NOW here’s a big ask... compete in the coupé market dominated by desirable and well-established German offerings.

It would have to be something supremely stylish, luxurious and with a rewarding drive to stand a chance. And a saving on the forecourt price would go some way towards convincing customers to change badge.

Enter the Laguna Coupé, marking Renault's return to this sector of the market after an absence of nearly 20 years, when the French manufacturer gave us the Fuego.

With a stunning, sleek body that has the regular Laguna’s DNA but the charisma of something more special, this is one serious rival.

And being French, it has a few tricks up its sleeve.

Firstly, there’s now a new V6 diesel engine that has joined the two diesel and two petrol offerings available at launch at the start of this year.

And secondly, there’s a four-wheel steer system for the top-of-the-range GT specification models. Renault’s 4Control chassis uses a powerful actuator on the rear axle to control the wheel angle, improving manoeuvrability at low speed and stability at high speed. This allows the driver to get away with control inputs that would destabilise a car without the system.

I chose the sporty 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine in GT specification for the test drive. First impressions were that it was both smooth and fast, making good progress over a variety of road surfaces with barely a grumble.

The ergonomics are excellent, although if you are a six-footer like me you might find selecting a comfortable driving position takes some time.

The GT's s interior is a match for the stylish exterior. Refined and comfortable, there is seating for only four, but there’s a decent amount of head room despite the sloping roof line.

It is quite possible for four adults to be seated in comfort and there’s a lot of elbow room at the back because of the absence of a centre seat.

The GT version comes with a Renault hands-free card that slots into the “suspended” dashboard prior to you pressing the Start/Stop button. There’s a couple of nice touches that go with the card: the headlights can be activated from distance at the touch of button, which is handy on a dark night, and if you should forget to lock up as you walk away from the car, a gentle peep of the horn reminds you to press the lock button.

In addition to the 4Control chassis, the GT trim provides leather upholstery, cruise control, speed limiter automatic parking brake, aluminium interior trim detailing and an auto-dimming rear view mirror.

That’s on top of the specification for the entry-level coupé, which comes equipped with climate control air conditioning, bi-xenon headlamps with washers, 18-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, automatic headlights and wipers and a top-notch audio system.

The boot, which has a capacity of 423 litres capacity despite the sleek coupé lines, is well sculpted with a recessed hinge mechanism that shows thought has been put into the design. In fact, the best bit of the design is at the back, where the broad haunches meet the contours of the boot lid. At the front, the bonnet sweeps down assertively to a huge grill that stretches across the width of the car.

A rounded package in more than just bodyshape, the Laguna Coupe’s impressive styling and performance should be enough to have the more premium contenders looking over their shoulders, even if it's just for design tips.


At a glance

Model: Renault Laguna Coupé GT 205 Turbo

Transmission: Six-speed manual

Price: £24,435 (Laguna Coupé range from £20,995)

Engine: 2.0-litre petrol

Performance: 0-62 mph in 7.8 seconds

CO2 emissions: 194g/km

Economy: 34.5 mpg combined