The Renault Latitude, the European alter ego of the Korean Samsung SM5, will get its first facelift this autumn. Some may say that it’s too soon, given that the car debuted only three years ago at the Moscow motor show.
However, to remain relevant in a market dominated by German rivals, Renault needs all the help it can get for its flagship sedan. This is why the Latitude has been cosmetically revised, almost a year after the SM5 received an update.
The first official photos, which have already leaked on the Internet, allow us to see the reworked face of the Latitude sedan, which gains larger headlights with integrated LED daytime-running lights, a more upright grille with chrome accents and a revised bumper.
At the rear, changes are minimal, with the taillights gaining a new design with LEDs while retaining their previous shape. No other changes can be detected, at least not by the human eye, except for new accessories such as the wheels. No photos of the interior have surfaced so far, but no major changes are expected there, with only new equipment and trims to freshen up the atmosphere.
The Latitude will remain the same under the skin, offering only diesel engines in Europe – a 2.0-liter dCi with 150 hp or 175 hp and a 3.0-liter dCi V6 with 240 hp. However, rumor has it that Renault may also add a new engine to the lineup – a 180hp 1.6-liter TCe turbocharged gasoline unit that’s available for the facelifted Samsung SM5 in South Korea. On the Samsung, the engine is mated to a dual-clutch EDC transmission.
By Dan Mihalascu
Photos: Renault via Autoforum
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