Renault Symbol

The Renault Symbol, or Thalia in some markets, is a sedan car produced by the French automobile manufacturer Renault.^[1] The first generation was introduced as the saloon version of the second generation Renault Clio, but was marketed only in those countries where the hatchback didn't sell too well,^[2] while not being available in Western Europe.^[3] The second generation has a different design than the third generation of the Clio and is built on the platform of the first generation car. Its key markets are Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Maghreb, and most notably countries like Turkey, Brazil, Romania, Russia, Algeria, Colombia and Tunisia. It is also available in the Gulf states.^[4]

First generation (1999–2008)

The first generation was launched in late 1999 as the saloon version of the Clio II.^[11] It was released with different names depending of the market: Clio Symbol,^[12] Thalia,^[13] Clio Sedan,^[14] Clio 4 Puertas,^[15] Symbol,^[16] or Clio Classic.^[17] Originally, the car was intended for sale in developing countries, but due to demand, it was later made available in countries where saloons were traditionally preferred over hatchbacks, most notably in Eastern Europe. In some Latin American markets, like Chile and Mexico,^[18] it was offered as Nissan Platina, with slight changes at the front of the car to make it resemble the Nissan Altima. It is longer by 38 cm to the hatchback and adds a larger boot of 510 litres (18 cu ft).^[19]

The main production site of the model had been the Oyak-Renault plant in Bursa, Turkey, where production started in 1999. Worldwide, it was also built since 2000 in Argentina at the plant in Santa Isabel, Córdoba, in Brazil at the Ayrton Senna complex in Sao José dos Pinhais, near Curitiba, and since 2001 in Colombia by SOFASA.^[4] In 2002, it began assembly in Mexico, rebadged as Nissan Platina, at the Nissan Mexicana plant in Aguascalientes.^[10] For a short time, between the end of 2002 and 2004, it was also assembled in Russia by Avtoframos.^[20]

At the beginning it was available with only two engine options in Europe: a 1.4 liter 8-valve (75 hp; 56kW) and a 1.4 liter 16-valve (98 hp; 73 kW), both of them with multi-point fuel injection.^[21] In Argentina it was manufactured with a 1.6 liter 16-valve petrol (100 hp; 74kW) engine and a 1.9 liter diesel (65 hp; non-turbo),^[22] in Colombia with the 1.4 liter 8-valve,^[23] and in Brazil either with the 1.6 liter 16-valve or with a 1.0 16-valve petrol (70 hp; 52 kW).^[24] Initial trim designations were RN (RNA) and RT (RTE), but later they received names of their own: Authentique, Expression, Dynamique, Alizé, Privilège etc.

It was facelifted in March 2002,^[25] gaining the new front end of the hatchback Clio, black moldings on the bumpers, slightly revised interior (electric window buttons moved from the central console onto the doors, the steering wheel got a new design) and improved safety levels. New engines were also added: a 1.2 liter engine (75 hp; 54 kW), a 1.5 liter dCi (75 hp; 56 kW) and the 1.6 liter 16-valve petrol (107 hp; 80 kW) in Europe, which was only available with the Dynamique trim level. Throughout the following years, two other versions of the 1.5 dCi engine were included in the range: one of 70 hp (51.5 kW) and one of 80 hp (58.9 kW).^[26] An automatic transmission version was added, but for with the 1.4 16-valve versions.^[27]

The new front end was adopted in South America from 2003. In Brazil two engines were adapted to run with flexible-fuel: the 1.0 liter 16-valve (76 hp on petrol, 77 hp on alcohol) and the 1.6 liter 16-valve (110 hp on petrol, 115 hp on alcohol);^[28] while in Argentina a CNG version was introduced towards the end of the year.^[29]

The Nissan Platina was available only with the 1.6 liter 16-valve petrol engine (110 hp; 82 kW). It had four trim levels, baptized Grado Q, Grado K, Grado K plus and Grado A, the same as the top cards in a playing deck.^[30] From the 2008 model year, they changed to Custom, Emotion, Premium and Premium A.^[31] It was sold with either with a manual gearbox or with an automatic one with overdrive system.

In the first half of 2005, minor changes were done to the Renault models. These included clear tail lights and side repeaters, a slightly modified grille and some of the display units passing form analogue to digital.

In the beginning of 2006, an improved version of the sedan was offered in Argentina and Brazil, and from fall in Europe.^[32] At the exterior, it now had body colored bumpers, without moldings and regardless of the trim level. The shape of the grille was revised and the boot got a new handle with the Renault logo integrated, similar to the one used on Laguna, as well as the new styling of the Renault word. Four new colors were made available and two distinctive new rim designs. For the European model and the Platina,^[33] the interior was upgraded to the one used in the facelifted Clio II, with very minor parts commonality with Megane II, as well as new standard and optional equipment, such as automatic air conditioning and a CD player.^[34]

This model was offered in three equipment levels: Authentique, Expression and Dynamique. Expression included driver airbag, air conditioning, trip computer, electric mirrors, electric front windows, CD-player and height adjustable steering wheel. Dynamique added passenger airbag, ABS, rear electric windows, body colored door handles and alloy rims, although the ABS and passenger airbag were optionals that could be added to the lower levels too. Automatic air conditioning was available as an extra feature.^[34]

It scored 12 points out of 16 in a frontal crash test conducted by the Russian magazine Autoreview in 2002, which was considered equivalent to the result scored by the hatchback version in the Euro NCAP testing.^[35] Over 600,000 units were sold worldwide since the release of this model.^[36]

Gallery

Second generation (2008–present)

The second generation uses the running gear of the previous generation car and has a different design than the third generation Clio, although an estate version has been developed from the hatchback in 2007. The Clio name was dropped in favor to just Symbol, or Thalia in those markets where this name was used on the previous generation. It was revealed for the first time in August 2008 at the Moscow International Motor Show and went on sale between September and November. The second generation car is longer than the previous by 7 cm (2.8 in) and has a boot capacity of 506 litres (17.9 cu ft).^[37]

The new Symbol was designed jointly by Renault's engineering teams in France, Turkey and Romania, for countries in the Eastern and Central Europe, Russia, Turkey, North Africa and as well the Gulf States. The place of manufacture is the Oyak-Renault plant in Bursa, Turkey, and from 2009 it is also built in Santa Isabel, Argentina for the South American market.^[38] Development of the project, codenamed L35, took 26 months.^[37][39]

It is available in three equipment levels: Authentique, Expression and Privilège. Features included by Authentique are driver airbag, rev-counter or body-colored front and rear bumpers. Expression adds hydraulic power steering, trip computer, electric front windows, height adjustable steering wheel and front seats, folding rear bench seat, rear headrests and body-colored mirrors and electric central locking with remote control. Privilège adds electric mirrors, leather-trimmed steering wheel, foglamps, rear electric windows and radio-CD player with MP3 playback.^[37]

In terms of safety, the new Symbol offers driver airbag, passenger airbag, two lateral airbags (depending on version), anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), anti-intrusion strengthening in front and rear doors, height-adjustable front seatbelts, power steering and rear parking sensors.^[37]

The Turkish Police uses Renault Symbol cars.^[40]

Engines

According to Renault, the engines used on this model are of the latest generation at the date of release.^{[37][41][42][43]}

Gallery

References

External links

• Renault Symbol / Thalia official website at Renault.com