PARIS -- Renault’s new Espace midsize SUV will be 140 mm shorter than its minivan predecessor, but will have a slightly wider interior when it is revealed this spring, the automaker said.
Renault released silhouette images of the Espace, which will be available in five- and seven-seat versions. The 4,270 mm long model is expected to be based on the same underpinnings as the new Austral compact SUV, which is 4,510 mm long. Interior width will be 2,480 mm, the automaker said.
The images show that the grille, front fender and rear tail lights will be identical to the Austral’s, but with an elongated rear section. Renault has used a similar formula for the Scenic and Grand Scenic minivans.
The Espace, which was a pioneering minivan when the first generation appeared in 1983, is being repositioned as a SUV, similar to what Peugeot did successfully with the compact 3008 and midsize 5008.
The coming model will be the sixth generation of the Espace.