There’s seldom anything particularly exciting or glamorous about a minivan. But that doesn’t mean their producers can’t keep trying. Enter the new 2012 Renault Scenic, and its big brother, the Grand Scenic.

Renault has recently updated its five-seater Scenic and seven-seater Grand Scenic minivans. New engines, together with hi-tech equipment and cosmetic updates round out the changes for the new Scenic and Grand Scenic models.

New bumpers, light lenses and grilles give the Scenic and larger, seven-seat Grand Scenic a fresh look. LED daytime running lights have been added and there is extra gloss black and chrome exterior trim.

Interior changes are minor but include new upholstery and an optional Bose audio system. Optional extras include Renault’s Visio System, which combines a lane departure warning system with an automatic headlight function that detects the lights of nearby vehicles and/or street lighting. Hill Start Assist is now standard on all versions.

Under the bonnet, Renault has fitted the two models with two new engines, the Energy TCe 115, a 1.2L turbocharged petrol unit with 115bhp and 190Nm of peak torque, and the diesel Energy dCi 110, a 1.5L inline-four producing 110bhp and 260Nm, which is the most fuel efficient engine in the range returning a combined fuel consumption of 4.1L/100km.

The most powerful petrol engine is a 2.0L unit with 140bhp linked to a CVT, while on the diesel front, it’s the dCi 160, a 2.0L engine with 160bhp offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox.

The new Scenic debuts at the Brussels Motor Show this week before hitting showrooms in 40 countries around the world.

Renault has introduced changes across the brand’s quality flagship Mégane range with the release of the model’s ‘Collection 2012′ line-up.

Mégane Collection 2012 has undergone a number of small styling changes compared to the model’s original lines which proved such a hit with customers. The front end has a more modern feel, while LED daytime running lights provide a distinctive new lighting signature.

The bumper features a gloss black finish with chrome highlights, and the selection of wheels has been entirely revised. The sum of these modifications mirrors the attention that has been paid to quality, an area which Renault sees as a priority.

Meanwhile, the cabin comes with new interior trims, including a two-tone leather/Alcantara pack available in a choice of three finishes (depending on market).

The Bose version is now an equipment level in its own right, while the personality of the specific GT and GT-Line finishes have been strengthened thanks to specific ‘boomerang’-shaped LED lights, visible red upholstery stitching and a sport steering wheel incorporating thumb rests, plus Renault Sport-badged door sill guards and dashboard trim strip which serve as a reminder that the GT and GT-Line versions belong to the Renault Sport family.

Last but not least, the list of body colours available for Mégane Collection 2012 has been extended with the addition of Majorelle Blue and Pearlescent White.

Mégane Collection 2012 is the first Renault model to be available with the three new Energy engines which combine both motoring enjoyment and fuel efficiency.

They are the fruit of new-generation downsizing and call on Renault’s experience in F1 to form unprecedented technology packages for this level of range, including Stop&Start complete with deceleration/braking energy recovery.

Thanks to their carefully-tuned acoustics, these engines produce a discreet, cushioned sound, with noise levels halved compared with the engines they replace.

The Renault Energy TCe 115 is a 1.2L unit that will replace the 1.6L 16V in the Mégane range. Compared to the outgoing motor, power is up 5bhp to 115bhp, and peak torque is up 40Nm to 190Nm, with 90% of the shove available from 1650rpm.

Versions of Mégane Collection 2012 powered by this engine emit 119g/km of CO2 and offer 5.3 L/100km, according to the manufacturer’s figures.

Mégane Collection 2012 will also be available with the two best diesel engines in their class, both of which combine driving pleasure with the market’s lowest fuel consumption.

The first of two diesels is the Energy dCi 110, a tweaked version of the Mégane range’s best-selling 1.5L engine that develops 108bhp and 260Nm of torque. It enables the car to average 3.8 L/100km with CO2 emissions of less than 95 g/km.

The second oil burner is the Energy dCi 130, a 1.6L that possesses 130bhp and 320Nm of torque. In terms of efficiency, the engine returns 4.0 L/100km and CO2 emissions of 104g/km.

Like Renault Scénic and Grand Scénic, Mégane Collection 2012 can be ordered with the Visio System® which comprises a camera fixed to the windscreen behind the rear view mirror. It automatically switches from main- to dipped-beam headlights at night and also offer a lane-assist system.

Comfort has been further enhanced by a new Hill Start Assist function. This feature is combined with the electronic parking brake and keeps the brakes under pressure for a few seconds, giving the driver enough time to pull away without the vehicle moving backwards.

Meanwhile, Motorway Mode indicators facilitate driving: a slight touch of the indicator stalk sets off three flashes to warn other road users that the driver is about to change lane. To assist parking manoeuvres, a camera located at the rear provides a precise image of the vehicle’s immediate surroundings and depicts its trajectory to help drivers adjust their line.

