between lights and shadows, Renault anticipates the silhouette that its next model will carry, a coupe-type SUV that will be located between the Austral and the Espacebaptized as Rafale and that will be something like the older brother of the Arkana.
The Rafale participates in a segment where Renault already has the Arkana. The Rafale will likely replace it in some markets, using the brand’s CMF-C/D platform. Since it does not reach the 4.8 meters of the Citroën C5 X, we suspect that points directly to the Peugeot 408.
Rafael?
Believe it or not, the name Rafale has a lot of history in Renault, but not in the automotive world, which is why you may never have heard of it.
We go back to the beginning of the 20th century, when Renault made not only cars, but also parts for trains and aircraft. The founder of Renault, Mr. Louis Renault was always passionate about aviation and in 1933 it bought the manufacturer Cauldron, a company that was renamed Cauldron Renault.
All the company’s planes began to have names related to the air, such as the Typhon, the Simoun and, of course, Rafale, which means “gust of wind” and which was a compact and agile competition aircraft.
Of course, today the name Rafale is associated with the most versatile combat jet in French aviation, manufactured by Dassault and which took on a good part of the role played by the well-known Mirage.
So, a name from the air world will grace the next Renault modelabout which we still don’t know much, but about which we will know more on June 18, precisely for the Paris Air Show.
We can expect Esprit Alpine versions and E-Tech powertrains, as well as design elements already seen on the Austral.
