03-02-2006
Renault has taken the wraps off its new concept car, Altica, a sporty estate that
combines flowing lines with a spacious interior. Its dynamic stance is underpinned
by a long bonnet and curved forms, while its modular interior ensures
outstanding load capacity.
Altica stands out as a dynamic vision of the estate, combining the practicality of
the latter, the sports appeal of a coupé and a high standard of travelling comfort.
Flowing, sporty lines
The panoramic windscreen and rear window underline
the car’s fluid aerodynamics. The two-tone paintwork
accentuates the side design and also asserts Altica’s
graphic identity. The car’s overall stance – low-slung
lines, long bonnet, prominent wings – and proportions
express true sports car dynamics. Comprised of a
mosaic of transparent panes, the rear quarter lights
suggest forward movement.
Altica’s interior mirrors its sporty, dynamic exterior
design. The suspended drive station is held in place by
four profiled rods that hint at the world of Formula 1.
The transparent roof and panoramic windscreen erase
the boundary between the interior and the outside
world and also ensure a brightly-lit cabin. The mosaic
design of the rear quarter lights allows sunlight to filter
into the cabin much like it does through stained glass
windows and gives the interior a more welcoming feel.
The layout and angling of the panes ensure good
three-quarter rear visibility for the driver which is
indispensable when parking.
The headlamps feature four different modes – daytime
running lights (DRL), sidelights, dipped beam and
main beam – and function using rows of diodes.
They also produce a halo effect when the DRL mode
is selected. This is achieved in two ways. First of all,
each polycarbonate headlamp module cover is speckled
with thousands of small, micro-engraved nicks.
Invisible to the naked eye, these nicks have no effect
on the beams and permit light to pass unhindered. In
the daytime running mode, however, the surface
of the module cover is illuminated from the edge. The
light is accordingly trapped inside the mass and
spreads out like a fluid over the entire surface to
produce an original and effective halo effect for the
DRL and sidelight functions.
An estate with the accent
on practicality
Altica’s sports pedigree is reinforced by its scissor
doors, the form of which ensures easy access to this
low vehicle.
The generous interior volumes of Altica provide a very
high standard of travelling comfort despite the car’s
sporty characteristics. Each of the four individual
seats boasts outstanding comfort.
Instead of the seats, which are fixed, it is the drive
station and pedal assembly that adjust to match the
driver’s physique thanks to a motorized mechanism.
The height-adjustable centre armrest deploys automatically
as the driver sits down.
The vertical positioning of the dashboard takes its
inspiration from the world of aeronautics and permits
the driver to feel at one with the car.
The centrally-positioned dial features two display
modes: “comfort” and “sport”. The “comfort” mode
indicates the car’s speed in the centre of the display
while the perimeter shows the legal speed limits
which turn red if exceeded. In the “sport” mode, the
speed continues to be displayed in the middle of the
dial but the perimeter becomes a digital rev counter
and turbo pressure indicator. The graphics of the
high-resolution screen provide a distinctly human
touch to this high-tech display which itself suggests
watchmaker-like precision and sophistication.
Altica features a number of clever storage spaces,
including the shell-like glove box, concertina-style
storage compartment in the armrests and a tray situated
underneath the floor at the rear.
The rear seat backs can be folded into the flat floor
which is equipped with straps that permit heavy or
bulky loads to be held secure. This layout transforms
Altica into a two-seater sports coupé with a vast
1,300-litre boot, while the boot lid provides very easy
access and an extremely low loading sill.
Driving pleasure, power and control
Altica is a dynamic sporty estate that combines driving
pleasure with a sensation of power and control.
With its long bonnet, sports dimensions (length:
4.27m; width: 1.83m) and very low centre of gravity,
Altica offers remarkable performance.
Altica’s new 177hp 2.0 dCi particulate filterequipped
diesel engine takes the car from a standing
start to 100kph in just 7.5s. Coupled with a six-speed gearbox, this powerplant – which boasts maximum
torque of 380Nm – provides excellent pull-away and
mid-range acceleration. This hasn’t been achieved
to the detriment of fuel consumption, however. The
Renault-Nissan Alliance engine is very inexpensive
to run and fuel consumption is equivalent to 140g
of CO2 per kilometre. In terms of both performance
and driving pleasure, it stands out as the best diesel
engine in its class.
Text and photos courtesy of Renault
