2004 Renault Fluence Concept

With the design purpose of effortless motoring, the Fluence is packed with an efficiently powerful motor. As this is a grand touring car, Renault has called on their

The Fluence's 3.5-liter V6 is actually Nissan's award-winning "VQ" motor. (Photo: Renault)

grandest engine, which just so happens to be the same 3.5-liter V6 as fitted to the equally odd Vel Satis executive car. This engine, however, isn't Renault's own creation; credit must go to Nissan. Renault is smart to make use of the Japanese brand's award-winning "VQ" motor, fitted to Nissan and Infiniti products from the midsize Altima sedan upwards. Rather than producing 245 horsepower as in the Vel Satis, the Fluence gets a little extra motivation thanks to higher tuning. The concept's 280 horsepower is much closer to the Japanese automaker's 350Z, and is backed by an impressive 269 lb-ft of torque.

But unlike the 350Z the Fluence is front-wheel drive, which isn't always optimal for putting lots of power to the pavement. The problem is torque-steer, and on the subject there have been some pretty brilliant advancements in driveshaft engineering to counteract the negative effects in recent years, equal length drive shafts being the most effective, but somehow Nissan has not been able to exorcise such problems out of its Altima and Maxima models with anywhere near the effectiveness as some of its rivals.

The fact that this engine is mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox, incidentally with manual function programmed to mimic a sequential gearbox, should help reduce the tug

Large diameter 22-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 245/710/R560 Michelin PAX performance rubber should assist in managing corners. (Photo: Renault)

at the wheel that the quick release of a manually actuated clutch can prompt.

Such power should be more than enough to propel the 4.60 meter (15.1 foot) long, 1.89 meter (6.2 foot) wide and 1.39 meter (4.6 foot) high coupe, which weighs a mere 1,500 kg (3,307 lbs) . Zero to 100 km/h should take less than 6.5 seconds, and I wouldn't be surprised if it hit that speed in and around the 6 second range. Top speed has not been disclosed.

Large diameter 22-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 245/710/R560 Michelin PAX performance rubber should assist in managing corners. Incidentally those 5-spoke rims feature unique suction fins for the sole purpose of reducing drag. However effective they are at cheating the wind aside, they look superb.