Renault unveils the Fluence

The Fluence was first seen in concept form more than five years ago, at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. But Renault has confirmed that the car will make production, as the scheduled replacement for the Megane sedan.

The Fluence measures 4620mm long, 1810mm wide and 1480mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2700mm. This ensures plenty of space for its occupants, and Renault claims that the Fluence has more passenger space than any of its rivals. A 60/40 split rear seat provides more boot room, while various compartments within the interior offer up to 23 litres of storage space.

There will be seven engines offered for the Fluence, two petrols and five diesels. The 1.6-litre 16-valve petrol engine produces 110bhp and can be had with either a manual or automatic gearbox, while the 2.0-litre petrol produces 140bhp, and comes with either a manual or a CVT transmission.

The five diesel powerplants are all 1.5-litre dCi engines, with the base unit producing 85bhp. There are also 90bhp, 105bhp and two 110bhp engines to choose from. The 90bhp and 110bhp versions come with a diesel particle filter, while the top engine also gets a dual clutch transmission as a specifiable option.

Safety is taken seriously at Renault and as such they have fitted the Fluence with ABS, six airbags, electronic stability control and emergency brake assist among others. The interior features the Carminat Tomtom navigation system, an MP3/ CD player/ radio unit and Bluetooth connectivity.