The Scénic road to success - the Renault Scénic Story
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ส.ค. 2022
- Not many cars can be credited with funding the purchase of an entire car company, but Renault’s President said they couldn’t have purchased Nissan in the late 1990s without the success of the Renault Scénic. It was a bold, innovative design, making clever reuse of parts to reduce the risk of failure on a car that was depending on your point of view either defining a brand-new category, or joining an existing category of cars that had never been a success! The shape of the first, second and third generation of Scénic were presided over by Patrick le Quément. He’s been very kind, again, to sit down and tell us the inside story of the car that kicked off the MPV boom in the late 1990s. So, join me and Patrick as we delve into the Renault Scénic Story.
Thanks the banpeinet ( / banpeinet-gp ) for the Dutch advert translation!
Optional Extra bonus video: • Renault Scénic - Optio...
Full interview with Patrick le Quément: • Full Renault Scénic in...
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Sources
Patrick le Quément interview.
signification-noms-voitures.b...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_19
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault...
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A9...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usine_R...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minecra...)
www.renault.es/concept-cars/r...
www.largus.fr/actualite-autom...
www.lefigaro.fr/automobile/20...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault...
www.motor1.com/news/584655/re...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswa...
media.renault.com/lets-change...
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Optional Extra video: th-cam.com/video/tGAqgQrrHRc/w-d-xo.html
Full Patrick le Quément interview: th-cam.com/video/rnORaCZWssg/w-d-xo.html
An addition:
MATRA (Mécanique Avion TRAction) had first offered the car which would become the Espace to PSA as a possible Citroen, but PSA declined. Since the automotive branch of Matra was rather treated like an illegtimate child of the former Chrysler-Simca group and the concept of the Espace was too good to just shelf it, Matra made an offer to Renault who saw the potential of the construction.
From 1984 on, Matra became a partner of Renault.
BTW: Congratulations for 200.000 subscribers! 👍
Many congratulations on the 200k!
@@liberalmatt Thanks!
@@reynardkitsune501 Thanks!
@@BigCar2 electronics a
So on one hand we have the TV networks, mega budgets, huge teams to commission and produce programmes, on the other hand Big Car. What am I watching on Friday night? Big Car, no repetition, lots of detail, information and above all just great content. AND YET AGAIN an interview with the people / person who was there! Just amazing. Yes I will be on to Patron soon.
I haven't watched tv for 2 years.
It makes more sense to purchase a v/large monitor.
My feelings exactly
Haven’t watched TV for years. I might watch a bit on I-Player, but it’s a rare occasion. YT content like this, Iain Tyrell, Car Throttle, Hubnut and so on, are much more entertaining and informative than yet another awful ‘talent’ show or ‘hard-hitting drama’…………
Even as early as in late 1990s, back then a student with access to Ethernet speeds,I was wondering what was the future of tv when we were starting already having access to videos on line and ones with quite high quality. And that was a decade before youtube took over the word. I haven't watched tv systematically since the late 1990s with an extremely brief break in 2002-2004 when I was working in a province with little to do and with no internet connection to the house - I had to go to the nearby internet cafe, and of course was spending more time there than at home watching tv. For the past 20 years I basically saw tv only in hotels during holidays - the time my ladies needed to get dressed and prepared to go out. LOL!
So yes, youtubers like Big Car deliver much more quality than big budget tv programmes, that is for sure. Same goes for most other genres.
It's why I no longer pay the BBC their tax.
The Scenic is not a car, it's a loyal friend. Proud scenic owner right here. I got mine second hand (2001 production year) with 200k km on it, today it has close to 600k. Its brilliant, I am never selling mine. I really enjoyed the episode. Kudos!
Renault makes brilliant cars after you fix all the electronic problems in them (especially megane 2, scenic 2). We've had too many to count in the family and just bought a 2005 scenic that was completely dead. After 20 hours of diagnosis we found that the electronic e-brake had failed and after unplugging it and replacing its fuse the car came back to life... Why does a 20 amp fuse labeled "electronic parking brake" kill the whole car? who knows...
We were forced to get rid of the second renault scenic, after the air conditioning system needed repair, and this involved opening the whole inner front area, thus, the repair was too relatively expensive. Otherwise? I wouldn't replave it, as they realy, dont have any better replace.
