed across the Middle East: in a total market of approximately 1,1 million vehicles, the DE segment accounts for 18% market share with more than 200,000 vehicles of this type sold in 2007 whereas the SUV segment has around 22.6% market share.
This sector is extremely competitive too with the availability of approximately 20 models. The launch of Renault Safrane sees Renault GCC complete its line-up with a new vehicle that benefits from the maturity and expertise of Korea's leading player.
Customer satisfaction: our first priority
Peace of mind for owners of the new Renault Safrane will follow with the launch of Renault's comprehensive customer care programme called 'Customer First' launched across the region. Announced alongside the launch of its new lifestyle sedan, the Renault Customer First programme has been designed to offer buyers with a complete peace of mind experience providing 11 essential complimentary services both before and following the purchase of any Renault vehicle.
With 13 showrooms across the GCC, Renault has an extended network of dealerships and workshops that provide adapted services to customers' expectations. To reaffirm its willingness to grow in the GCC, Renault has invested in a Technical Hub and a Call-Center, located in Dubai. The Technical Hub guarantees technical assistance and handles the homologation process. Renault Safrane (and each vehicle from the new Renault line-up) has been tested in this Technical Hub to ensure it is suited to conditions of use in this region. With the creation of a new call-center, Renault has extended its services by promoting personal attention for each customer.
With strong support of Renault Samsung Motors, Renault GCC will offer competitive spare parts prices with timely delivery. Renault Safrane promises stress-free service as well as a stress-free driving experience.
-Ends-
Press contact:
Zahabia Motiwala
Polaris Public Relations
Dubai, UAE
Tel: +9714-3415555
Fax: +9714-3415588
z.motiwala@polaris-me.com
Npheng Yang
Product and Communications Manager
Renault GCC
Tel: +9714- 80 32523
Fax: +9714-8813252
npheng.yang-renexter@renault.com
© Press Release 2008
