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Following its world debut at the
Paris Motor Show last autumn,
Renault is now opening ordering
for its new state-of-the-art
1.6-litre 130hp ‘Energy’ diesel
engine. Initially available on
Dynamique TomTom versions of
Scénic and Grand Scénic, pricing
starts at £20,900 on-the-road.
At
a time of spiralling fuel
prices, its arrival for
cash-strapped families and
business drivers in particular,
couldn’t be more timely.
In
the five- and seven-seat
versions of the Scénic family,
the Energy dCi 130 offers the
lowest emissions and best fuel
economy and performance of any
MPV powered by a similar-sized
engine in the UK.
Compared to the former 1.9-litre
diesel with the same power, the
newcomer boasts CO2
emissions slashed by more than a
fifth, from 149 to 115 grams per
kilometre. In the process, its
BIK rating drops to only 13%,
from 21%, while the savings add
up even further with no VED
(down to Band C from F, saving
£125) in the first year, and £95
in subsequent years. Rounding
off the engine’s array of
talents, its combined fuel
economy is an impressive 64.2
mpg, an increase of a quarter.
The latest powerplant addition
builds on the success of the
company’s current turbocharged
TCe (Turbo Control Efficiency)
petrol engine line-up. In recent
years this has witnessed the 1.2
TCe 100 replacing the 1.4 16V
98, and the arrival of the 1.4
TCe 130. The Energy range is set
to expand even further in the
next 18 months, with the arrival
of three-cylinder modular petrol
engines, as alluded to by the
110hp 900cc engine concept shown
in the R-Space Concept in
Switzerland just a few weeks
ago.
The headline figures for the new
Energy dCi 130 make for
impressive reading. In spite of
its fuel-sipping economy,
powering Scénic it dispatches
zero to 62 mph in 10.3 seconds
and a top speed of 121 mph. In
everyday driving, its torque of
320Nm from 1,750rpm, an increase
of 20Nm on the former 1.9-litre
diesel with the same power, is
also likely to appeal, together
with peak power of 130hp at
4,000 rpm.
Packed with advanced
technology
The 1.6 dCi 130 features a raft
of solutions which have given
rise to significant CO2
emissions and fuel consumption
savings, among them the use of
EGR and Stop&Start technology.
The dCi 130 engine complies with
Euro5 emissions legislation and
is Euro6 ready. It is covered by
15 Renault patents and is poised
to become the core-range
powerplant for C-segment models,
notably the Mégane family in the
future. It will also feature in
Renault's D-segment and van
line-ups.
This project was developed
within the framework of the
Renault-Nissan Alliance, which
means this engine will
consequently power Nissan models
too. It is also covered by the
strategic cooperation agreement
signed by the Alliance and
Daimler.
This engine will be manufactured
in France at Renault's Cléon
plant which is acclaimed for its
production expertise in the
field of
technologically-advanced diesel
engines (notably the V6 dCi, 2.0
dCi and the new 2.3 dCi which
powers the Master van).
The new Energy dCi 130 is
available to order now on Scénic
and Grand Scénic Dynamique
TomTom versions, priced £20,900
and £22,200. First deliveries
are expected in July 2011. |
