Renault Initiale Paris Concept (2013)

The harmony between robustness and lightness is showcased further by the repetition of a strong graphic design on several parts of the vehicle. The motif, made out of an assembly of diamond shapes, shares the spirit and design of a bee hive. It features on the exterior of the grille, the wheels, and the sides of the vehicle. Linking exterior and interior, it also figures on the floor section where the rear-hinged doors open.

The structural composition brings to mind the frame of an aeroplane, but also gives a nod to the Grand Palais and the Eiffel Tower, emblematic Parisian monuments, the capital of French-style elegance. The most formal homage to Paris is made by the concept car's highly original aluminium and plexiglass roof. Milled directly out of the main body, it depicts a map of Paris - solid and transparent - showing the city's districts and arteries and the River Seine. The technical feat, with its spectacular aesthetic result, gives meaning to the new "Initiale Paris" signature in particular and to Renault in general, since it was on the banks of the Seine that Renault's industrial adventure began. And what city better than Paris embodies French joie de vivre and refinement or luxury in the eyes of the world?

RENAULT, A VISION OF FRENCH-STYLE PREMIUM MOTORING

Renault's design team didn't think twice about taking their inspiration from non-automotive fields. Each time they called on classic automotive and luxury cues, they made sure to take a fresh and original angle on them. And they continuously drew on a singularly "French" spirit of challenge to shake up the established order.

The designers took their inspiration from aeronautics and ultra-high-end contemporary outdoor furniture - worlds featuring elegant and refined shapes along with a great deal of vitality, and at the same time evoking warmth, light and space.

Aluminium and wood are often used in the automotive industry, but on Initiale Paris they attain a much more "mature" and dynamic expression than usual. Chrome detailing is satin finished, while the matt-finish walnut wood is assembled using slim blades for a more refined air. The centre console has a similar design, shifting imperceptibly from natural wood to gloss black.

The concept car body is cloaked in an "Amethyst" colour that shifts from deep metallic black to luminous plum violet as the light and viewpoint change. The body paint plays with shifting reflections much as a jewellery setting showcases the gem it holds. The letter "I" for Initiale Paris adorns the vehicle sides and wheels.

The full-LED lights give the Renault Initiale Paris concept car a strong light signature. At the front, the daytime running lights enclose each headlamp in parentheses. A built-in mechanism causes an eyelid-like "blink" in the light. At the rear, the lights are harmoniously positioned in relation to the horizontal and vertical lines of the car through their size and artful proportions. Rearward vision is ensured by ultra-slim, profiled cameras that serve as exterior mirrors. Each exterior detail evokes and fosters movement.

Interior design: light, space and technology

Motorists enter the car via rear-hinged doors with the help of a motorized running board - in a further nod to aeronautics. The promise of the exclusive pleasure of travelling in private jet-style comfort becomes a reality when occupants see the armchair seats in the first two rows, together with the profiled gearstick, the light guides covering the entire cabin, and the shapes echoing the tail-fin motif employed on the exterior.

The peerlessly comfortable seats make travel a more enticing prospect than ever. Attached to the central tunnel with no vertical link with the floor, they seem to float in the midst of the cabin. The levitating effect is heightened by the discreet joint between seat back and seat base that lets the light pass through.

The floor blends prestigious matt wood with high-tech aluminium set in a regular pattern. The contemporary marquetry lends a distinct sense of relief - both literally and figuratively - through the wave-like movement that softly washes across its surface.

Drivers are treated to uncluttered instruments and a centre console that seems to float above the cabin floor. Free of side support, the console fits seamlessly into the cabin like a bridge linking the central tunnel and the dashboard. The console houses two screens displaying videos and information on points of interest in the surrounding area. The screens are built into the surface and curve of the console, merging as one with the matt wood veneer.

The third row of the cabin is home to an original bench made of independent mobile blades. The blades compose a poetic expression of the modular design expected of this type of vehicle. Their respective positions open up entirely new in use. The seat back can be partly or totally folded down, while the bench can form a single whole with an armrest separating the passengers. For visual pleasure rather than pure practicality, the blades can be set in a range of positions to suggest different kinds of movement, that of a wave, for example.

Travelling is also about transformation. The emphasis inside Initiale Paris interior is on original, consummately-worked grades in colours and materials, as seen on the seats in particular. Variations in light and the corresponding mood go hand in hand with the changes in rhythm of the journey. By day, natural light from above is diffused through the roof prism, creating an ever-changing play of light and shadow. At night, the soft light sources bathe all occupants in a soothing nocturnal ambience. A succession of light guides above the instrument cluster lights up and switches off in step with the forward movement of the car.

An all-new approach to acoustics

To heighten travelling pleasure through music and sound, acoustics were thoroughly thought out on Initiale Paris. The concept car brings all occupants a totally immersive and shared experience in this respect.

Renault Initiale Paris occupants are greeted by a sound ambience as soon as the car is started. The special sound signature sets the tone for a premium experience and delivers on the "Initiale Paris" promise. Renault called on the skills of composer and sound designer Andrea Cera to create the signature, as part of the collaborative effort between the Group and France's acoustic and music research and coordination institute, IRCAM, which previously developed the pedestrian warning sounds for ZOE.

