All-new Renault Laguna GT hot-foots it to UK
Author: Chris Barker
Published: 09 April 2008
The first of the all-new Renault Laguna GTs will be perched on UK car buyers drives as from May 9th in both hatch and sports tourer plumage. With prices starting from £21,050 for the five-door hatchback, and £22,000 for the Sports Tourer, two lesser spotted engines will power the GT.In fact, making their first appearances in the Laguna GT will be the 2.0-litre 16V petrol engine and the 2.0-litre dCi turbo-diesel.The former manifests 5,000rpm at 201bhp and powers its way to 62mph in 7.8 seconds. The later coaxes 176bhp at 3,750bhp and hits 62mph in 8.5 seconds. Fuel consumption is moderate in the pair at around the 34mpg mark, whereas carbon dioxide emissions are between 172 and 194 g/km.The dickie bird is that the high-performance breed of the new Laguna - the GT - may stop short of being a fully paid up member of the RenaultSport club, yet has plundered the French manufacturer's motorsport hide for help in producing its active drive chassis and four wheel steering mechanism. More on that later.The trim level on the Laguna GT takes up where the Dynamique S left off, adding lateral air intakes, a larger front grille, new 18” rims with gargantuan brake discs, smoked rear light clusters, twin exhaust pipes and gloss black door mirrors as exterior styling touches.Both Laguna GT's offer four saturations of paintwork - Mercury, Pearl Black, Venetian Red and an exclusive GT hue, Malta Blue.Inside, and the letters GT are cross-stitched into the leather and alcantara sports chairs; drilled aluminium pedals, aluminium gearknob and a special GT steering wheel also nesting within.
Active Drive Chassis and Four Wheel Steer
The predominant USP has to be Renaults Active Drive chassis and Four Wheel Steer dynamics though. The Laguna GT's handling is anything but flighty and response is its new watchword, whilst its precision is akin to threading the eye of a needle. The combination of the two technological advancements gives Laguna GT drivers the edge over others in or away from the metropolis.Below 38mph and the GT's rear wheels turn in the opposing direction to those at the front to a 3.5 degree angle. Although not sounding a momentous achievement, this unique re-calibration amounts to a reduced turning circle of 10%, which, for city driving and parking is a Godsend. Once out on the open road, all four wheels sing from the same song sheet, triggering the rear wheels to mimic the line the fronts take. Cornering is an altogether more composed episode in your sometime driving sitcom, as the Four Wheel Steer corrects a cars inherent need to shimmy its rear around aggressive bends.With emphasis placed on safety through anticipated braking, the Active Drive chassis and Four-Wheel-Steer work hand-in-hand with the Laguna GT's ESP, sending signals to the steering wheel in the event of any mitigated driving discrepancies.
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