Friday, February 26, 2016

Renault Talisman

Today's luxury saloons in France is becoming a bit weary now and for a company like Renault, they're making drastic measures like replacing both the poorly-sold Laguna and Latitude with an all-new model with a familiar name. Enter the new Renault Talisman.

2016 Renault Talisman

The Talisman name from Renault was derived from two irrelevant vehicles; the first is a concept car circa. 2001 and the second is the Chinese version of the Renault Samsung SM7. For 2016, the Talisman is now used as Renault's flagship saloon that replaces both the Laguna and the Latitude. While it will be marketed exclusively in selected left-hand drive markets in Europe and Asia, there is a very high possibility that it will be selling in South Korea this Spring as the Renault Samsung SM6, although it is unclear if this saloon will replace both the SM5 and the SM7 (where the Talisman name was used for the Chinese market) respectively.

2016 Renault Talisman
2016 Renault Talisman interior

One of the key highlights of the Talisman is the design and thanks to Renault's new design language that incorporates the company's "La vie, avec passion" slogan, the exterior design of the Talisman incorporates a much athletic look for an executive saloon of this size. The front and the side profile looks fantastically gorgeous at all angles but the rear view kinda spoils the premium aesthetic. It's like fiddling a nice well-done brisket with labuyo and dinuguan and that's not first class dinner served at the table.

Just like the recent Espace and the Megane, there goes the new signature interior featuring an irreplaceable touchscreen with no CD players on it, which speedo boys called this dashboard layout a witchcraft because the audio system is very irreplaceable, just like high-end luxury cars whose radios will never be replaced indefinitely. Either way, the comfort really is German saloon quality, an aesthetic similar to Citroen's C5 when they marketed it to be unmistakingly German. Remember, this is a French saloon and the way Renault has done in the making of the Talisman is really great indeed.

2016 Renault Talisman

Now, let's talk about performance and by launch, the Talisman is offered in three different configurations; a 1.6 TCe petrol, a 1.5 dCi diesel, and a 1.6 dCi diesel. The most powerful one is the 1.6 TCe petrol with the 200ps power output which can go 0-100kph in 7.6 seconds and onwards to 237kph, while the most economical in the Talisman range is the 1,5 dCi engine with the combined fuel consumption of around 3.6L/100km. Depending on engine choices, the Talisman can be fitted with either a 6-speed manual, 6-speed EDC, or a 7-speed EDC. In terms of dynamics, the Talisman features  a four-wheel steering system and the Multi-Sense which allows the driver to choose four different settings as well as a customized preference to make driving a bit somewhat individual to each of their own. Whichever the settings implied, the Talisman feels very German again because it delivers the right blend of comfort and sportiness that most German saloons possess.

In terms of safety, the Talisman is offered with available safety tech such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, traffic sign detection, and blind spot alert, among many others.

Should you buy one? The Talisman starts at 27,900 (for the base Life model) up to 40,300 Euros (for the flagship Initiale Paris model), which is somewhat costly to own than the recent VW Passat, but despite the pricing, the Talisman from Renault has the equivalent feeling of German non-luxury saloons in terms of styling, comfort, and performance. There is nothing you can't go wrong about this latest offering from Renault.

Available colors: Gris Cassiopee, Blanc Nacre, Rouge Carmin, Blue Cosmos, Beige Dune, Brun Vison, Noir Etoile, Gris Platine, and Blanc Glacier.

Photo: Renault

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