Compact Crossover Excites @ New Renault Captur Launch
The World Loves Melbourne was invited to check out the new Renault Captur, a compact crossover car that brings the best of passenger features together with the best of the world of SUV. This was a lifestyle media event held at a special (almost secret) Renault location at Seaworks, the grand old sheds in Williamstown (on the water). The view of the Melbourne city skyline from Seaworks is spectacular.
Starting from an RRP of just $22,990, the all-new Captur features an exceptionally high level of standard equipment including reversing camera and rear parking sensors along with best-in-class petrol turbo engines. As Renault’s first crossover, Captur’s flowing lines highlight its distinctive proportions, while its large wheels, generous ground clearance, wide tracks and steeply raked, forward-set windscreen form a unique blend of MPV, SUV and hatch, conceived and made reality by Renault.
We were chauffeur driven to the launch event in the new Renault Captur. For a start the Captur is stylish, with the unmistakable French touch. It's curvaceous and robust.
Renault Captur lends itself perfectly to an extensive personalisation programme, too. With its many permutations of two-tone bodywork, wheel colours, customisable interior trims, Captur will appeal to a particularly broad spectrum of tastes and desires.
The creative freedom enjoyed by Renault's designers shines through in the features and generous interior space expected of this type of vehicle. Though compact (it is only fractionally longer than the Renault Clio), Renault Captur is particularly roomy. The sliding rear bench seat provides the ideal balance of space for passengers and their luggage, with a maximum carrying capacity of 455 litres. In the passenger compartment the availability of removable seat covers which can be unzipped, machine washed at home and refitted, underline Captur's character as a truly user-friendly vehicle.
The raised driving position is both comfortable and confidence-inspiring, as are the car’s passive safety features, road holding and braking performance. The credit for Captur's ride comfort goes to the B platform, which it shares with the award-winning Renault Clio.
The Renault Captur is incredibly well specified and displays an impressive array of standard features including a high-definition reversing camera, rear parking sensors, satellite navigation, automatic windscreen wipers, automatic headlights and Renault’s smart card for hands-free entry and exit.
This was a glamorous launch event with superb canapes from Gary Meghan's Big Kitchen Events, Aperol-Spritz and McPherson's wines and top class beers to imbibe. A popular attraction was the first class nail treatments available for the ladies from @iscreamnails.
What we enjoyed about the Renault Captur was the fact that like an SUV you are riding high on the road. The suspension was also top notch and was put through its paces, with Renault drivers on hand at the Williamstown location to give us a test drive through obstacles. Fasten your seat belts! The course also showed us the automatic wipers in operation (water descended as we drove through a station), ability of the steering and tight turning (around obstacles), and the benefits of reverse cameras, for example.
New Renault Captur combines the handling and manoeuvrability of an urban hatch with the elevation and space of an SUV. So whether you need a vehicle for business or pleasure, weekdays or the weekend, Captur is the crossover for both sides of your life.
Renault Captur is visually stunning. The fluid, sculptured body can be enhanced with a range of two-tone colour schemes, so think of your new Captur as a blank canvas ready for you to reflect your own personality.
Inside it’s just as impressive, combining European style with practicality. For example, ergonomic shell front seats and adjustable rear seats are wrapped in washable, zip off covers. And like the exterior you can genuinely personalise the interior to suit your tastes. We were impressed with the size and practicality of the boot. The back seat slides along a rail, another great innovation.
Captur has all the smarts you expect from a European car brand. Sat-Nav, Media and Bluetooth® are controlled by a tablet touch screen and keyless start is included too. It’s powered by a highly fuel efficient Renault turbo engine with ECO mode to reduce CO2 emissions and it’s been awarded a 5 star Euro NCAP Safety Rating.
A big plus from The World Loves Melbourne is the super low fuel consumption equivalent to a hybrid! The car is also super quiet like a hybrid.
Driving pleasure and fuel economy are the common denominators of Captur's 100% turbo engine line-up which were developed from Renault’s expertise in downsizing thanks to the world of Formula 1. The Captur is available with two petrol engines – the Energy TCe 90 (three cylinders and just 898cc) and the TCe 120 EDC (four cylinders, 1,198cc). The charismatic and effervescent Energy TCe 90 is available exclusively with a 5-speed manual gearbox and boasts an impressive fuel-consumption of just 4.9 litres per 100km. The TCe 120 is available exclusively with Renault’s 6-speed EDC transmission (Efficient Dual Clutch) which delivers outstanding driving comfort and fuel consumption of just 5.4 litres per 100km.
