Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Renault Espace shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Renault Espace offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Renault Espace at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Renault Espace? Wrong! If the Renault Espace is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Renault Espace then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Renault Espace? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Renault Espace and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Renault Espace wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Renault Espace then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Renault Espace site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Renault Espace, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Renault Espace, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox Automobile| name = Renault Espace| manufacturer = Renault| layout = [FF layout| predecessor = None| successor = None-->{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Espace I| image = | production = 1984-1991| assembly = [Romorantin-Lanthenay, France-->{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Espace II| image = | production = 1991-1996| assembly = [Romorantin-Lanthenay,
France
[Citroën EvasionFiat UlyssePeugeot 806-->{{Infobox Automobile generation],
France
[Ford GalaxySEAT AlhambraVolkswagen Sharan-->{{Infobox Automobile generation],
France
[Citroën C8Ford GalaxyPeugeot 807
Volkswagen Touran-->
The
Renault Espace is a
large MPV from French car-maker
Renault. Generations 1-3 were sold under the Renault brand but manufactured by Matra. The current fourth generation model, which seats seven passengers, was designed and is built by Renault; the
Renault Grand Espace is a long-wheelbase version with increased rear leg room and boot size.
Espace I (1984-1991)
The Espace's design was originally conceived in the 1970s by the British designer,
Fergus Pollock, (at around the same time as
Giorgetto Giugiaro's 1978 Lancia MegaGamma concept MPV), who was working for Chrysler Corporation (formerly the
Rootes Group), at their design centre at Whitley, (now the Jaguar design centre) in
Coventry . Later
Matra, who were affiliated with Simca, the then
France subsidiary of Chrysler, were involved in partnership in the design.
The Espace was originally intended to be sold as a Talbot, and to be a replacement for the Matra Rancho
leisure activity vehicle. Early prototypes used Simca parts, and hence featured a grille reminiscent of the
Chrysler Simca 1307 (Chrysler Alpine).
In
1978, before the Espace went into production, Chrysler UK and Simca were sold to the French company
PSA Peugeot Citroën (PSA), and the Espace design was given to Matra.
PSA decided the Espace was too expensive and too risky a design to put into production, and Matra took their idea to Renault (PSA finally ventured into the minivan sector eleven years later with the Citroën Evasion/
Peugeot 806).
The Matra concept became the Renault Espace. The design featured a
fiberglass body mounted on a warm-galvanized steel chassis, using the same technique and assembly line at the factory as the
Matra Murena. In fact, the introduction of the Espace required the relatively small factory to cease the production of the Murena, to make room for the Espace.
The Espace was launched by Renault in
1984 (incidentally, the minivan that Chrysler had also been developing in the US was released a year earlier than the Espace in
1983). After a very slow start—a grand total of nine Espaces were sold in the first month after launch—customers warmed up to the benefits of the MPV concept and the Espace became very popular.
Espace I - Phase 2
Building upon its success, the Espace was revamped in 1988 with most of the Talbot/Simca content being replaced by equivalent Renault parts (the chassis and mechanical components of the car remained largely unchanged). The most obvious cosmetic exterior difference between the very first Espaces and the revamped post-1988 models were the changed headlights: the forward-slanting lights with orange indicator casing of the original Espace were replaced with backward-slanting lights with a clear indicator casing.
Espace II (1991-1997)
A heavily revised Espace was launched in 1991, adopting the Renault family look to replace the
Talbot-themed styling of the original. This was essentially a re-skin of the original car, with a new dashboard and other interior improvements. The chassis was essentially unchanged.
In an episode of Top Gear,
Jeremy Clarkson referred to this version as 'probably the best of the MPVs'. However, he went on to say 'but that's like saying, 'Oh good, I've got
syphilis, the best of the sexually transmitted diseases'!!!!
Espace III (1997-2003)
The third generation of the Espace arrived in
1997, its most notable feature being the radical futuristic interior (with a centrally-mounted digital speedometer). A number of third generation Espaces were used as bases for Natural gas vehicle and taxi conversions for the
Kuala Lumpur International Airport and the Kuala Lumpur Sentral transportation hub in
Malaysia, rebranded as Enviro 2000s.
The third-generation Espace was the last to be built by Matra; following an end to production for Renault, Matra and MG Rover negotiated over a possible deal for the latter to build and market Espaces but this never came to fruition.http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?blrenaultf.htm
Espace IV (2003-present)
The fourth-generation Espace arrived in 2003 and was the first Espace designed and built entirely by Renault. The new vehicle was also the first all-steel Espace.
Its styling was reflective of a new design direction at Renault, symbolised by the radical Renault Vel Satis and Renault Avantime models, marking a major departure from the previous model, which also saw the range moved upmarket.
Espace F1
In
1995, Renault displayed a show car called the Espace F1 (created by Matra (automobile)) to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Espace and Renault's involvement in Formula One racing. It was based on a V10-powered Williams Formula 1
racing car with an Espace J63 body reinforced with lightweight carbon-fiber instead of the glass fiber of the standard model. The Renault-Williams engine powered it from 0-200 km/h in 6 seconds, and helped by the carbon brakes, it did 0-270 km/h
and back to 0 in under 600 meters. This version of the Espace was featured in the driving simulator,
Gran Turismo 2.
