Car Fule

The Renault Arkana will soon have a big brother. This is what the diamond firm has just made official with the arrival of a new D-segment coupe SUV which will be called the “Rafale”. This name has its origins in the very first years of the brand’s history, when Louis Renault, the company’s founder, was still involved in the aeronautical industry.

A 1936 aircraft called “Rafale” broke several records of the time. Among them, that of Hélène Boucher, the first woman to have traveled more than 1,000 km by plane.

Renault Austral DNA in a new formula

The press release unveiled by Renault is accompanied by a first teaser which is characterized by an image of the silhouette of the car. The coupe SUV should share the platform and many components with the Austral, even if from a purely aesthetic point of view, it should be very different.

Indeed, on closer inspection, the rear lights look rather tapered, while the front lights incorporate a double vertical element that recalls the aesthetic codes inaugurated on the new Clio. The lines seem taut and more muscular, while on the shields you can see two red profiles that give a little hint of sportiness to the whole.

Inside, however, the Renault Rafale should take over a large part of the Austral’s technology, starting with the dual 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 12-inch infotainment screen. To emphasize the more “sporty” and exclusive side of the model, Renault should offer specific seats and inserts.

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A heavily electrified SUV

On the engine side, it is possible that the Rafale inherits the most powerful block of the Austral, namely the 1.2 liter E-Tech hybrid with 200 hp. However, it is not excluded that even more efficient powertrains, perhaps rechargeable hybrids, will be part of the game to distinguish this model more generally from the rest of the range.

Renault describes its new product as a “standard bearer” in its range, so it should have specific elements that will distinguish it from the Austral and the Arkana.

The new Renault Rafale will have its world premiere at 54^th International Aeronautics and Space Show at Le Bourget on June 18th.