Last but not least, the dual-zone automatic climate control is now equipped with a toxicity sensor which monitors cabin air quality and automatically activates the air-recycling mode whenever necessary.

Mégane Collection 2012 continues to pack the technologies that have contributed to the model’s success. The brand new R-Plug&Radio+ audio range is now equipped with Bluetooth® hands-free telephony, connectivity and audio-streaming, as well as Plug&Music connectivity and USB/jack sockets which enable music stored on mobile devices to be controlled by the vehicle’s steering wheel-mounted fingertip control.

Also available are Carminat TomTom® navigation complete with LIVE services (HD Traffic, real-time traffic information, etc.) and tailor-engineered Bose® surround sound.

In related news, the performance-oriented Mégane R.S. Collection 2012 gets a package of performance and cosmetic tweaks.

Under the bonnet, the car’s 2.0L, four-cylinder engine has an extra 15bhp and 20Nm additional torque, taking peak power to 265bhp and 360Nm of torque for the limited-edition Trophy version when Sport Mode is deployed.

The Mégane R.S. Collection 2012 also has a revised exhaust design to offer a more emphatic engine noise.

Exterior changes include a redesigned front end with black headlight surrounds and two rows of six LED lights and a new design of 18” alloys. An optional R.S. Red Design Pack comprises red pin-striping for the front blade, side sills and diffuser.

A new interior trim has been introduced, featuring visible red stitching for the steering wheel, gear-lever knob, gear-lever bellows and dashboard trim. New two-tone light grey and charcoal leather upholstery can also be specified as an option, as can fabric or leather Recaro seats.

The Mégane sold more than 235,000 units around the world last year, making it Renault’s best-selling model. The Mégane Collection 2012 models will go on sale in Europe in March.

Think India and you may find images of rice and curry popping into your mind, but we also hope images of Tata’s Nano or even Bajaj’s RE60 find their way in as well. The point is, India’s auto market is dominated by small cars, but Ford Motor Company and Renault SA (Société Anonyme) are amongst the many who are adamant that those days could be coming to an end. Both automakers seem hell-bent on becoming the pioneering leader of sales as expectations seem to be materializing as India’s appetite for larger-sized vehicles explode. Another reason why at least 15 sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and vans will be unveiled in India this week.

“As the customers’ incomes grow, they want to upgrade to a bigger car,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president for Asia Pacific and Africa, after introducing the EcoSport SUV in New Delhi yesterday. “A lot of people, when they want to upgrade, may upgrade to an SUV that gives you extra space and height.”

“People buying SUVs have deeper pockets,” said Deepesh Rathore, managing director for IHS Automotive in New Delhi. “Even if they buy it with a loan, they won’t wait for the interest rates to come down. But a person buying a small car may hold off the purchase until the rates decline.”

Sales of SUVs increased 11 percent during April to November, while car sales fell 3.5 percent, according to the latest data by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. Total car sales may expand as low as 2 percent in the year ending March 31, after surging 30 percent last year to 1.98 million units, according to the automaker’s group, which said last month it may again lower the forecast.

SUV and van sales in India will triple to 1.3 million units a year by 2020 from 434,000 at present, IHS forecasts. About 80 percent car purchases in the country are funded with bank loans, according to IHS.

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea’s largest carmaker, will show its concept HND-7 multi purpose vehicle (MPV), where it currently sells the Santa Fe SUV in India, along with seven other cars, while Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., the nation’s biggest, will introduce its Ertiga van and a compact SUV, the company said last month.

“When customers move up the value chain, they want to move from a small car to a small SUV,” said Mayank Pareek, the head of sales at New Delhi-based Maruti, a unit of Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corp. “As the Indian car market grows, we find that customers in urban and semi-urban areas want SUVs to project a sporty and rugged sort of image.”

Maruti expects sales of such vehicles to expand at about 15 percent annually for the next five years, according to Pareek. He declined to disclose the sales target for the Ertiga, a vehicle with three rows of seating. Petrol and diesel variants will go on sale in the second quarter of 2012.

“With rising competition in the small car space, the margins are getting lower and manufacturers don’t have any pricing power,” Sabarad said. “In the SUV space, there is a wider price bracket and lower competition. So the margins are likely to be better.”

Mahindra will display for the first time in India a range of SUVs from Ssangyong Motor Co., the South Korean company it acquired last year. The vehicles include the Rexton and Korando models that the Mumbai-based automaker plans to start selling in the country this year.

