Byline: RAY MASSEY
THE thrill of taking risks is that you can never be absolutely certain whether your strategy will end in euphoria - or tears.
Renault found that with its runaway success the Scenic, the company's new UK boss Philippe Talou-Derible revealed to me this week.
It was supposed to be a 'niche' car, slotted in alongside a hatchback, cabriolet and saloon. Yet it was the Scenic which eclipsed all its siblings to become the soaraway success that redefined a key family sector of the car market.
'It was a big surprise, but that's one of the beauties of this industry,' said Mr Talou-Derible.
'Three months into the sales we knew we had hit on something special.
It was the moment I lost all faith in market research. But the truth is, when you are creating new cars, it's always a huge gamble. You don't really know whether it's going to fly - or bomb.
And if it does fly, for how long?' And so we come to Renault's latest gamble.
Having ditched Nicole and Papa on TV long ago in favour of the sophisticated 'Size Matters' of Clio girl Helene Mahieu, Renault has again moved on to even loftier planes.
It is entering the executive luxury, or more accurately premium market, to take on with its own Gallic French flare and style the powerful German car giants of BMW, Audi and Mercedes - and has been benchmarked against the Audi A6 and
Volvo S80. First off is the new Vel Satis, which goes on sale this weekend priced [pound]20,730-[pound]30,850, followed by the Avantime and finally the next generation Espace, which will be even bigger and more comfortably appointed.
The Vel Satis is part executive saloon car, but with a higher roofline that makes it more of a multipurpose family vehicle.With its long-bonnet and distinctively engineered face, it certainly does stand out from the crowd.
You will probably love it or hate it.
There are four engines: a rangetopping 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine which, with a five-speed automatic gearbox, propels the car from rest to 60mph in 8.3 seconds with a top speed of 147mph.
There's also a 2.0-litre Turbo petrol engine with a six-speed manual gearbox. A 3.0-litre V6 24-valve diesel and a 2.2dCi diesel completes the line-up.
There are three Vel Satis models, Expression, Privilege, and Initiale, with three levels of trim. Like the new Laguna II, the Vel Satis features an electronic ignition card instead of a conventional key. It promises an abundance of equipment - from multi-CD hi-fi to satellite navigation.
EVEN the standard Expression offers power-assisted steering, electric heated mirrors, cruise and traction control automatic climate control, 17ins alloy wheels and tinted windows.
To sell the Vel Satis, the Avantime and the new Espace, which goes on sale at the end of the year, Renault has selected 31 of its 175 main dealers as Renault Premier Centres - the automotive version of an airline's business class lounge.
Four of them are in Scotland: Reg Vardy in Aberdeen; Arnold Clark in Bishopbriggs, Glasgow; Ness Motors in Inverness; and Renault in Edinburgh.
Each specially-equipped centre will offer potential customers a 24-hour test drive, delivering the car to their home or business address if requested.
Each vehicle will be built to customer order within six weeks. The centres will collect customers' cars for servicing and provide a courtesy car - typically a Laguna Sport Tourer.
Renault expects to sell 3,000 Vel Satis and 1,500 Avantimes this year.
_EXPANDING satellite-based speed-camera detector firm Origin has just signed a retail deal which will put the company's OriginBlue-i dashboard devices into some of Selfridge's stores.
It is also poised to sign a number of export deals which will see it sold on the Continent.
Origin boss Tim Rock said the UK price of [pound]399.95 includes overnight delivery. Anyone interested who can't get to Selfridge's can contact OriginBlue-i on 020 7381 3000 or on the Internet at www.originbluei.com
