The greatest French car since the Citroën SM
You know what I love in a car's design?
Functionality, subtle design cues, 2 doors instead of 4, and above all: uniqueness.
The Renault Avantime is all of those. It has lots of interior room, no gaudy bodywork, 2 doors, and it looks like nothing else.
Ever get the feeling your'e being watched?
You will in the Renault Avantime, because no other car has quite the visual impact of the the French firm's coupe-cabriolet-MPV. With striking, futuristic looks that even earned it an appearance in the distopian film Children of Men, the Avantime deserves to be remembered.
The R&D and production of the Renault Avantime was made by Matra, a French manufacturer which partnered with Renault, and represented the first 2-door MPV coupe ever produced. The Avantime is also one of a few concept cars produced by a volume manufacturer that has gone straight into production within two years of first being seen by the general public, and redefined luxury travel and passenger safety at the time. The first concept "Coupéspace" was unveiled in 1999 at the Geneva Auto Show and the production started 2001. In terms of engines, the Avantime could be found in three engine configurations, ranging between 2.0- and 3.0-liter, developing up to 210 horsepower.
The two-tone bodywork (created through the use of aluminium for the upper panels) brings a special style to the Renault Avantime. The vehicle was super-luxurious back in 2001-2003. The Avantime combines comfort, style and performance wrapped in a distinctive, innovative, attention-grabbing body, with design project manager Thierry Metroz admitting at the time he “wanted someone walking around the car to be continually astonished”.
The combination of performance and driving enjoyment, the luxury of interior space and comfort, heightened by the panoramic glass roof and four windows which could all be lowered at the touch of a button put the Renault Avantime at the top of the wish list of anyone seeking to stand out from the crowd, see and be seen, in style and in comfort.
Unfortunately production only lasted 18 months due to Matra being unable to find a replacement model for Espace III production that was coming to a close leaving them with too much excess capacity. This has made the Avantime, something of a rarity on the roads. The global production reached 8,557 units - compared to 12,920 Citroën SM - by 2003, the same year when the French parent company Renault decided to discontinue the model. This helped to build a cult following among current and past owners and enthusiasts of this iconic design classic.
The appearance of the Renault Avantime - designed by Patrick le Quément - is still innovative to the absence of central body pillars, two-stage parallel opening doors, and the large single opening glass roof panel.
The Avantime is an extraordinary car: no doubt about that!
The greatest French car since the Citroën SM
You know what I love in a car's design?
Functionality, subtle design cues, 2 doors instead of 4, and above all: uniqueness.
The Renault Avantime is all of those. It has lots of interior room, no gaudy bodywork, 2 doors, and it looks like nothing else.
Ever get the feeling your'e being watched?
You will in the Renault Avantime, because no other car has quite the visual impact of the the French firm's coupe-cabriolet-MPV. With striking, futuristic looks that even earned it an appearance in the distopian film Children of Men, the Avantime deserves to be remembered.
The R&D and production of the Renault Avantime was made by Matra, a French manufacturer which partnered with Renault, and represented the first 2-door MPV coupe ever produced. The Avantime is also one of a few concept cars produced by a volume manufacturer that has gone straight into production within two years of first being seen by the general public, and redefined luxury travel and passenger safety at the time. The first concept "Coupéspace" was unveiled in 1999 at the Geneva Auto Show and the production started 2001. In terms of engines, the Avantime could be found in three engine configurations, ranging between 2.0- and 3.0-liter, developing up to 210 horsepower.
The two-tone bodywork (created through the use of aluminium for the upper panels) brings a special style to the Renault Avantime. The vehicle was super-luxurious back in 2001-2003. The Avantime combines comfort, style and performance wrapped in a distinctive, innovative, attention-grabbing body, with design project manager Thierry Metroz admitting at the time he “wanted someone walking around the car to be continually astonished”.
The combination of performance and driving enjoyment, the luxury of interior space and comfort, heightened by the panoramic glass roof and four windows which could all be lowered at the touch of a button put the Renault Avantime at the top of the wish list of anyone seeking to stand out from the crowd, see and be seen, in style and in comfort.
Unfortunately production only lasted 18 months due to Matra being unable to find a replacement model for Espace III production that was coming to a close leaving them with too much excess capacity. This has made the Avantime, something of a rarity on the roads. The global production reached 8,557 units - compared to 12,920 Citroën SM - by 2003, the same year when the French parent company Renault decided to discontinue the model. This helped to build a cult following among current and past owners and enthusiasts of this iconic design classic.
The appearance of the Renault Avantime - designed by Patrick le Quément - is still innovative to the absence of central body pillars, two-stage parallel opening doors, and the large single opening glass roof panel.
The Avantime is an extraordinary car: no doubt about that!