View source for Renault Vel Satis

{{Short description|Executive hatchback produced by Renault (2001–2009)}}
{{Infobox automobile
| image = 2002 Renault Vel Satis Privilege DCi 2.2 Front.jpg
| caption = Renault Vel Satis (Pre-facelift)
| name = Renault Vel Satis
| manufacturer = [[Renault]]
| assembly = France: [[Sandouville]] ([[Sandouville Renault Factory]])
| production = 2001–2009 ([[Left- and right-hand traffic|LHD]], 62,201 units)<br />2001–2005 ([[Left- and right-hand traffic|RHD]], 1,293 units)
| predecessor = [[Renault Safrane]]
| successor = [[Renault Latitude]]
| body_style = 5-door [[hatchback]]
| layout = [[FF layout]]
| class = [[Executive car]] ([[E-segment|E]])
| engine = {{ubl
  | '''[[Petrol engine|petrol]]:'''
  | 2.0 L [[Renault F-Type engine#F4x|''F4Rt'']]  [[Turbocharger|turbo]] [[Straight-four engine|I4]] [[DOHC]] [[Multi-point injection|MPI]] [[Multi-valve#Four valves|16v]]
  | 3.5 L [[Nissan]] [[Nissan VQ engine#VQ35DE|''VQ35DE'']] [[V6 engine|V6]]  [[DOHC]] [[CVVTCS]] [[Multi-valve#Four valves|24v]] 
  | '''[[Diesel engine|diesel]]:'''
  | 2.0 L [[Renault-Nissan]] [[Nissan MR engine#M9R|''M9R'']] [[dCi]] [[turbo-diesel|turbo]] I4 DOHC [[Variable valve timing|VVT]] 16v
  | 2.2 L [[Renault G-Type engine#GxT|''G9T'']] dCi turbo I4 DOHC VVT 16v
  | 3.0 L [[DMAX (engines)|DMAX]]/[[Isuzu]] [[DMAX V6 engine|''P9X'']] dCi turbo V6 DOHC VVT 24v
  }}
| transmission = {{ubl
  | 6-speed [[manual transmission|manual]]
  | 5-speed [[automatic transmission|automatic]]
  | 6-speed automatic
  }}
| length = {{convert|4860|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|1860|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| height = {{convert|1580|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|1735|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| related = [[Renault Laguna#Laguna II (2000–2007)|Renault Laguna II]]<br />
[[Renault Espace#Espace IV (2002–2015)|Renault Espace IV]]
| designer = [[Patrick Le Quément]]
}}

The '''Renault Vel Satis''' is a five-passenger, five-door [[executive car|executive hatchback]], manufactured and marketed by [[Renault]] from 2001-2009 over a single generation, sharing its platform with the [[Renault Laguna|Laguna]] II and [[Renault Espace|Espace]] IV and manufactured on the same assembly line in [[Sandouville]], [[France]] and noted for its unorthodox styling approach to the luxury segment. The Vel Satis, alongside the [[Vauxhall Signum]], aimed to capture a new market segment.

Launched at the [[Geneva Motor Show#2001|2001 Geneva Motor Show]] to replace the already discontinued [[Renault Safrane|Safrane]], the Vel Satis followed a 1998 [[Paris Motor Show]] concept.<ref>[http://renaultconcepts.online.fr/glossaire/u.htm Renault Concepts] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329062404/http://renaultconcepts.online.fr/glossaire/u.htm |date=2012-03-29 }}, Retrieved October 2011</ref>

As [[Renault|Renault's]] flagship model, it was the company's first car offered with [[adaptive cruise control]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://presseservice.pressrelations.de/standard/result_main.cfm?aktion=jour_pm&r=54080&quelle=0&pfach=1&n_firmanr_=102116&sektor=pm&detail=1 |title=Robert Bosch GMBH &#124; Premiere auf dem Automobilsalon in Genf: Renault Vel Satis mit neuer Wischertechnik von Bosch &#124; Pressemitteilung &#124; Pressemeldung |access-date=2015-01-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230044149/http://presseservice.pressrelations.de/standard/result_main.cfm?aktion=jour_pm&r=54080&quelle=0&pfach=1&n_firmanr_=102116&sektor=pm&detail=1 |archive-date=2014-12-30 }}</ref> Renault reportedly spent €550 million developing the Vel Satis, predicting 50,000 sales across Europe in its first year.<ref name="total">{{cite web
 |title        = Renault Vel Satis (2002 - 2005)
 |publisher    = RAC.CO.UK
 |author       = Andy Enright
 |date         = October 28, 2005
 |url          = https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/car-reviews/renault/vel-satis/vel-satis-2002-2005/}}</ref>  In total, over an eight year production, approximately 62,000 were manufactured.<ref name="driven">{{cite web
 |title        = Renault 1998-2009: A short history of missed opportunities
 |publisher    = Driven to Write
 |author       = 
 |date         = November 2, 2014
 |url          = https://driventowrite.com/2014/11/02/renault-missed-opportunities/}}</ref>

The name Vel Satis is a [[portmanteau]] of ''Velocity'' and ''Satisfaction''.