In October, Mahindra began selling its XUV500 model to compete with Tata Motors Ltd.’s Aria and General Motors Co.’s Captiva. “People are willing to pay a little more for an SUV rather than have the same small car that their neighbors own,” said Sanjeev Varma, a Michigan-based senior automotive adviser at Duff & Phelps LLC. “In India, image is important and everyone wants to have something different.”

PSA Peugeot Citroen, Europe’s second-biggest carmaker, will display a range of vehicles at the auto show as it prepares to return to India after a 15-year absence. The Paris-based company is setting up a 650 million-euro ($841 million) factory in the western state of Gujarat with a plan to sell as many as 170,000 vehicles in India by 2016. Renault is showcasing its Duster SUV, which will go on sale in the country later this year.

The New Delhi show, in its eleventh edition, will see 1,500 exhibitors displaying products at the Pragati Maidan trade fair ground, where more than 50 new models, including 32 passenger vehicles, 9 two-wheelers and 6 trucks, will be unveiled at the event.

Last year, Renault launched a Bose special edition for the Koleos crossover, with the model proving extremely popular – its sales accounted for 30 percent of the model’s overall sales. Now, the company is releasing a new lot of the Bose special edition, with the order books already being opened.

According to the French automaker, the model is distinguished by aluminium coloured door mirror housings, tinted rear windows and unique 17″ alloy wheels.

Inside, there’s special seat upholstery, black lacquer trim, the Bose badge aluminium sills, CD player with MP3 playback, Bose sound system with seven speakers and a subwoofer and a 60/40 split rear bench seat without the Easy Estate system.

Power comes from a 2.0L dCi diesel engine with 150bhp and 320Nm of torque. It can be paired to a six-speed manual with front-wheel drive or six-speed manual with all-wheel drive or six-speed automatic transmission with all-wheel drive.

The 2012 Renault Koleos Bose Edition will be launched in March in Europe with a price tag of €29,400.

To promote the New Twingo, Renault has enlisted the combined creative talents of four European artists to create a series of bespoke city cars.

The line up features; UK singer, Nicola Roberts, French fashion designer, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Italian chef, Davide Scabin, and pragmatic German designer, Nils Holger Moormann.

The results of the style project reflect their view of the world: joyous, optimistic, clever and bold, just like the compact city car.

First up, the Twingo Goes Pop by Nicola Roberts combines the singer’s love of music and fashion. As such, the boot holds a miniature recording studio combined with clothes, personalised portable music player, hair dryer and a make-up counter in the front.

Moving on, the Twingo 55 FBG by fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac has old world furniture, gold curtains and a wood table. According to Castelbajac, “We have to reconcile creativity and democracy. It should be a cast-iron rule for all candidates in the Presidential elections that they have to travel in a Presidential Twingo.” We doubt Nicolas Sarkozy agrees.

Next up, the Twingo Reading Room by Nils Holger Moormann is a place where the driver can “escape, far [away] from the madding traffic jams.” It has a library, a sofa and a fireplace.

Lastly, the Scabin Pasta Twingo by Davide Scabin has pasta-covered seats and a food pantry for a dashboard. There’s also a 3D television for watching the latest cooking shows.

Three years after its launch, Laguna Coupé is poised to make news early next year when the ‘Collection 2012′ versions are due to reach the market.

The latest Laguna Coupé was recently revealed at the 2011 Bologna Motor Show in Italy and it has received some minor updates, such as new LED daytime running lights and 17” diamond-effect alloy wheels fitted as standard.

The Pearlescent White exterior finish, which contributed to the success of the former limited edition Monaco GP version, is now available in the GT 4Control and Initiale versions and a two-tone livery with a Pearlescent Black roof combined with any metallic colour is also available on the GT 4Control trim.

Changes to the cabin are minimal and are restricted to the visible dashboard stitching, which is standard, and the new mixed TEP/fabric upholsteries that are available for all versions.

In fact, the most important change for 2012 is the addition of the new 2.0L dCi 150 diesel engine with auto Stop/Start and ESM (Energy Smart Management). It consumes just 4.5 litre/100 km and emits 118 g/km of CO2, a reduction of 13% compared to the previous engine it replaces.

Depending on the market, the updated Laguna Coupé can be ordered with a choice of two petrol engines, a turbocharged 2.0L in 170bhp and 205bhp guises and a naturally-aspirated 3.5L V6 with 240bhp, mated to an automatic transmission.

Apart from the new dCi 150, the 2012 Laguna Coupé is also available with four more diesel engines, the M9R 2.0 dCi, available in a choice of three power outputs; 150bhp, 175bhp or 180bhp, and the 240bhp 3.0L V9X dCi. They are mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission for a blend of driving enjoyment and sporty performance.

Renault has announced plans to introduce the Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet Floride at the Brussels Motor Show in January, 2012.

