Renault has just shown us - sort of - its new coupe-SUV called the Rafale. So far, we have only this side-on, darkened image, but it's enough to show the rakish profile of the new crossover. It'll be Renault's rival to the likes of the Peugeot 408 and Citroen C5 X.
Named after a high-speed aircraft
The Renault Rafale will be revealed in full at the Paris motor show in September, and its name is something of a glorious one. Nowadays, it's the name of France's front-line supersonic fighter jet, but back in 1934, it was the name given to a racing aeroplane, the Caudron C.450/C.460, which was powered by a supercharged Renault six-cylinder engine. That original Rafale could hit 432km/h, making it one of the fastest aircraft of its day.
We doubt that Renault's new Rafale will hit 400km/h... It will be sold as a hybrid-engined model, presumably meaning that it will use the same 1.2-litre full hybrid system as the new Renault Austral. Unlike the new seven-seat Scenic, which is also based on the same platform as the Austral, it looks like the Rafale will be made in right-hand drive and should come to Ireland in 2024.
Fully-electric model?
What about a fully-electric version? It's possible but not necessarily likely. The Rafale will be built on Renault's 'CMF-CD' platform, generally designed for hybrid and combustion-engined models, rather than fully-electric.
"Few people are aware that the name 'Rafale' belongs to Renault and is part of the brand's history. Today, we are using it to name a vehicle for the very first time," Sylvia Dos Santos, Model-naming Strategy Manager within the Renault Global Marketing Department, told us.
"In the early 20th century, Renault was a pioneer in the creation of reciprocating engines not only for cars, but also for trains (railcars) and even aircraft. By contributing to aviation, Renault was already striving to go further and exceed expectations."
Legacy of innovation
There's a closer link to that original Caudron Rafale than you might think. Not only did Renault supply engines to Caudron, it actually bought out the aircraft maker. That legacy is carried through to today, as Dos Santos explains: "Renault's Technocentre is now based in Guyancourt - which is where the training base and runways of the Caudron Renault aerodrome were located!"
"The name 'Rafale' immediately brings to mind technology, performance and a sense of daring, as well as driving pleasure and agility," said Dos Santos.
"It is a thoroughly meaningful name that draws on our history while perfectly evoking the positioning of our future upmarket SUV coupe. I am sure that a promising future awaits Rafale, alongside the other vehicles in the Renault range."