The Renault Samsung SM7 Concept has been revealed at the Seoul Motor Show. The model has a few stylistic elements which look to have been borrowed from Audi and Opel although its body shape is slightly wide, giving it a bottom heavy look.

The SM7 has been built on the same platform as the Nissan Maxim and it will likely have the same engine lineup, too with the 2.5-litre V6 and the 3.5-litre V6 (power is 182 hp and 251 hp respectively).

There’s no information about whether this is a preview of the new Renault sedan flagship we’ll see in the future - the Renault Safrane - but it’s clear that the French company is doing some experimental development.

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While the new Renault Safrane was originally earmarked to replace the Vel Satis, it seems that job is already being done by the new Renault Latitude. The Safrane does, however, still have a role in the Renault line-up, and looks like it will in fact, replace the Renault Laguna. In the same way the Peugeot 508 will substitute both the 407 and 607, the Renault Safrane was set to combine the Vel Satis and the Laguna in one.

It now looks like the Latitude will form the luxury part of the Renault sedan line-up, and will be placed slightly above the Safrane, which will probably be a more family-friendly economical model. The Safrane will have the same platform as the Laguna, also shared with the Samsung SM5 and now the Latitude as well.

It seems the Safrane will originally be produced in South Korea before production moves to France at a later date. Given the new Daimler deal, the Safrane could also sport a couple of four and six-cylinder engines from Mercedes, which would be something appealing to see also on the new Latitude. Safrane spy shots are over on Automarket for you to take a look.

Source | Automarket

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The Renault Vel Satis heir could possibly be presented at the 2010 Paris motor show in October. Likely, it will be based on the Samsung SM5 and will be called the Renault Safrane, as reports German magazine Auto Bild.

The Samsung SM5 is a classic sedan car, 490 cm long, which would be positioned above the Laguna in the Renault range. The green light has not yet been given, but if it is it would be the only French model in its segment, as the Peugeot 607 and Citroen C6 will not be substituted.

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The first look at the Samsung Motors’ SM5 sedan has been released, and reports say the car will form the basis of the new Renault Safrane. The SM5 is clearly produced for the Asian car market, but will appear in Europe under the guise of the Safrane, which is replacing the Vel Satis, whose production end was recently announced.

If the Safrane was to take on this design, it’s certainly not displeasing and has the dimension to be a competitive sedan. It measures 4.9 metres long and has a wheel base of 2.8 metres, with plenty of room for passengers. The new Safrane will likely debut at the 2010 Paris motor show with an engine range the same as the Samsung Koleos: a four-cylinder, 2.5-litre petrol engine with 170 hp, and diesels with 150 and 173 hp.

Source | Autointernationaal

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Renault has announced the production end of the Vel Satis sedan, which first appeared in 2001. The Vel Satis was originally designed to replace the Safrane, but was unsuccessful due to its unusual design for a car of this segment. It was designed by Patrick Le Quément who is also behind the Avantime model, itself another flop.

It has also been the victim of overly optimistic sales targets from Renault, which were set at 50,000 units a year. The Vel Satis was supposed to compete on a par with German sedans and other similar models, but in eight years only 62,000 units have been assembled.

It will probably be replaced by a Samsung Motors model, which will adopt the Safrane name once again. After the jump is a video of the Vel Satis in action.

Continue reading: Renault Vel Satis out of production

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