Remember when Citroen launched the current C5 and they promoted it as being ‘unmistakably German?' Well, that motto would be perfect for Renault’s new sedan too. The Talisman is here and it wants to punch a VW Passat in the face and gnaw at the back of an Audi A4 and other compact premium sedans.
During the reveal speech, Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn talked about solidity and the feeling of substantiality. He, along with design boss Laurens van den Acker, made it clear that this car had a clear emphasis on actual and perceived quality.
They say they worked really hard to screw the whole thing together with more precision and also make occupants feel like they’re driving around in something premium. The word premium was not used, but it’s clear that’s what they’re aiming for.
Other core principles behind its creation are an emphasis on fuel efficiency, low emissions and, believe it or not, driver enjoyment. Don’t take that last one literally, though, as it will probably not be true – it’s hard to call a car fun to drive these days since the standards, in any body style or size, are set extremely high – do you see this beating a Mazda6 on a twisty road? No.
Scrolling nearly all the way down through the official press release, not all that much space was allocated to describing the engine range. Still, we are told they will all be turbocharged, and if you’re familiar with Renault’s naming strategy, you’ll know what TCe 150, Energy TCe 200, as well as DCi 110, 130 and 160 mean.
The DCi diesel units are all derivatives of the new 1.6-liter unit, which in 160 PS guise sports a twin-turbo setup (an actual one, not to be confused with a single twin-scroll turbo).
Of the two petrol engines, we know the TCe 200 is basically the same 1.6-liter unit found under the bonnet of the Clio RS (as well as the new Espace MPV/crossover), but we really have not found any information on the TC150. It may very well be the same basic engine but with but in a lower state of tune.
As for gearboxes, the two petrols will be exclusively available with Renault’s dual-clutch seven-speed. The DCi 110 will get a manual six-speed as standard, as will the 130; the 160 will be exclusively available with a six-speed dual clutch also optionally available for the two lower-powered diesels.
The car features what is promised to be a feeling of quality-inducing interior, crash mitigation tech and quite extensive means of personalization. Check out the list of features / innovations it presents, then scroll further down to the official gallery and videos.
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