Renault Trafic Formula Edition Van Looks The Part In Australia

Renault makes some pretty sporty models. The Trafic may not usually rank among them. But this one at least looks the part.

It’s called the Formula Edition. And we’ve seen similar models pop up here and there. But this one’s surfaced in Australia, looking pretty sweet.

It features a front bumper, rear light surrounds, and door rail, all painted to match the bodywork. The 17-inch alloys are painted black with yellow hubs, the grille inserts and fog lamp surrounds are painted yellow, the badge on the nose in black, and it has special side stripes. For the 2018 model, LED daytime running lights are integrated into the front bumper, too.

Inside it’s upholstered in dark Java cloth, with gloss-black and chrome trim. (That’s last year’s model in the interior photo below.) And it comes with a heated driver’s seat, seven-inch navigation screen, special floor mats, and more.

Not Quite A Renault Sport Van

“The Renault Trafic Formula Edition was extremely well received in 2017, and so we immediately contacted the factory to obtain a second batch for 2018,” said Lyndon Healey, Renault’s commercial vehicles manager for Australia. “Renault Trafic has been growing its sales and market share over the past three years and the arrival of the Formula Edition will add even more sparkle to a well-polished diamond.”.

Buyers can choose between short- and long-wheelbase versions, in either Storm Grey or Jet Black paint. Only 125 examples will be offered Down Under, where pricing starts at $41,990 for the short-wheelbase model, or $43,490 for the longer one. (Those figures are in Australian dollars, and work out to about $31-32k in equivalent US funds.)

Both versions come powered by a 1.6-liter twin-turbo diesel generating 140 metric horsepower (103 kW) and 250 lb-ft (340 Nm) of torque. So it might not lap the Albert Park circuit (where the Australian Grand Prix is held each year) quite as fast as the Renault RS18 after which it’s styled. But then it can haul a bit more than the single-seater.