Also, in the 2 scenic cars we had since ~2006+, no tecnical or electrical problems(besides of sensors needed to be replace here and there, not a problem, just maintenance).
and since we replaced the scenic with other 4 cars since then, we miss it more and more.
I hope the new electric cars will embrace many of the feautures the scenic had
@@Rassettaja I'm sorry to hear about the elctrical problem, w had none w the 2 scenics we had during the years
That’s good to know. Just about to buy my 1st , 2nd hand. It will probably be my last, so I’m hoping it will suit me well & be a friend. 😅
its so refreshing seeing Big Car find his groove in presentation and detail in storytelling
You could watch the 100,000 subscribers story.
He’s had it for a while. Should do voiceover work.
Some of the early videos are very hard to watch. I look like a deer caught in the headlights of whatever car I'm talking about. 😀
I swear, getting Patrick's take on all the cars he was involved with is pure gold. I grew up reading about the Renaults of that time in auto magazines, and to now get insight into the thought processes behind them is such a treat.
I have the full interviews on my Little Car channel for all three cars if you're interested.
@@BigCar2 I know, I watched them already. I jusrt thought I'd chip in and say that I appreciate the efforts. Both yours and Patrick's
What a shame these practical, efficient, spacious cars have fallen out of fashion. Nothing gets the job done like a van, even a small one.
Box cars are the most efficient practical use of space but people don't like them. That's why's kei cars are so boxy. Same with modern cruise ships.
But with cars it's all down to style. Just cause it's practical means nothing. Not that's a bad thing. If consumers only wanted practical cars luxury brands and premium brands wouldn't exist. Neither would sedans or sport cars.
So true. They are however creeping back into the lineups, EVs like new Mégane or Hyundai Ionic are effectively vans in disguise.
That's because majority of demographics who bought cars these days, where mostly terrible dumb fat baboons who drives SUV's.And think SUV's where better than everybody else in general.
@@baronvonjo1929 I Agreed...
The answer why these indeed practical and efficient vehicles have fallen out of favour is very simple : demographics. On the one hand you have 50% divorce rates. On the other hand you have fewer family formations as well. And overall fewer kids. And the replacement populations imported by the rest of the world have different tastes. Enough said or this will have necessarily to spiral out to another sort of discussion. Let us say that people living alone don't need monospaces. Sure they will buy SUVs but they do so for the looks, the high driving position and the do-it-all.
The senic is a true legend... You should see when the Algerian community living in france return to visit algeria in the summer how much stuff they bring in. ! Renault products are generally reliable especially the sub brand dacia and models meant for north Africa. I love my Renault symbol as a work car that take you from point A to B in relative safety and comfort with cheap maintenance and running costs. I would buy a gen 1 or 2 scenic if they were still sold
I was in Algeria when i first sat in one brought by uncle from france lol
No
Bought a Mk1 facelift version in 2000. It was a work of genius with so much usable space. Far and away the most practical and versatile car I've ever owned. It was even economical. The only thing that let it down was that it was horrible to drive with understeer everywhere; but I forgave it because I could get three bicycles inside without having to remove their wheels. I could even get my garden waste wheelie bin in the boot upright. More recently I've had a couple of Ford C-Maxes and they are a really lazy effort compared to the Scenic - nowhere near as practical, but far better to drive. Why is everyone obsessed with so-called SUVs these days? They seem to combine a grossly oversized exterior with a tiny interior.
SUVs are popular becuase you might have to drive over a pothole or up a curb while doing the school run in Chelsea (look up Chelsea Tractor if you don't get that). The most stupid SUVs trend is fitting them with low profile tyres making them look like a pram and probably stopping them driving up a curb.
The SUV craze is a nightmare for drivers of smaller vehicles. BULKY, UGLY, OVERTLY expensive and fuel hungry TURDS that are neither at home on or off road - existing solely as a tasteless ego exercise. I miss the age of MPVs and their thoughtful practicality.
This video made me remember the first time i was in a Scenic and how amazed i was. Soo amazed that i literally said "when i will grow up and get a driver license, i'll buy one of these!"
I can say about Brazil. It was a massive success. People were crazy about it. Some were saying a estate would be more practical, with more boot space, but the practicality got everyone's heart. A trip to the beaches were much more fun in a Scénic.