==Overview==
[[File:2002 Renault Vel Satis Privilege DCi 2.2 Rear.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Rear view of Vel Satis (Pre-facelift)]]
{{Multiple image | align = right | direction = vertical | width = 220
| image1 = Renault Vel Satis 3.0 dCi V6 Facelift front 20100613.jpg
| image2 = Renault Vel Satis 3.0 dCi V6 Facelift rear 20100613.jpg
| caption2 = Renault Vel Satis (Post-facelift)
}}

The Vel Satis is noted for its height (13&nbsp;cm higher than a [[Renault Safrane|Safrane]]), benefiting interior space, and remains in use by high-ranking French officials. It was the second ever car to receive a five star [[Euro NCAP]] safety crash test rating, after the Laguna II.

Engine availability included: 
* 2.0 T 16 valve 4-cylinder
* 3.5 24 valve V6-cylinder
* 2.0 dCi 16 valve 4-cylinder
* 2.2 dCi 16 valve 4-cylinder
* 3.0 dCi 24 valve V6-cylinder

The Vel Satis received a minor facelift for the 2005 model year, featuring a revised front grille, rear apron, twin-flow exhaust system, and chrome-plated door handles. The interior featured revised fittings, fabrics and materials and revised radio and navigation systems.  The 2.0-liter petrol engine received an increase in output to 125&nbsp;kW.

In March 2005, Renault UK decided not to develop a [[Left- and right-hand traffic|RHD]] version of the facelifted Vel Satis, as sales of the model had been poor in the [[United Kingdom]] since launch.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} Although 3,500 sales were predicted, only a third of these were achieved.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}} This came two years after Renault discontinued the [[Renault Avantime|Avantime]] coupé/MPV.

On August 27, 2009, Renault ended production of the Vel Satis &mdash; losing an estimated €18,710 per vehicle produced.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2013-09-25|title=Zoom, sputter, aagghhh!!|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2013/09/25/zoom-sputter-aagghhh|access-date=2021-11-29|issn=0013-0613}}</ref>

==Reception==
[[Patrick Le Quément]], Renault's design chief, said the Vel Satis was intended to have physical presence, to redefine the prestige car on French terms, and to target less conformist customers.<ref name="CAR magazine, Sept 2002"/>

In September 2002, ''[[Car (magazine)|Car]]'' described the Vel Satis as "ugly and very French."<ref name="CAR magazine, Sept 2002">CAR magazine, Sept 2002</ref>

Reviews of the car were critical of its ride and handling but noted the car was quiet under most conditions. "The gearbox is prone to considerable hunting in its quest to deliver power, at which point engine noise intrudes more than anticipated, and the change itself is by no means the smoothest in the class."<ref>CAR Magazine, Sept 2002</ref> The ride quality was described as feeling "over tough at pottering speeds, but displays a tendency to disintegrate into chop and judder when confronted with anything other than the smoothest of surfaces."<ref name="CAR magazine, Sept 2002"/>

== See also ==

* [[Vauxhall Signum]]
* [[List of Renault vehicles]]
* [[Renault Mégane]]
* [[Renault Laguna]]
* [[Renault Espace]]
* [[Renault Avantime]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.conceptcaronline.com/concept-cars/concept-car-24.php Renault Vel Satis - Concept Car Database]
*[http://www.vel-satis.org Vel-Satis.org (UK site by Vel Satis owners, for Vel Satis owners - news, articles, technical, blog and forum)]

{{Renault vehicles timeline 1980 to date, Western European and North American market}}
{{Renault}}

[[Category:Cars introduced in 2001]]

[[Category:Renault vehicles|Vel Satis]]
[[Category:Cars discontinued in 2009]]
<!-- is not needed because already included in [[Category:Cars introduced in 2001]]. See [[WP:SUBCAT]] -->
[[Category:Euro NCAP executive cars]]
[[Category:Front-wheel-drive vehicles]]
[[Category:Flagship vehicles]]
[[Category:Hatchbacks]]
[[Category:Executive cars]]