References
|first = Giles
|last = Chapman
|url = http://motoring.independent.co.uk/features/article49085.ece
|title = Classic Cars: The Renault Espace
|publisher = [The Independent
|date = [2004-07-22
|accessdate = 2006-05-22
-->
External links
- Gallery and historical data
- Top Gear Episode featuring the Renault Espace in a MPV Race
{{Infobox Automobile| name = Renault Espace| manufacturer =
Renault| layout = [FF layout| predecessor = None| successor = None-->{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Espace I| image = | production = 1984-1991| assembly = [Romorantin-Lanthenay, France-->{{Infobox Automobile generation| name = Espace II| image = | production = 1991-1996| assembly = [Romorantin-Lanthenay,
France
[Citroën EvasionFiat Ulysse
Peugeot 806-->{{Infobox Automobile generation], France
[Ford Galaxy
SEAT AlhambraVolkswagen Sharan-->{{Infobox Automobile generation],
France
[Citroën C8Ford Galaxy
Peugeot 807Volkswagen Touran-->
The
Renault Espace is a large MPV from French car-maker Renault. Generations 1-3 were sold under the Renault brand but manufactured by Matra. The current fourth generation model, which seats seven passengers, was designed and is built by Renault; the
Renault Grand Espace is a long-wheelbase version with increased rear leg room and boot size.
Espace I (1984-1991)
The Espace's design was originally conceived in the 1970s by the British designer, Fergus Pollock, (at around the same time as
Giorgetto Giugiaro's 1978 Lancia MegaGamma concept MPV), who was working for Chrysler Corporation (formerly the Rootes Group), at their design centre at Whitley, (now the Jaguar design centre) in
Coventry . Later Matra, who were affiliated with Simca, the then
France subsidiary of Chrysler, were involved in partnership in the design.
The Espace was originally intended to be sold as a Talbot, and to be a replacement for the
Matra Rancho leisure activity vehicle. Early prototypes used Simca parts, and hence featured a grille reminiscent of the Chrysler Simca 1307 (Chrysler Alpine).
In 1978, before the Espace went into production, Chrysler UK and Simca were sold to the French company
PSA Peugeot Citroën (PSA), and the Espace design was given to Matra.
PSA decided the Espace was too expensive and too risky a design to put into production, and Matra took their idea to Renault (PSA finally ventured into the minivan sector eleven years later with the Citroën Evasion/Peugeot 806).
The Matra concept became the Renault Espace. The design featured a fiberglass body mounted on a warm-galvanized steel chassis, using the same technique and assembly line at the factory as the
Matra Murena. In fact, the introduction of the Espace required the relatively small factory to cease the production of the Murena, to make room for the Espace.
The Espace was launched by Renault in 1984 (incidentally, the minivan that Chrysler had also been developing in the US was released a year earlier than the Espace in 1983). After a very slow start—a grand total of nine Espaces were sold in the first month after launch—customers warmed up to the benefits of the MPV concept and the Espace became very popular.
Espace I - Phase 2
Building upon its success, the Espace was revamped in
1988 with most of the Talbot/Simca content being replaced by equivalent Renault parts (the chassis and mechanical components of the car remained largely unchanged). The most obvious cosmetic exterior difference between the very first Espaces and the revamped post-1988 models were the changed headlights: the forward-slanting lights with orange indicator casing of the original Espace were replaced with backward-slanting lights with a clear indicator casing.
Espace II (1991-1997)
A heavily revised Espace was launched in 1991, adopting the Renault family look to replace the
Talbot-themed styling of the original. This was essentially a re-skin of the original car, with a new dashboard and other interior improvements. The chassis was essentially unchanged.
In an episode of Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson referred to this version as 'probably the best of the MPVs'. However, he went on to say 'but that's like saying, 'Oh good, I've got syphilis, the best of the sexually transmitted diseases'!!!!
Espace III (1997-2003)
The third generation of the Espace arrived in 1997, its most notable feature being the radical futuristic interior (with a centrally-mounted digital speedometer). A number of third generation Espaces were used as bases for
Natural gas vehicle and taxi conversions for the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and the Kuala Lumpur Sentral transportation hub in Malaysia, rebranded as Enviro 2000s.
The third-generation Espace was the last to be built by Matra; following an end to production for Renault, Matra and
MG Rover negotiated over a possible deal for the latter to build and market Espaces but this never came to fruition.http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?blrenaultf.htm
Espace IV (2003-present)
The fourth-generation Espace arrived in
2003 and was the first Espace designed and built entirely by Renault. The new vehicle was also the first all-steel Espace.
Its styling was reflective of a new design direction at Renault, symbolised by the radical Renault Vel Satis and
Renault Avantime models, marking a major departure from the previous model, which also saw the range moved upmarket.
Espace F1
In
1995, Renault displayed a show car called the Espace F1 (created by Matra (automobile)) to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Espace and Renault's involvement in Formula One racing. It was based on a V10-powered Williams Formula 1
racing car with an Espace J63 body reinforced with lightweight carbon-fiber instead of the glass fiber of the standard model. The Renault-Williams engine powered it from 0-200 km/h in 6 seconds, and helped by the carbon brakes, it did 0-270 km/h
and back to 0 in under 600 meters. This version of the Espace was featured in the driving simulator,
Gran Turismo 2.
References
|first = Giles
|last = Chapman
|url = http://motoring.independent.co.uk/features/article49085.ece
|title = Classic Cars: The Renault Espace
|publisher = [The Independent
|date = [2004-07-22
|accessdate = 2006-05-22
-->
External links
- Gallery and historical data
- Top Gear Episode featuring the Renault Espace in a MPV Race