I have one. It's my family car we use every day. It's 2010, but it's the first generation
My parents never had the Scenic, only the Xsara Picasso. But I'm grateful for the same exact features it borrowed from the Scenic. The 3 individual rear seats were very comfortable for a family of 5, the picnic tables and hidden storages were very practical too.
My grandmother has a Xsara. Yes it’s practical and roomy, but other than that it’s an absolutely shocking car 😂😂
My parents bought a Scenic new in 1998 when I was a kid, and then they had another three Mk1 facelifts, an RX4, a Mk2 and a Mk3! This video instantly took me back as soon as i saw the thumbnail!
Didn't they know they could fix them?
In the mid 2000s, back when Brazil was doing better every year, I remember my parents graduated from a wonderful golden Clio to a gigangic black Scenic. I loved that car, it seemed gigantic, made road trips much more comfortable. Loved that it had so many hidden comparments where we could hide small things as kids. I remember feeling so rich when they bought it
The second generation was the best looking one. I also hugely admire LeQuement's Naoto Fukasawa X shelf behind him.
As a teen in a 5 member family, our first scenic blew my mind😍. The amount of space (after years of cramped estates), functionality, character (aircon was truly wonderful).
I recall a trip down the Autostrada and passing a wrecked crumpled scenic with a calm and unscathed driver waiting for the tow truck - actually instilling confidence in the safety of our vehicle.
The Scenic will always be special to me. In 2010 I had to make savings and sold a 2006 bmw and bought a £500 traded in Scenic on a V plate. It was the perfect family car, owned her for 5 years. Very practical and the 2.0ltr went very well.
I've seen Scenics in Europe but always assumed they were just the same, boring people mover inside. Despite quality issues, the whole packaging is amazing.
Thanks for another great video!
There aren't many cars for which I remember their first appearance. But I do remember the Scénic. It helps to remember, that it was my first year abroad in Sweden. But most importantly when I saw the first Scénic drive by it changed me forever. It shouted practical but also style. Since then I would never again consider anything but a van shaped car.
Back then, I could not afford one but when I had the money I bought a Meriva. Most would call it boring but what a practical car as well: small, fitting in even the smallest parking spots, low fuel consumption for what it could carry, giving more headroom than a fancy expensive limousine. It had a few details that made me decide for it over a Renault, but without the Scénic it would not have existed.
We keep finding new storage in our Scenic II. The only thing that lets them down is the fairly weak auto boxes. I have a replacement on standby!
I spent my childhood in the first two generations of the Scenic and the memories flooding in with this video are awesome. Thank you!
Happy owner of a beautiful Scénic 2nd generation, 2nd phase here - bloody love that thing
In 2005 I bought the VW Touran (7 seat) which had similar ideas in it. But I liked all these Mini MPV designs. I still do.
The idea of a very flexible van like family car that can become a van when you need one remains a great blend.
I worked at a Renault dealers the 1st gen, had a 2nd and 3rd gen. Loved my 2010 2.0dci Auto, comfortable, quick and it handled well. Had to sell it as I work in Birmingham City Centre and wasn't prepared to pay 40 quid a week to drive it in to town!
I had 3 scenic. The first & second generation model & finally the series II. I had to sell my series Ii because we need to tow a bigger trailer. Loved the cars. Maintained them myself & were easy to work on. I would have another tomorrow if I need an MPV. Had two issues, one was the ignition coils failed regularly so I carried a spare. The other problem I had was the water pump failed around 70k miles. What a challenge that was to change as it was driven from the camshaft belt. Lots of special tools required that I had to make. Currently have the Kokeos & Captur.
I absolutely love all the Renault cars of this era! The Twingo, Modus, Scenic, Avantime, Espace, Vel Satis, even the Wind I like. Fun!
EDIT:
18:24 I just wanted to add that not every Megane badges were gone - you can still find a "Megane" sign on a triangle plastic piece on the rear door's window.
Thank you for this material! It's a pleasure to watch and listen to.
I'm interested in the history of Renault's cars, especially Megane and Scenic. Do you plan to make a video about the Megane series? That would be awesome!