Inspired by the legendary Floride of the 1960′s, the Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet Floride features a striking ivory colour scheme matched to a two-tone red and ivory full-leather interior.

Added allure is provided by the high-gloss, piano black panoramic roof which contrasts elegantly with the car’s classic Floride Ivory livery, a pastel shade which draws direct inspiration from the catalogues of the swinging sixties.

The standard-equipment 17” Sari aluminium alloy diamond-effect wheels are also finished in ivory, echoing the whitewall tyres that were so fashionable back in the fifties, while retro-style Floride badging adorns the front wings.

The model name, cast in a chromed 3D font typical of the era, is also visible on the lower bodyside just ahead of the rear wheel arches.

The elegance of the interior pays tribute to the original Floride. Fully upholstered in red and ivory leather, it is eye-catching and distinctive. The seat facings are trimmed in red leather, with the side bolsters picked out in ivory.

The steering wheel, too, is wrapped in two-tone red/ivory leather. The dashboard, which is finished in red with an ivory trim strip, carries the Floride name in chrome letters, while the spherical metal gear lever knob is inscribed with the letter ‘f’.

The edged carpet mats also feature a red-embroidered ‘f’ monogram. Last but not least, every model comes with an individually-numbered plaque.

Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet Floride is powered by a dCi 130 DPF engine with 128bhp and 300Nm of torque. It is connected to a six-speed manual transmission which enables the convertible to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 10.6 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 205 km/h.

The Megane Coupe-Cabriolet Floride is limited to just 1,600 numbered examples, out of which 250 are destined for the French market.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has confirmed that three Formula One teams – Team Lotus, Renault and Virgin Racing – will be changing their names come the 2012 season.

From 2012 onwards, Team Lotus will soon be known as Caterham, while Virgin Racing will drop the name of Richard Branson’s company from its official moniker and to be renamed Morussia.

Russian carmaker Morussia Motors purchased a significant stake in Virgin in November 2010, and have had their logo present on the car throughout the 2011 season.

Renault will also undergo changes ahead of next year’s campaign, changing their chassis name to Lotus.

The decision to approve the name changes means that confusion over the Lotus name in F1 will be brought to an end, following a long-running dispute between Team Lotus and the road car company Group Lotus.

The battle, as you may recall, involves two outfits. One based in Malaysia which licensed the name from Lotus’ parent company, Proton, before subsequently “acquiring” the name from a third party that lay claim to it.

The issue was further complicated when Lotus itself teamed with the Renault F1 team (which also happens to supply engines to the other Lotus team), resulting in two squads called Lotus-Renault.

In a bid to clean up the matter after lengthy court proceedings, the Enstone-based Renault F1 team will now be the only outfit running the Lotus name.

Team Lotus will make full use of the Caterham brand, less than one year after the outfit’s owner Tony Fernandes bought the sportscar manufacturer.

Known as the Raider edition in the UK and the “Ange & Démon” in other European markets, the special edition Raider is distinguished by a matte paint job, gloss black accents and 18” Interlagos wheels with Bridgestone RE 050A tyres.

This limited edition car also has the Cup chassis as standard with reduced ride height, stiffer springs/dampers and Brembo brake callipers.

Inside, the Clio R.S. 200 Raider features leather upholstered Recaro seats with zinc grey finish to the centre console and fascia inserts, white rev counter, Bluetooth, USB connectivity, automatic climate control and Renaultsport carpet mats, as well as an individually numbered badge.

Only 50 units will be available in the U. K. but a similar model, called the “Ange & Démon” will be offered worldwide with a production run of 666 units. How evil.

For the past few years, Samsung has collaborated with Renault to produce a line of automobiles and together they have come out with a range of sedans, hatchbacks and crossovers.

Recently, Renault Samsung Motors released a small batch of new images along with all the details on the all new SM7, which will go on sale in South Korea.

The second generation SM7 is packed with advanced Renault-Nissan Alliance technologies which delivers the same impeccable quality and value for money of former SM7 models and exceed the demand of its E-segment.

The new SM7 has grown in size offering improved interior space over its predecessor. According to the company, knee room for rear passengers is up by more than 70mm over the previous SM7 sedan.

The sedan is also equipped with the latest technological innovations to provide conveniences and traveling comfort which include, aviation headrests, an optimized air-ventilation system, ‘Sport Mode’ function and paddle shifts.

The new SM7 sedan is powered by the latest Nissan VQ engine series, which is available in two VQ engine configurations.  A 2.5L V6 engine producing 190bhp and 243Nm of torque that returns a combined fuel economy of 9L/100km, and a 3.5L V6 engine producing 258bhp and 330Nm of torque that returns 10.4L/100km on the combined cycle.

Both engines are mated to a standard 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift function.