Available in two generous specification levels –Expression and Dynamique – and starting with a recommended retail price of just $22,990, the new Renault Captur is set to shake-up the small SUV segment in Australia.
Renault Captur is built at the Valladolid plant in Spain, where particularly close attention has been paid to product quality and environmental impact. Up to 16% of the plastics used in Captur's production are sourced from recycling – an outstanding achievement, even if not visibly apparent.
With pricing to start in the low $20,000's and up to low $30,000's we think it will get traction in the market.
Renault Australia CEO Justin Hocevar spoke to us about the renaissance of Renault Australia from 2,000 car sales per annum in Australia a few years ago to now around 10,000 car sales per annum. A resurgence.
Commenting on the launch of the new Renault Captur Justin Hocevar, Managing Director Renault Australia, said: “It is with great excitement that we now launch the Renault Captur to the Australian market. The Captur has been a runaway success story globally, selling more than 196,000 vehicles worldwide in 2014 and was the third highest selling vehicle in France.
“The Captur is an exceptionally versatile vehicle which can take customers from the urban jungle to a country drive with effortless ease. Thanks to the incredibly clever packaging of the interior space and the sliding rear bench seat, Captur is readily able to accommodate all aspects of our modern and busy lifestyles.
“Captur is the second ground-up vehicle from Renault’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Design, Laurens van den Acker, and we are confident that it will follow in the footsteps of its highly successful cousin, the Renault Clio. Captur is set to become a core model in the Renault Australia passenger car range and I’m certain that Captur will bring more new customers to the Renault family than ever before,” said Hocevar.
Justin told us that Renault has always been innovative, such as the design of the hatchback years ago, and now the crossover car the Renault Captur. He spoke of the Renault F1 team and how they bring some of their technology to the domestic car market. We are not far away from the 2015 Australian F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne featuring Renault's Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull.
We were then treated to amazing dinner at a long table, with catering from Gary Meghan's Big Kitchen Events. Everyone around us, not just The World Loves Melbourne, was raving about the quality of the catering at this off site kitchen. This was food with class, style, practicality and a trend towards healthy honest food. The World Loves Melbourne enjoyed conversing with Emily and David from the Renault marketing team at the table.
Roasted chicken breast cannon, braised peas, crumbed feta & chicken crackling was a triumph.
A talking point was the sumptuous Sumac crusted lamb rump, roasted yellow harissa, braised chickpeas & smoked yoghurt. (The World Loves Melbourne was able to sneak in two of the lamb rump portions.)
A sexy dish was the Steamed blue eye cod, braised fennel a la grecque, gremolata & lemon consomme. Melt in your mouth steamed cod was so rewarding along with the fresh zesty accompaniments.
Chips are a big deal in the The World Loves Melbourne's culinary world. Another talking point at the table was the quality of these chips!
Desserts were a highlight with Pineapple tarte tatin, coconut crumble, pina colada sorbet along with Bakewell tart, raspberry mousse, berry compote & lemon sorbet. We were fighting over that Pineapple tarte tatin (in a nice way).
The coup de gras was the Milk chocolate parfait, oats & raisins biscuit, toasted marshmallow. This dessert ticked all the boxes of texture and taste and grand indulgence.
Like all Renault passenger cars, the Renault Captur has a 5 year/unlimited kilometre warranty and 5 years’ roadside assist. All vehicles in the Captur range have 1 year servicing intervals or 15,000km (whichever comes first) and are covered by Renault’s Capped Price servicing program. The first three services are capped at just $299 per service.
The all new Renault Captur goes on sale nationally on Friday 6th February, 2015.
Captur Recommended Retail Price
Captur Expression TCe 90 MT $22,990
Captur Expression TCe 120 EDC $25,990
Captur Dynamique TCe 120 EDC $27,990
Chauffeured home in the Renault Captur with Daisy and Ricky from blog Never Too Sweet, it was a great chance to catch up with a standout Melbourne blogger.
Thanks to Renault Australia and Soda Communications for such a fabulous event.