Renault Safrane


The Renault Safrane was an executive car designed and built by the French manufacturer Renault from 1992 to 2000. Throughout its lifespan, it remained the most expensive and most luxurious Renault available, although its commercial success was limited, compared to some similar models. It was replaced by the Vel Satis, and to some extent, by the short lived two door Avantime.
Since 2008, a new model, based directly on the Renault Samsung SM5 sedan, is also called Renault Safrane.

Background

The Safrane was launched in April 1992, to replace the ageing Renault 25 in the full-size market segment. Its clean, aerodynamic styling was quite conservative and very typical of early 1990s car design, also quite reminiscent of the 25's.
All Safranes were five door hatchbacks/notchbacks with transversely mounted engines. Front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions were available, with a range of petrol or diesel engines and manual or automatic transmissions. All petrol engines were fuel injected and were fitted with three way catalytic converters, as required in Europe after 1993 for engines of all sizes.
The Safrane was also the first Renault to be equipped with airbags.

History

The Safrane carried over the Renault 25's five door hatchback/notchback design that had gained wide customer acceptance in France. Despite the traditional preference for saloon bodies in the executive car segment, Renault decided to compete on the base of added practicality of the rear door and split folding rear seat, as well as originality.
Given the preference for German saloons from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz of many executive car buyers, this can be viewed as good marketing tactics, allowing Renault to draw the buyers looking for alternatives, rather than compete head on.
The Series 2 Safrane featured slightly different front ends in different versions, in an attempt to emphasize the unique status of more upmarket models, although these treatments differed in different markets.
The Safrane's design was a deliberate effort to overcome the R25's main weaknesses — insufficient chassis stiffness and poor build quality. Renault was also keen to take noise reduction to best in class levels. These constraints resulted in a much heavier car than its predecessor due to a heavily reinforced chassis and the liberal use of soundproofing materials.
At launch in 1992, the Safrane offered six engines including one diesel :
Gasoline:
Diesel:
The Safrane's launch was free of the build quality problems that ruined the Renault 25's reputation. Critics praised the car's comfortable and spacious interior, excellent noise insulation, and incisive handling.
However, the manual transmission's cable actuated shifter drew heavy criticism for its rubbery, uncommunicative feeling that spoiled the driving experience — a significant issue in the European market where more than 80% of cars sold are manuals. Critics would also conclude that the car's acceleration and fuel economy was not up to the competition's standards, pointing out towards the engine's relative lack of power and torque compared to the vehicle's weight.
As a result, sales outside France remained limited, and the Safrane did not break the Germans' lock on the executive car market.
In the end of 1993, a 115 PS 2.5 L turbodiesel was added to the range, increasing Safrane's attractiveness, yet it faced tough competition from the likes of Audi's direct injection diesel of the same size, introduced a few months later in the Audi 100. The Renault Safrane was considered the most frequently used official car of former President of France, Jacques Chirac.

Safrane Biturbo

In 1994, Renault launched the high performance Biturbo version available in RXE and Baccara models. This model featured a twin-turbo, evolution of the 3.0 L V6 of the Alpine A610, developed with the assistance of German tuning firms Hartge and Irmscher, coupled with all-wheel drive.
However, it was only available with a manual transmission, as no automatic gearbox existed anywhere in the world for a transversely mounted engine of that horsepower with AWD.
Given that automatic transmissions and V8 engines are strongly preferred in the price class where Biturbo competed, it is not surprising that only 806 Biturbos were made. Production ended in September 1996. In the same year, the French coachbuilder Heuliez presented the Safrane Long Cours, which was something like a station wagon version of the Safrane Biturbo in luxury Baccara trim.

