00:00I'm Nicola Hulme.
00:30I'm an automotive specialist.
00:33There's so many SUV options out there at the moment.
00:36And in terms of where Renault are, how can they stand out?
00:40Slate three, take one.
00:43Everyone wants something that's practical for day-to-day things,
00:46but also at the same time, a lot of people want to have a lot of fun
00:48while you're hitting the hills.
00:50So can they merge the two better than other brands?
00:55So here's the promise.
00:56Renault-Rafale have joined forces with Alpine Cars,
01:00who have added performance, excitement to the car.
01:04300 horsepower, four-wheel drive.
01:06But then you've still got that craftsmanship and the beauty
01:10of the Rafale that we've grown to know and love.
01:13My expectations are high.
01:14OK.
01:15I mean, Renault's aiming high.
01:16I'm intrigued to see what it's actually capable of.
01:19It looks nice.
01:20Yeah.
01:21I don't know if you know this, but it's actually named after a plane.
01:24So a bit like the namesake, like an aeroplane.
01:27Renault are planning to take the whole thing to new heights.
01:45My name is Philippe Mérimée,
01:46I'm the head of the ground-based alignment service at Alpine Cars.
01:50Slate one, take one.
01:52Rafale is the best of the two worlds,
01:56the Renault technology and Alpine's expertise in ground-based alignment.
02:02The challenge on this vehicle was to reach a high level of sportiness
02:07without degrading the level of comfort.
02:09The best Renault technology we've had on Rafale
02:13is, of course, the E-Tech engine for its great energy efficiency,
02:16this time at 300 horsepower,
02:19but also the Ford Control and Active Suspension,
02:22which in this version are equipped with a camera for the first time.
02:27There's a dream that this brand has always had in history,
02:30which is to show that we are also capable of reaching new heights.
02:34And even to go for a track tour on the top of the markets.
02:40Yeah, I look forward to that.
02:42I feel like it's about time they've done that.
02:45Stepping up.
02:46Can they manage it, is the question.
02:48RAFALE
02:54I'm Gregory Launay,
02:56and I'm a revenue leader on this amazing project that is Rafale.
03:00Slate two, take one.
03:03Rafale has been designed to rebuild Renault's reputation
03:06for creating high-end vehicles.
03:09The challenge was to coordinate the teams from Alpine and Renault
03:13in order to achieve what we are looking for.
03:16For Renault, first, the priority was given to the powertrain developments
03:20with a full new e-tech hybrid engine
03:23delivering 300 horsepower,
03:25a 4x4 transmission and a 22 kWh recharging battery.
03:38My name is Arthur Ferriere,
03:39and I'm a Customer Performance Pilot at Alpine Cars.
03:42Are we in sport mode?
03:43Yes, we are.
03:46It sounds good as well, though, doesn't it?
03:50That's so good for an SUV.
03:52Yeah, honestly, it's like, look at this response.
03:55It's quite flat.
03:57You are absolutely a racing driver.
04:01Driving this Rafale Atelier Alpine is really pleasant,
04:03especially on small winding roads.
04:05We've worked on a large number of parts on this chassis
04:08of the Rafale Atelier Alpine.
04:10The anti-roll bars, the springs, the dampers,
04:13and the settings of the piloted systems,
04:15namely the ESP, the steering tuning,
04:18but also the settings of the 4Control and the Active Suspension.
04:22The grip on this thing is insane.
04:24That's insane.
04:25Those tyres are specifically developed for this car.
04:31A bit of sideways here, maybe.
04:34I think I'm mostly surprised by how it's taking corners
04:40with such a big body.
04:42And even at high speed here,
04:44if I put a lot of steering wheel speed,
04:48it's very stable.
04:49I'm expecting that the car will be able to stay reasonably stable
04:53when it comes to tight corners,
04:54because at a 300-horsepower car,
04:55you're going to want to throw it around.
04:57I know that's what I'm going to want to do.
04:58Ready?
05:00No!
05:05You can feel the electric power underneath it.
05:07It's not having to stop and think, it's just going.
05:09I love the agility of this one.
05:12Even if it's a pretty big car,
05:14with the four-wheel steer, it's very agile.
05:16Like you see, you put very low steering angle.
05:19It took the corners so well,
05:21and I felt completely in control of the car at the same time,
05:24which was a rare thing sometimes.
05:27You can even get a whole family in here,
05:30if you've got kids and everything.
05:31Go away on a weekend and go around some hilly roads
05:34and just have a jolly good time.
05:35Just have fun.
05:39Personally, I'm extremely proud of this vehicle.
05:41I'm proud of Alpine's contribution to the development of this vehicle,
05:45which is comfortable and sporty at the same time.
05:48I think they've kept their promise there.
05:49It's very impressive behind the wheel,
05:52as well as being a really nice SUV.
05:55They've managed both.
05:57How was that?
05:58You don't get bored.
05:59It's always so pleasant to drive.
06:00What we have delivered,
06:02first a high-performance car,
06:04new achievements in efficiency,
06:07an agility control system delivering an amazing dynamism,
06:11while preserving the comfort of a high-end 4.7-metre vehicle,
06:15all while maintaining the genetics of the Renault brand
06:18in terms of roominess for passenger and luggage,
06:21and in terms of comfort that make this car a voiture à vivre.
06:25Performance and power, Alpine.
06:27Pleasure and passion, Renault.
06:30Put the two together,
06:31chef's kiss.
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