RENAULT AVANTIMETiming chain or Belt?

The Renault Avantime is a large MPV (D-segment in Europe) manufactured by the French automaker Renault. It was an experimental vehicle launched in 2001.

The Avantime is one of the most special vehicles that the French brand has produced in its history. At the beginning of the century, minivans had begun to acquire popularity in many markets. Hence Renault devised a car as practical as an MPV and as dynamic as a coupe. It could also be defined as a Shooting Brake version of a minivan. The Renault Avantime is nothing more than an avant-garde vehicle that, as its name suggests, was ahead of its time. The Avantime design served as the basis for the next generation of Renault vehicles.

This model was based on the same platform as the Renault Espace. It had two huge side doors and a rear door for the trunk. It had a transverse front engine and front-wheel drive. From the start, the Avantime had only a 3.0 V6 gasoline engine, and the minivan had a considerably high price.

However, the Avantime turned out to be one of the biggest failures of the French marque. Renault took over the entire Matra plant in Romorantin to manufacture this vehicle. Unfortunately, the Avantime did not reach sales expectations, both because of its difficult-to-explain concept and its electrical problems. Production was stopped in mid-2003 with just over 8,500 units produced. In addition, Matra sustained such economic losses that it had to close the car-focused part of its business.