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Renault has unveiled its version of the future family wagon, a hybrid-powered crossover concept that can carry six adults in cleaner-burning comfort.
The French carmaker calls it the Ondelios, a mix of the word "onde" (French for wave) and "Helios" (the Greek god of the sun).
The name
is meant to reflect the vehicle's fluid lines and the way light reflects off its body. The concept will be unveiled at the Paris motor show next week.
"The Ondelios is inspired by motion rather than speed and is a whole new response to the call of the open road," says Renault design director Patrick Le Quement.
It's not small - 4.8m long, 2m wide and 1.6m high - but its proportions are disguised by clean and smooth lines.
The aluminium-finish grille, boomerang tail-lights, rear air extractors and glass roof together create a drag co-efficient figure of only 0.29Cd.
The vast doors are hinged at the roof and open to reveal an elegant interior swathed in fine leathers and fabrics. Each of the six floating seats has a footrest and drop-down screen. The second row slides and folds to allow access to the back.
The glazed roof further emphasises the vehicle's airy look and feel, bathing the interior in natural light.
The steeply-raked windscreen extends well down the bonnet, adding further to the clean lines.
"We think of it as made from a single material, where the body and glazed areas merge into one. Ondelios is a glimpse of what the automobile might be in the medium-term future," says Le Quement.
Passengers have their own interactive portable multimedia devices with speakers in the seat headrests. Passengers can also control their own air-conditioning.
The smart technologies that have gone into designing Ondelios include a cellphone which also acts as a hands-free door lock. It recognises the driver and loads his or her personal settings like seat-adjustment and favourite music.
Ondelios sits on seven-spoke, 23-inch alloy wheels which contribute to its profiled styling.
The propeller-like hubs draw airflow from the sides of the car to prevent turbulence. They operate in conjunction with the brake discs to ensure they draw in air effectively.
Touchscreens on the dash display engine and navigation data as well as images from the door cameras, which replace mirrors.
The Ondelios is powered by a 155kW version of Renault's 2-litre turbodiesel engine linked to a seven-speed double-clutch transmission plus two 20kW electric motors that operate in mild hybrid mode.
In addition, the front engine uses stop-start technology, while the rear motor kicks in if the electronic stability system detects a lack of traction in the front wheels, effectively making the Ondelios a part-time all-wheel driver.
With a hefty 450Nm of torque available between 1700-3800rpm, the hybrid powertrain propels the car from 0 to 100km/h in under 8 seconds, returns 4.4 litres/100km (63mpg) and posts CO2 exhaust emissions of 120g/km.
