The French have made some nice coupes over the years. The Pininfarina-designed Peugeot 406 may stand out as one fine example, but the Renault Laguna Coupé is no less a looker. Unfortunately the market hasn’t agreed – or has, just not to the extent to make it a sales success – leaving Renault struggling to keep the model relevant.
Sources anticipate the next-generation model will represent a substantial re-thinking of the coupe’s approach, but in the meantime the French automaker has released a series of updates to the 2012 model to spruce it up.
The subtly updated 2012 Laguna Coupé has been treated to new LED running lights and 17- or 18-inch alloys (depending on specified trim level) and an interior with visible top-stitching on the dashboard. Buyers can choose from the Black Edition, Monaco GP edition, GP 4Control and Initiale trims, and between three gasoline and two diesel engines ranging from 150 to 240 horsepower.
Features like four-wheel steering and regenerative braking round out the package, but whether the latest updates – and the rather Aston Martin-like rear end – will prove enough to lure European buyers into showrooms remains to be seen.
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