crucial role when it comes to buying
‹Kassai›: If you buy a Renault Espace
today, for example, you can change
between five driving modes. When
you choose Sport mode you’ll feel
the engine and the gearbox completely
change. The four-wheel turning
system and the suspension tuning
changes as well – you’ll have a
totally different car, including, like
I mentioned earlier, the lighting and
instrument cluster that will change
colour to red. Everything feels different.
And when you switch back
to Comfort mode you’ll see everything
change back again – back
to a more relaxed driving experience.
In addition, electrification will
help us to deliver even more emotional
cars. Today, ZOE customers
appreciate its driving pleasure thanks
to acceleration and silence. <
F O C U S 9
mand perfection in terms of quality
– there is no room from us to have
a car that’s highly efficient but isn’t
manufactured to the highest quality.
There’s no longer a trade-off between
quality and efficiency.
‹F.›: Rising demands on efficiency
can sometimes have a negative impact
on the enjoyment of driving
a new vehicle. What does Renault
plan to do to provide drivers with
a well-balanced proportion of driving
pleasure and efficiency?
‹Kassai›: We look at our customer
surveys and see that in general they
lead very stressful lives – they have
to match their car with their environment
and lifestyle. So when we ask
them if they prefer owning a functional
car, or one that gives them
pleasure, they simply answer ‘both’.
So, the main way Renault is addressing
this is through our brand identity.
We are aiming at being the best
French design brand, plus helping
our customers achieve an easier life.
The key thing in the brand deployment
is to have a ‘multi-sense’, or
‘multi-lives’ approach for our customers.
This essentially means the car
must be able to adapt to your state of
mind or mood at any time. If you are
wanting more driving pleasure you
should be able to transform the car;
or if you are more relaxed, perhaps
coming back from work on your
commute, the car should again be
able to adapt to that situation, giving
you a more leisurely drive. The features
of the car should be able to be
adaptive: the powertrain, the tuning
of the gearbox, the seats, the steering…
everything. Even the lighting
should adapt to your mood. This is
the way we’ve addressed this balance
based on the needs of our customers.
‹F.›: Following on from this, do
you think that emotions can play a
a new Renault car?
>
The new Renault Espace has five driving modes, adapting to your mood with the touch of a button for ultimate driving pleasure.