Renault Laguna GT Shows Up in Geneva

Stylish, expressive Renault Laguna GT introduces the new Active Drive chassis with four-wheel steering (4WS), developed jointly by Renault and Renault Sport Technologies to yield the ultimate in driving pleasure, as regards handling, response and precision. With a choice of two exclusive high-performance engines (180 and 205hp), Renault Laguna GT makes a sparkling entry into the select field of sports tourers. With its distinctive sleek design, Renault Laguna GT innovates on the sporting saloon market, offering a unique combination of driving pleasure, peace of mind and affordability, backed by a three-year (or 150,000 km) warranty.

Stylish, expressive Renault Laguna GT introduces the new Active Drive chassis with four-wheel steering (4WS), developed jointly by Renault and Renault Sport Technologies to yield the ultimate in driving pleasure, as regards handling, response and precision. With a choice of two exclusive high-performance engines (180 and 205hp), Renault Laguna GT makes a sparkling entry into the select field of sports tourers.

The Active Drive chassis with four-wheel steering brings many benefits, starting with manoeuvrability, extremely rigorous dynamic response, and unequalled steering precision which gives the driver truly
intuitive control over the cornering line, to attain new heights in driveability and active safety. The steering is immediately reassuring and agreeable, even at low speeds. In town and on winding roads, the car is
easy to drive: manoeuvrable and precise. Advanced roll control, with specific settings and reinforced seat support, gives the impression that the car corners flat, without leaning into the bend. The driver is
pleasantly surprised by the lack of transient dynamic phenomena when cornering, and by the extreme precision achieved by very small steering wheel angles. The Active Drive chassis with four-wheel steering
also excels in active safety, both under difficult braking conditions (with good control over asymmetrical grip, and ESP matched to sporty driving styles), and during avoidance manoeuvres at speed ('elk' test).
With its distinctive sleek design, Renault Laguna GT innovates on the sporting saloon market, offering a unique combination of driving pleasure, peace of mind and affordability, backed by a three-year (or 150,000 km) warranty.

Impressive manoeuvrability

The Active Drive chassis with four-wheel steering makes Renault Laguna GT exceptionally easy to handle in town and superbly agile on winding roads. At speeds of less than 60kphh, the rear wheels turn
in the opposite direction to the front wheels, up to an angle of 3.5°. This brings two advantages: a smaller turning circle, for easy manoeuvring; and smaller steering wheel angles thanks to the more direct,
specially calibrated steering. With four-wheel steering on the Active Drive chassis, Renault Laguna GT has a 10 per cent smaller turning circle than with two-wheel steering: 10.80 metres (with 18-inch tyres) instead of 12.05m. The greater the rear-wheel steering angle, the smaller the turning circle. Enhanced manoeuvrability is especially remarkable in tight parking situations and along narrow city streets.
With front wheels and rear wheels turning in opposite directions, the car effectively pivots, which means smaller steering angles are needed for the same turning effect. Whereas it takes a 16° steering wheel
angle to produce a 1° turn in the front wheels on New Laguna, it takes just 13.5° with the Active Drive chassis. And this drops to 12° when the rear wheels are turned at the maximum 3.5° angle in the
opposite direction to the front wheels. Because steering is more direct, with less need for wide steering wheel angles, the impression of manoeuvrability and agility is greatly enhanced. For any given bend
profile, the driver will need less action on the steering wheel. This makes for more effective avoidance, with the car seeming to weave effortlessly around obstacles.

Ultra-precise steering

From 60kph, the emphasis is on steering precision. The rear wheels turn simultaneously in the same direction as the front wheels, to enhance stability, almost as if the car were running on rails. The Active
Drive system with four-wheel steering counters the centrifugal force that tends to push the rear end outwards round bends, and thus raises the safe cornering speed. The rear axle is set on the ideal
trajectory, with a rear-wheel angle usually below 2°, for stability and efficacy. The Active Drive chassis with four-wheel steering enhances dynamic handling, with sound, reassuring response for outstanding
driving pleasure.

Unparalleled active safety

The Active Drive chassis with four-wheel steering also improves safety for heightened reassurance during avoidance manoeuvres. In an emergency situation, the rear-wheel angle can rise to 3.5°. The 4WS
control unit monitors steering wheel angles to detect avoidance situations (recognized by a sudden increase in steering wheel angle) and adapt the rear-wheel turn angle accordingly. Cut-in of the ESC
(Electronic Stability Control) system, specially configured for a sportslike driving style, is delayed, so that the manoeuvre can be performed both safely and more swiftly. ESC only switches in when necessary,
and is applied gradually because it is synchronized with the rear-wheel turn action. Via the ESC/ABS unit, the 4WS control unit also detects asymmetrical braking situations, adapting the rear-wheel turn angle
automatically to keep the car stable with no driver action required. This helps the driver keep control during critical situations, and ensures uninterrupted peace of mind during everyday driving conditions.