irishcar.com

04 March 2003: GENEVA MOTOR SHOW Renault's new Espace large MPV will be launched in Ireland in the next month or so, and will likely be sold at less than E40,000, targeting the segment dominating Ford Galaxy with a higher comfort specification and better VRT efficiency.

At the Geneva Motor Show today, Renault Ireland MD Jerr Nolan told IrishCar.Com that the vehicle will be brought into Ireland with Renault's 1.9-litre (fortuitously exempt from recent VRT hikes in the 1.9- to 2-litre band) 120bhp dCi engine, mated to a 6-speed gearbox.

The availability of the 1.9 engine is critical in the Irish market, as in the rest of Europe the Espace - whose original launched the large MPV segment in Europe - is mainly being marketed with a pair of 2-litre petrol engines of 136bhp and 163bhp respectively and a 3.5-litre 241bhp V6 petrol, as well as a 2.2-litre turbodiesel with 150 horses ready for the gallop. There's also a 177bhp 3-litre V6 dCi used out here.

Meanwhile, the big attractions on the Renault stand here are the very good-looking Megane II coupe-cabriolet, and the first of a pair of new Megane Scenics, the 5-seater which will be available in Ireland sometime later in the year.

More detail on these later in the week.

	March 2003 - by Brian Byrne & Trish Whelan
Espace for Ireland will be VRT-beater Paddy Barret, Jerr Nolan and Ray Cella of Renault Ireland at the Geneva Motor Show. 04 March 2003: GENEVA MOTOR SHOW Renault's new Espace large MPV will be launched in Ireland in the next month or so, and will likely be sold at less than E40,000, targeting the segment dominating Ford Galaxy with a higher comfort specification and better VRT efficiency. At the Geneva Motor Show today, Renault Ireland MD Jerr Nolan told IrishCar.Com that the vehicle will be brought into Ireland with Renault's 1.9-litre (fortuitously exempt from recent VRT hikes in the 1.9- to 2-litre band) 120bhp dCi engine, mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The availability of the 1.9 engine is critical in the Irish market, as in the rest of Europe the Espace - whose original launched the large MPV segment in Europe - is mainly being marketed with a pair of 2-litre petrol engines of 136bhp and 163bhp respectively and a 3.5-litre 241bhp V6 petrol, as well as a 2.2-litre turbodiesel with 150 horses ready for the gallop. There's also a 177bhp 3-litre V6 dCi used out here. Meanwhile, the big attractions on the Renault stand here are the very good-looking Megane II coupe-cabriolet, and the first of a pair of new Megane Scenics, the 5-seater which will be available in Ireland sometime later in the year. More detail on these later in the week.
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