The Renault Rafale is a model based on the Austral and that will be located in the range between it and the new Renault Espace, occupying the gap left by the Talisman.
Little by little, we are seeing the fruits of that ‘Renaulution’ announced by Luca de Meo when he took over the management of Renault. Since then, we have known the Austral and the new generation of the Espace. Now, the brand with the rhombus announces a new model, also an SUV, but with a coupe appearance. And we already know his name: Renault Rafale.
This will be called the new SUV coupé of the French brand, whose presentation we will know very shortly. A model that will be based on the Austral and that will be located in the range between it and the new Renault Espace, occupying the gap left by the Talisman.
With the Rafale, Renault introduces a new crossover model with a coupe and sporty look, a trend that began with the Arkana and that, until then, we only saw in premium segment models.
The Rafale represents the entry of the diamond brand in the D segment of SUVs, that is, large SUVs. It is still early to talk about the design, since the brand has not released images, but we do know that it will have a range of electrified engines, with a 280 hp hybrid version.
Renault Rafale, a name that evokes aviation
At Renault, names often convey a symbolic meaning, a historical sense, or sometimes even both at once. This is the case of Rafale, a name that alludes to a past that is sometimes forgotten and that, in a word, sums up the positioning, image and design of the future SUV coupé that will embody Renault’s high-end range in a few weeks.
As Sylvia, head of model naming strategy at Renault’s General Marketing Directorate, explains, “Few people know that the name ‘Rafale’ belongs to Renault and is part of the brand’s history. Today we are using it for the first time to baptize a vehicle”.
The name refers to a famous French fighter from the 1930s and evokes France’s most prestigious achievements in the field of aviation. That story began with Louis Renault 89 years ago, but few know that the Rafale name has belonged to Renault since 1936.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Renault was a pioneer in the creation of reciprocating engines not only for automobiles, but also for trains (automobiles) and even airplanes. Louis Renault was passionate about aviation and completed the acquisition of the French aircraft manufacturer Caudron in 1933.
So, he created Caudron Renault and renamed all Caudron aircraft with terms related to the wind: thus, in 1934, the C460 became the Rafale, which means gust in French; the C500 in Simoun (‘simoon’, desert wind), the C640 in Typhon (‘typhoon’) and the C714 in Cyclone (‘cyclone’).
The Rafale (the Caudron Renault C460) was a single-seater racing plane designed to break records and only a handful were built, which might have consigned it to oblivion, but its aerodynamic design and incredible performance left its mark on aviation history. , making him a legend.
The famous aviator Hélène Boucher broke several speed records in the Rafale, including the women’s record for distances over 1,000 kilometers, when she reached 445 km/h on August 11, 1934.
The Rafale legacy
The new Renault Rafale takes the legacy of that fighter from the 30s, seeking excellence through design and aerodynamics. The model has been designed to achieve the greatest distinction within the range.
“The name Rafale immediately evokes technology, performance and a sense of daring, as well as driving pleasure and agility. It is a very significant name that draws on our history and perfectly evokes the positioning of our future high-end coupé SUV.” Sylvia explains.
