Yet another plumber's workhorse, you say? Today Renault launched the 'New Kangoo Express', the follow-up to the successful Kangoo that has sold over 1.3 million units since its launch in 1997. Two weeks ago Fiat and PSA Peugeot Citroen announced a new jointly developed van concept, creating a new market for "light vans" that are half the size of traditional compact vans. Despite their two-week advance, we think that Renault's nailed it, and here's why.
The New Kangoo Express is supposed to be bigger, better and more practical than its predecessor. The car has grown to 4.21 m in length (+17 cm, of which wheelbase has been lengthened by 10 cm) and to 1.83 m in width (+16 cm). The Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen light van models are noticeably smaller, measuring in at roughly 3.80m. This is, however, exactly why the Renault's got the upper-hand. Most middle-of-the-road car enthusiasts don't know what a Euro Pallet is (yeah, what is it?) but anyone who's been in the materials handling business will tell you that it's the standard 120 x 80 x 12 cm pallet widely used in Europe. The New Kangoo Express will fit a Euro Pallet and the light vans won't. Renault's also given the Kangoo several practical stowing solutions, with a 15-litre lidded glowbox, an overhead parcel shelf and an A4-sized dashboard stowage.
The engine range includes three diesel powerplants (70 hp, 85 hp and 105 hp variants of the 1.5 dCi engine) and two petrol variants, the 90 hp 1.6 8V and the 105 hp 1.6 16V. The 85 bhp diesel will sip 5.2 liters per 100 km, and clear you of any environmental guilt with 137g of carbon dioxide per kilometer. For full details, see press release below.
Renault Unveils 'New Kangoo Express'
Renault's New Kangoo Express
By Alexander Tallberg
October 19, 2007 2:47 PM
Filed Under: European, Renault
Press Release (Click to expand)
NEW KANGOO EXPRESS: COMFORTABLE, PRACTICAL AND VERSATILE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF PROFESSIONALS
Kangoo Express has had a radical impact on the approach of professional users to their vehicle and more than 1,300,000 owners have been won over by its features since 1997. Today, New Kangoo Express stands out as even more practical and comfortable, and goes one step further to meet the needs of its users. The newcomer is the fruit of an in-depth reappraisal of the model and, in the realms of design, comfort, practicality and environmental-friendliness, makes a significant contribution when it comes to providing professionals with a comfortable, economical and reliable van.
New Kangoo Express's design is modern and expressive and notably features a short, robust front that provides a spacious cabin and a large, practical cargo area. Meanwhile, the forward-positioned, panoramic, MPV-style windscreen ensures a brightly-lit cabin.
Inside, Renault has placed the accent on space, comfort and practicality thanks an array of features and functions that are unprecedented in this segment. The high seating position ensures a broad view of the road and combines with the dashboard-mounted gearshift lever to deliver a standard of driving comfort on a par with that of a passenger car. New Kangoo Express is equipped with several practical stowage solutions, including dashboard stowage for an A4 document, an overhead parcel shelf and a large, 15-litre lidded glovebox (depending on version). Multimedia and Bluetooth connectivity means that New Kangoo Express also doubles easily as a travelling office.
New Kangoo Express' length of 4.21m frees up an optimized cargo carrying capacity of between 3 and 3.60 cubic metres, while its interior width (1.21m between wheel arches) now makes it possible to take a standard Euro pallet. Hinged, asymmetrical rear doors and the sliding side door (according to version) facilitate access to the cargo area. New Kangoo Express adapts to meet the needs of all professional uses. This
versatility extends to the possibility of folding the passenger seat (optional) to
extend carrying capacity to 3.50 cubic metres. Moreover, the design of New Kangoo
Express enables a long list of specific conversions (emergency vehicles, delivery
vehicles, controlled-temperature transport, pick-ups, etc) to be carried out thanks
to the numerous specialist partnerships that have been put into place.