Renault asked BOSE®, its production-vehicle sound partner since 2008, to design a custom-engineered audio system. Purposefully discreet and fully integrated in the cabin, the acoustic installation developed by BOSE® reflects the simplicity and elegance of Initiale Paris. The result of a close collaborative project, the technical challenge met by BOSE® - a first for a concept car - signals the upcoming arrival on Renault models of Surround Sound®, an enveloping and rich audio experience close to that of a live concert.

"We are honoured that Renault asked us to be part in the project, one that testifies to the importance Renault places on sound quality and travelling pleasure and to the trust it places in our expertise." Karsten Uhde - European Director, Bose Automotive Systems

BOSE & INITIALE PARIS: EMOTIONAL SOUND MADE-TO-MEASURE

Renault Initiale Paris is equipped with 32 speakers, including two subwoofers. Bass, mid-range and treble are processed independently by specific speakers, controlled by the digital amplifier that manages the signal according the acoustic characteristics of the cabin.

Sixteen exclusive Personal® Surround speakers

Each headrest offers 2 specific enclosures with a pair of speakers. This unique design creates an individual 360° sound zone for each seat. Listeners are immersed in enveloping Surround Sound® placing them at the centre of the music.

Seven BOSE® bass-reflex enclosures

This solution offers a high level of sound performance in the mid-range and lower mid-range for clear and detailed sound delivering all the subtleties of the music. The seven two-litre enclosures were designed and developed by BOSE® exclusively for the needs of Initiale Paris. Each one features a high-performance 100mm speaker combined with a 36mm unit with particularly precise treble performance. One of them is built into the centre of the dashboard, ensuring the stability of the sound stage and a balanced, rich and ultra-centred sound wherever the listener is seated.

Two built-in subwoofers

To reproduce low frequencies in the cabin, BOSE® opted to use two subwoofers, one in the front, one in the rear:

• a compact 4-litre subwoofer integrated underneath the dashboard,
• a 200-mm speaker inside a 25-liter bass-reflex enclosure built into the tailgate.

The set-up provides high-level performance on low frequencies, for deep and realistic bass sounds in all seats, with no compromise on cabin space.

Surround Sound® amplification

The sound system is controlled via a 12-channel digital amplifier with a Bose digital signal processing and 12 channels of customized equalisation. It features Centerpoint® signal processing to fully benefit from BOSE Surround Sound®, including from stereo sources (CD and MP3). The Centerpoint® signal processing circuit continuously analyses the stereo signal to reproduce a 5-channel Surround Sound experience for all occupants.

A responsible and efficient concept engine

Renault engine-makers took a dCi 130 engine and enhanced it to bring drivers generous torque (peaking at 400 Nm) across a broad operating range. The engine builds on Renault fundamentals in powertrain technology and explores new paths for making the brand's power plants even more efficient in the future. Overall, the concept engine emits 40 g/km less CO2 and burns 25% less fuel than an equivalent-performance diesel.

• Downsizing: Faithful to its downsizing strategy, Renault combines driving pleasure with low fuel consumption by using smaller but particularly efficient cylinder blocks.
• EDC: The six-speed EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) automatic transmission is responsive and easy to use, and provides good fuel consumption.

Renault is exploring two new directions with the concept engine:

• Twin-turbo technology: A small, low-inertia turbo is used for low engine speeds and a second turbo kicks in for higher speeds. Torque is generous and plentiful from low speed - with a full 90% on hand from 1,500 rpm - for smooth and athletic driving.
• Shift-by-Wire control for the EDC transmission: This system, borrowed from Formula 1 racing, enhances the precision and smoothness of the controls through better-controlled effort. It also has a styling advantage as the gearstick is slimmer and the floating console has no cables to conceal.

A further particularity of the concept engine used for Initiale Paris is the use of optimized steel pistons to cut down on friction. Steel pistons dilate less than aluminium pistons, resulting in enhanced piston-to-cylinder wall clearances at high temperatures. Lower friction between pistons and cylinder walls means lower fuel consumption. And to keep them light, the steel pistons are hollowed out. The design is exactly the same as that used in Renault's Formula 1 engine.

The Renault Initiale Paris concept car has roughly the same dimensions as a Grand Espace but weighs in at some 250 kg less.

Initiale Paris will bring motorists an authentic and emotional experience appealing to all the senses.

• Attractive. Initiale Paris styling will elicit emotion with products featuring warm design, top-quality materials and finish, a peerless acoustic and thermal ambience, and discreetly integrated advanced technology.
• Adapted. Initiale Paris will build on Renault's commitment to make its customers lives easier, through innovation and the widespread availability of technologies for everyday use and comfort. This will also involve engines designed with day-to-day use and environmental respect in mind. The keywords will be comfort, well-being and driving pleasure.
• Attentive. Initiale Paris will be accompanied by special services forging closer ties with customers and bringing them more peace of mind.