Top Gear Avantime

[Guinney1971]

Flux Capacitor Wrote:Oh ok, so they just needed something to get them out of the contract so they made that? Still interesting, anyway.

Avantime (which I think translates to 'ahead of time' or summat like that), was a "coupe-space" concept car designed in the early-mid 90's.

It was based on the Espace Mk3 platform, which will give you an idea how big they are

I'm not sure if it was ever destined for production originally - I remember seeing a few prototypes (and the Clio V6) at the 2000 Motorshow when I worked for Renault and thinking then it looked amazing (and drooling over the Clio ). Funnily enough, Phill had also seen the prototype and had vowed if they ever built it, he'd have one (he was on his third Espace).

When they said, in late 2001, that it would go into production, he immediately went to Sunwin Renault in Derby and placed his order - he finally got the car in November 2002, and as he'd already sold his Espace some months earlier, Sunwin's lent him a Vel Satis to use for about 6 months! (When I was at Renault, we called them vel-statics - cos once they got on the forecourt, they became a static display :roll: - not a bad car, but they were more challenging in design then the Megane shall we say....)

Anyways, thats a brief history of Avantime, I'm sure everyone is bored stiff now!! lol :lol:

[Flux Capacitor]

Thanks for the history lesson, was interesting.

I, too, like that design but I can see why it didn't do well, any why they chose it so it wouldn't do well... The big door thing is cool but impractical, especially compared to what other cars that size have, and also it was sorta filling a gap that didn't exist, coz if you want a three door car you get a hatchback, if you want a bigger car you would need more doors so would get one of the many 7 seater ones around.

The Avantime is still cool, though.

[Guinney1971]

The doors are really cool - although 1.4m long, they are double hinged - will try and find a piccy to explain better

Avantime was designed as a grand sports tourer, with ample room for 4 and all their luggage. Plus, with the 'open air' button, the roof opens up and all the windows go down too, so its almost like being in a convertible

We took Avi over to France a couple of years ago (with my mum as passenger) for a booze cruise, and Avi was more then capacious enough, but also with superb comfort and refinement - plus of course all the French people loved seeing Avi and several were spied in the car parks at the hypermarkets taking piccies lol :lol:

**edit**

Found these - http://www.autointell.com/european_comp ... me_3sm.jpg



And all the info you could ever need (plus some really cool pics) are here - http://www.avantime-gallery.org/links/a ... links.html

cheers,

[TheOriginalMrP]

I've just noticed it's very "Safrane" ish. Is it the same floor pan? The wheel, vents and pedals are the same by the looks of it.

I actually quite liked the Safrane's, and I worked at Renault 1997-2000, so learned a bit about Renault's there.

The director had a LHD Alpine a310 then after that went up in flames for no reason, upgraded to a a610 with a Renault 5 Turbo 2 inbetween. Then he had the V6 Clio you mentioned Claire.

I had no idea back then that the a310 had the same engine as a DeLorean.

Only found that out a few years ago.

[Guinney1971]

TheOriginalMrP Wrote:I've just noticed it's very "Safrane" ish. Is it the same floor pan? The wheel, vents and pedals are the same by the looks of it.

It was built on the Espace 3 floorpan - not sure how that compares to the Saffy, but alot of Renault stuff was interchangeable I guess.

You were at Renault the same time as me then when I was there the first time - I was at Walsworth Motor Co in Hitchin (sold off and demolished in 2003 and turned into a block of flats :roll: )

[NickT]

I still hate French cars........

Just my opinion.

NickT

[Guinney1971]

lol, well I hate BMW's - just my opinion :wink:

[Daniel Shane]

I hate WORKING on all cars. French, German and British. In particular ones made in Norfolk.

I think after the whole Delorean thing someone at Lotus put a ban on anything in the factory being made out of Stainless Steel including bolts and fittings on there own cars

Dan

[Guinney1971]

Daniel Shane Wrote:I think after the whole Delorean thing someone at Lotus put a ban on anything in the factory being made out of Stainless Steel including bolts and fittings on there own cars

Dan

hahahahaha PMSL :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[NickT]

Claire Usher Wrote:lol, well I hate BMW's - just my opinion :wink:

Me too. I prefer good old Vauxhalls. At least parts are easy to come by and are as cheap as chips to fix.

NickT.

[Guinney1971]

NickT Wrote:

Claire Usher Wrote:lol, well I hate BMW's - just my opinion :wink:

Me too. I prefer good old Vauxhalls. At least parts are easy to come by and are as cheap as chips to fix.

NickT.

I'm currently trying to locate a cheap 1.7TDS Mk3 Astra for my convertible project :wink:

[NickT]

Claire Usher Wrote:

NickT Wrote:

Claire Usher Wrote:lol, well I hate BMW's - just my opinion :wink:

Me too. I prefer good old Vauxhalls. At least parts are easy to come by and are as cheap as chips to fix.

NickT.

I'm currently trying to locate a cheap 1.7TDS Mk3 Astra for my convertible project :wink:

The non Izuzu low blow turbo diesel on mechanical injection pump works great on 100% veg oil. Don't ask me how I know.......
I happened to have had a Mk3 Astra with the same type of engine in :wink:

NickT

[Guinney1971]

NickT Wrote:The non Izuzu low blow turbo diesel on mechanical injection pump works great on 100% veg oil. Don't ask me how I know.......
I happened to have had a Mk3 Astra with the same type of engine in :wink:

NickT

Did it have a Bosch fuel pump? The Lucas pumps are not suitable (which is why Phil Peter's is changing the one on his Peugeot) and they tend to break down after about 600 miles if you use WVO or SVO.

I want the TDS anyway, as its a higher BHP and its the same engine as in our Cavaliers, so its an engine we are familiar with having done the top end on mine. Bearing in mind the extra weight that a cabriolet has, I'd want the pokier diesel engine. Even so, I'd still be coming down from the 115bhp of the 2.0i to around 82bhp, but I'm not bothered about driving fast - I've got the De for that

[Dan6457]

On the subject of veg oil, you will be pleased to know that last Sunday I drove all the way to Ed's in Holland and back on pure veg oil that was scrounged Nearly 800 miles in one go. I took a drum to pour in when I got to Ed's so I could get back :wink:

[Guinney1971]

Dan1986 Wrote:On the subject of veg oil, you will be pleased to know that last Sunday I drove all the way to Ed's in Holland and back on pure veg oil that was scrounged Nearly 800 miles in one go. I took a drum to pour in when I got to Ed's so I could get back :wink:

atta boy Dan!!!