New Kangoo Express also places the accent on performance and comes with a
choice of economical, environmentally-friendly powerplants that are inexpensive to
service. The range includes three diesel powerplants based on the 1.5 dCi block
and available in three power outputs (70hp, 85hp and 105hp), plus two petrol
engines (1.6 8V 90hp and 1.6 16V 105hp). Powered by the 85hp version of the diesel
engine, New Kangoo Express returns combined cycle fuel consumption of 5.2
litres/100km, equivalent to CO2 emissions of just 137g/km.
Indeed, the first two versions of the 1.5 dCi both emit less than 140g of CO2/km,
making them eligible for the Renault eco2 appellation, while the most powerful
version can be equipped with a particulate filter.
New Kangoo Express is based on the same running gear as that of Sce?nic – a
model long been acclaimed for its dynamic performance, comfort and safety – and
consequently delivers a level of performance unprecedented on the LCV market. Its
wheelbase dimension of 2.70m ensures balanced, reassuring handling. Depending
on version and market, New Kangoo Express is equipped, too, with driver aids
more commonly associated with the world of passenger cars (cruise control/speed
limiter, rear parking proximity sensor, automatic headlamp and windscreen wiper
activation).
Its active and passive safety equipment surpasses the norm for an LCV and is on a
par with that of a family saloon. Features include latest-generation ABS, plus MSR
engine torque overrun regulation and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA). New Kangoo
Express can also be ordered with ESP, CSV understeer control and ASR traction
control.
New Kangoo Express boasts a market-leading stopping distance of 40 metres
(measured after 10 consecutive stops from 100kph to standstill).
The cabin of New Kangoo Express has been designed to ensure leading safety for
all occupants, including a driver's side airbag, seatbelt pretensioners with load
limiters and an anti-submarining hump in the seats (except folding front passenger
seat). A passenger side airbag and driver's side thorax airbags are also optionally
available.
Despite its long list of new features, the New Kangoo Express range will sell at
prices very similar to those of the current Kangoo range.
versatility extends to the possibility of folding the passenger seat (optional) to
extend carrying capacity to 3.50 cubic metres. Moreover, the design of New Kangoo
Express enables a long list of specific conversions (emergency vehicles, delivery
vehicles, controlled-temperature transport, pick-ups, etc) to be carried out thanks
to the numerous specialist partnerships that have been put into place.
New Kangoo Express also places the accent on performance and comes with a
choice of economical, environmentally-friendly powerplants that are inexpensive to
service. The range includes three diesel powerplants based on the 1.5 dCi block
and available in three power outputs (70hp, 85hp and 105hp), plus two petrol
engines (1.6 8V 90hp and 1.6 16V 105hp). Powered by the 85hp version of the diesel
engine, New Kangoo Express returns combined cycle fuel consumption of 5.2
litres/100km, equivalent to CO2 emissions of just 137g/km.
Indeed, the first two versions of the 1.5 dCi both emit less than 140g of CO2/km,
making them eligible for the Renault eco2 appellation, while the most powerful
version can be equipped with a particulate filter.
New Kangoo Express is based on the same running gear as that of Sce?nic – a
model long been acclaimed for its dynamic performance, comfort and safety – and
consequently delivers a level of performance unprecedented on the LCV market. Its
wheelbase dimension of 2.70m ensures balanced, reassuring handling. Depending
on version and market, New Kangoo Express is equipped, too, with driver aids
more commonly associated with the world of passenger cars (cruise control/speed
limiter, rear parking proximity sensor, automatic headlamp and windscreen wiper
activation).
Its active and passive safety equipment surpasses the norm for an LCV and is on a
par with that of a family saloon. Features include latest-generation ABS, plus MSR
engine torque overrun regulation and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA). New Kangoo
Express can also be ordered with ESP, CSV understeer control and ASR traction
control.
New Kangoo Express boasts a market-leading stopping distance of 40 metres
(measured after 10 consecutive stops from 100kph to standstill).
The cabin of New Kangoo Express has been designed to ensure leading safety for
all occupants, including a driver's side airbag, seatbelt pretensioners with load
limiters and an anti-submarining hump in the seats (except folding front passenger
seat). A passenger side airbag and driver's side thorax airbags are also optionally
available.
Despite its long list of new features, the New Kangoo Express range will sell at
prices very similar to those of the current Kangoo range.
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