Facelift

Renault gave the Safrane a major upgrade in July 1996, in order to revive sales. The front and rear ends of the car were restyled in a much more modern fashion and the equipment levels upgraded. The concept that every trim level got a slightly different front end was retained.
A redesign of the manual transmission's cable actuator solved the shift quality issue, while a new Aisin Warner automatic transmission replaced the somewhat unreliable Renault unit which was well known to dump its transmission fluid on the road generally without prior warning. The Series I automatics are probably therefore best avoided second hand.
The engine lineup was completely renewed:
Gasoline:
Diesel:
The four and five cylinder petrol engines were a Volvo design and their inclusion in the Safrane lineup was a result of Renault's short lived alliance with the Swedish carmaker in the beginning of the 1990s. The V6 was an all new design by PSA Renault, and drew wide praise for its abundant low and mid range torque, even if the Germans offered 10 to 20 bhp more out of the same displacement. The turbo diesel was an all new in house design.
However, while the Volvo engine designs would externally appear to be a domestic Volvo, there are minor differences. The engine mounts are one example along with the oil filter mounting, power steering pump, ECU, timing belt cover and probably the gearbox setup. The camshaft pulleys were inverted by Renault making the Volvo timing marks redundant.
The engine must now utilise a specialist alignment tool to set up the timing however this tool can also be used on the same genuine Volvo engines. The 2.5 engine is really a 2.4 being 2435cc but was rounded up by Renault. The modernisation did not bring about a significant breakthrough in sales results, and the model was finally discontinued in December 2000, having sold fewer than the Renault 25 it had replaced.
For April 2002, it was replaced by the much more radically styled Vel Satis, accompanied by the original "tall two door" Avantime. The Vel Satis did not fare too well either, while the Avantime's design didn't find widespread acceptance in the marketplace and the model was quickly discontinued. In the United Kingdom, while liked by critics and reviewers, the buying public stayed away in droves.

Finishes

RN

Lowest trim level. Available Engines: 2.1 dT 2.5dT, 2.0i, 2.2Si. Externally: the mirrors are painted body colour and the vehicle has simple hubcap design:
Inside: front electric windows, electric mirrors. This trim level offers remote central locking. The upholstery fabric is less sumptuous on the front armrest. No air conditioning; dual zone heating.

RT

Intermediate trim level. Available Engines: 2.1 dT 2.5dT, 2.0i, V6. Externally: the black painted mirrors; "honeycomb" style "Élysée" wheels emerge.
Inside: In addition to power windows and mirrors, an alarm is fitted, including volumetric roof mounted sensors; there is a lockable glove box, a velour trimmed front armrest, dual zone automatic air conditioning; rear headphone jacks with rear speakers isolator switch; synthesised voice control. The Safrane RT is trimmed in "Trocadero" velour.

RXE

Premium level of finish. Available Engines: 2.5dT Safrane RXE and V6.
At this stage there was: power steering, electric mirrors, all round electric windows, rear headphone jacks, heated front seats with electrically adjustable squab and backrest, inflatable lumbar adjustment, with three memory positions. Optional leather was widely chosen by customers. Self dipping nearside mirror whilst reversing; dual zone air conditioning; rear leather electric seats pneumatic suspension, Philips stereo ; voice synthesiser; "Image" wheels; twin screen digital display
RNRTRXE
alloy wheelsOXX-
fog lampsOO?-
electric and heated mirrorsOXX-
driver airbagOO?-
ABSOXX-
Radio k7 6000OOX-
speech synthesisNoXX-
onboard computerNoXX-
leatherOOO-
rear electric windowsNoOX-
two reading lights for rear seatsNoXX-
puddle lightsNoXX-
electric glass sunroofOO?-
climate controlOOX-
Heated seatsNoOX-
power seatsNoOX-
Rear head restraintsOXX-
BVA on 2.5 dT–O?-
BVA on 2.0iO––-
If BVA on 2.2–O–-

Questor

Along with the Phase 2 Safrane, Renault also offered a Safrane variant called the Questor, which also relied on the Volvo powerplants mentioned above. The Questor differs only by having a factory fitted satellite navigation, which is a Philips Carin 520 with infra red remote control. This model was also fitted, at least in the United Kingdom market, with all the options available on the car as standard except the heated windscreen which was still an option.

2008 (A34R)

In August 2008, Renault revived the Safrane name for several markets in the Gulf States. Based directly on the second generation of Renault Samsung SM5 sedan, the car was manufactured by Renault Samsung in South Korea, and also presented in Mexico in February 2009.
Renault sold the Renault Latitude in Europe, although not in the United Kingdom. This is a lengthened and widened version of the Laguna, platform with vastly similar engines. In Mexico and the states of the Persian Gulf, the Latitude was sold as the Safrane.