Renault will become one of the first mainstream car
manufacturers to have a coupe-SUV in its lineup once the Arkana show car you
see here morphs into a production model next year. For now, the vehicle is
billed as a concept car — although it’s plain to see we’re dealing with a
pre-production prototype. Renault says the Arkana is a fusion “between the
elegance of a saloon and the sturdiness of an SUV,” and we have to admit it
doesn’t look half bad. The concept car previews a new C-segment crossover that will be sold
globally after its introduction to Russia in 2019. However, Renault points out
that the Arkana won’t go on sale in Europe.
Styling-wise, the Renault Arkana show car sports
rugged traits such as the high ground clearance and wide wheel arches filled
with 19-inch alloys. However, it also looks elegant thanks to details including
the high waistline and sloping coupé-like roofline, not to mention the side
chrome detailing and panoramic glass roof.
Seen from the side, it looks more like a jacked-up
sedan than a coupe crossover. The Arkana also incorporates specific Renault
design cues such as the C-shaped headlights, the strip that unites the
taillights, and the corporate grille.
Following its launch in Russia in 2019, the Renault
Arkana will be produced and marketed in different countries throughout the
world, including in Asia and other regions. However, there are no plans for it
to be sold in Europe.
Renault has chosen the Moscow Auto Show as a venue
for the Arkana’s world debut because the automaker claimed almost one-third of
the Russian market in 2017, with 448,270 vehicles (28 percent market share).
Russia is also Groupe Renault’s number two market worldwide and is set to
become the company’s leading market by 2022.
Furthermore, the idea for the Arkana apparently came
from Russia, and the project was conducted with the strong involvement of
Renault Russia teams. No technical details are available for now but given that
the new model will be built at the same Moscow plant where the Renault Kaptur
is made, chances are it shares underpinnings with the AWD crossover.
