At the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, Renault revealed its new brand identity which puts people at the forefront of its concerns. The new and ambitious design strategy which resulted from this is founded on different stages of the human life cycle, with each phase taking the form of a specific concept car. The first, the two-seater DeZir coupé, expressed ‘falling in love’, the passion present at the beginning of any new adventure. Now Renault Captur Concept addresses the second phase of this cycle, that of two people exploring the world around them.
Just like its predecessor, Renault Captur defines the simple, sensuous and warm style that will be progressively extended to future Renault car designs. “Captur is a fun and sporty crossover, ideal for a young couple about to discover the world” explains director of design, Laurens Van den Acker. “It takes as its basis the fundamental design language introduced on the DeZir concept car but adds a more technical dimension – more functional but still highly sensuous,” adds Axel Breun, director of concept cars.
In its proportions and fluid curves, 2011 Renault Captur Concept evokes movement and lightness, yet at the same time displaying powerful and muscular all-terrain cues. Just as with DeZir, angles, corners and lines have given way to sensuous and natural forms. For the exterior designer, Julio Lozano, the main sources of inspiration were athletes and radical sports. “In designing Captur, I began with the image of a sprinter on the starting blocks, his muscles tensed, and the energy unleashed when the starting pistol is fired,” he explains. The design also references equipment such as helmets, gloves and other protective gear used in radical sports, combining high technology with sophistication and lightness.
Renault Captur adopts the new frontal identity first presented by DeZir. As with DeZir, this identity has as its centrepiece a large Renault logo, set vertically against a dark surface so as to stand out as clearly as possible. Substantial, matt-finished wings reinforce the design’s visual strength. LEDs relay the direction indicator signal in a wave effect running the whole length of the vehicle.
Renault Captur does more than simply stir the emotions: it is also a practical and versatile vehicle. It is fitted with a hard convertible top which, once removed, reveals a carbon fibre framework. Captur Concept can thus transform itself from a coupé to a convertible, from an urban vehicle to an off-roader, while its overall sporty appeal is reinforced by its butterfly doors and big tyres fitted to 22-inch black and white rims. With its bodywork finished in a spicy shade of orange, Renault Captur takes its cue from the red championed by DeZir. This colour appears in a variety of different shades on materials both inside and outside the vehicle.
Renault Captur Concept also marks the debut of the Visio-system, an innovation that uses a forwardfacing camera mounted at the top of the windscreen to provide driver-assistance functions. This new technology is able to embed synthesised images into real-time images of the road ahead displayed on a central screen; this is the principle of augmented reality, aiming to enhance the driver’s perception of the external world by superimposing purpose-designed elements. The system helps reduce driving stress, for a relaxed, reassuring ride.
