Geneva 2011: Renault Captur Concept

Coming as the second phase following the two-seater DeZir concept that debuted at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Renault Captur concept has just made its world public debut at the Geneva Auto Show today. Those of you who decide to pay a visit to Renault’s stand at the event will find this new small crossover concept as a practical and versatile vehicle with a flowing and athletic body language.

"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," says exterior designer, Julio Lozano.

Moving under the hood we find the Energy dCi 160 twin-turbo engine concept, developed from the new Energy dCi 130 that will eventually replace the 1.9 dCi. The unit, coupled with a dual clutch EDC gearbox, produces 160 hp and a peak torque of 380 Nm. All this while delivering CO2 emissions as low as 99g/km.

The performance is further enhanced by the RX2 system that improves traction at low speeds. In fact, should one of the two driven wheels lose traction, this entirely new mechanical self-locking differential transfers all or part of the engine’s torque to the wheel with the most grip.

Captur also marks the debut of the Visio-System, an innovation that uses a forward-facing camera mounted at the top of the windscreen to provide driver-assistance functions.

“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.