All You Need To Know About The New Renault Rafale
With just a week or so to go, it’s almost time for the unveiling of the all-new Renault Rafale 2024, which premieres at the 54th Paris Air Show in Le Bourget on 18 June 2023.
Likely to sit above the Renault Arkana, this super-high-end coupe SUV, will most likely feature very high on the list in the larger car D segment. The 2024 model of the Renault Rafale is said to be powered by an E-Tech hybrid engine and built on the CMF-CD platform, according to Renault.
An Iconic Name Inspired By History
The origin of the name Rafale was inspired by Renault’s little-known roots in aviation in the early 20th century when the manufacturer was a pioneer in the creation of reciprocating engines not only for cars but also for railcars and even aircraft.
Founder of Renault, Louis Renault, who was passionate about aviation, acquired Caudron and founded Caudron-Renault in 1933. He then renamed all of Caudron’s aircraft using wind-related terms. The C460 became the Rafale (French for ‘gust’) in 1934. A single-seater racing plane, the Rafale was engineered to break records. And so it did – with the famous aviator Hélène Boucher beating a number of speed records in the Rafale. This includes the women’s record for distances over 1000 km when she reached 445 km/h on 11 August 1934.
It’s All In The Aerodynamics
The Rafale is said to harness the cutting-edge aerodynamics of the racing plane, mimicking its design and aesthetics. The coupe SUV will boast a streamlined shape, bringing to mind the image of something gliding through the air. Furthermore, it has new LED headlights, while the side profile of the coupe highlights a sharp-lined roofline and a shoulder line with prominent fender flares.
We will have to wait for all to be revealed soon, including whether this futuristic coupe SUV, ironically steeped in history, will be as upmarket and attractive as it’s made out to be.