I’ve watched 80% of B16CAR vids. This one: very special indeed. 👌
Glad you did this! An underestimated super design. And in loving memory of my dear Scénic one, 2001-2019 {Ardennes Green} . I always felt proud as I was driving a French classic. A car full of curves, secret compartments and into which you could load sofas, bikes, pushchairs and all the family holiday gear. And I would laugh at all the other posterior imitation attempts ie. Tino, Picasso, Zafira knowing that mine was The Original. Au revoir, nôtre cher ami!
The 4th gen scenic and it's corresponding espace are fabulous looking cars. The espace especially is a very nice looking vehicle, I wish we got it in the UK.
I've grown up with both the Renault 19 and now the Scenic I facelift.
I still find it cool that a car about the same size as a Golf has so much more space than a Golf. Kinda wish it didn't have the bodyroll and was a bit faster, but at least it goes from A to B relatively well, despite it's age.
Were they reliable and economic to own and run?
I wouldn't call it the most reliable car ever, but at least you can say it's cheap to maintain.
I have always loved MPVs, despite not having more than just my dog as company - but I love that I can bring anything I would need with me, without a trailer or a roof rack. If a my bike does not fit in the boot of a car, the car is pretty much useless and therefor of no interest to me. I had a Scenic II dCi -07 for ten years and it was by far the best car I have ever owned. I loved the big window, the sense of space in a compact volume, the endless practicallity and - thanks to a chip-tune giving it c:a 180 hp - it was so much fun to drive on small curvy roads. When I finally had to sell it, it was not because I did not like it anymore, but because it had gotten a bit worn after all those years and 300+ thousand kilometers. It was with a heavy heart I let it go, but I think it was the right person who got it. Now I drive a 2008 Modus - to be honest, I could not justify a bigger car than that, since it's just me and the dog... (But my parents drive a 2013 Xmod, because they liked my Scenic more than the Volvo V60 they had) A big thanks to Patrick Le Quement for his input in this video and for being part of the team that created Renault's best and most interesting cars.
Renault designing the 90s, under LeQuement was on a roll. As a car designer in training they were the company to go to for the zeitgeist of the moment 90s. The designs after Avantime/VelSatis/Megane2 were just bland boring boxes but still with the issues all Renaults tend to have. LeQuement really did the face of car design.
Unfortunately it were these designs which failed to attract the potential buyership...plus the really poor craftsmanship of the Avantime. And somehow Renault has a knack for killing off once successful models - Clio, Twingo, Espace, Kangoo. Once the SUV craze wanes, Renault is going to be in big trouble again.
I grew up with the first two generations of scenic so its great to see a big car video on them : )
A few years ago I purchased a 1.5 diesel 2013 Renault Grand Scenic 7 seater. I drove it for a couple of years and it proved to be reliable, practical but dull. It all came an end on 2/1/2019 when I came out of Tesco’s at 4.15pm in the dark and with a few messages.
I couldn’t find my car and was standing looking around when one of the firemen working at a car shouted across at me - Hey mate, is this your car?
And indeed it was. It had burst into flames under the bonnet. It was a write off with no reason found for the fire except that it appeared to be centred on the battery.
This was the start of Covid and the second hand car selection shrank.
I replaced it with a 1.7 diesel 2011, 7 seater Vauxhall Zafira. A totally different car. Much more responsive, better handling, better brakes - but that turned out to be a very different story.
I’m still driving it and it’s finally all sorted.
Funny is that I had a Zafira that went into black coal in the garage and got a Scenic II to replace and I still own. It has been so durty cheap to keep I just cant make a financial reason to replace.
Zafiras had a tendency to self-combust too!
I always liked the practicality and usability of this car. I think it is a true legend of mainstream cars.
One story I would really like to see is that of the Vel Satis, how it went from an extremely cool concept to the production model catastrophe that essentially killed all of Renault's premium aspirations and marked the end of the company's legendary "creativity era". If Mr LeQuement is willing to share his take on that, that is.
Yeah, I’ve asked. He’s not! It would still be interesting to do a video on it though.
I started out with a trusty second hand R11 back in 1985, which I loved, then got a R19 (meh), and then my first Scenic. I owned 3 Scenics over a 20 year period, until March of this year when I sold my last one with 116, 000 miles on the clock. I thought they were fabulous, transporting my young family around with room to spare and even taking us all (with a top box to help with luggage) on a road trip around France & Switzerland. The suspension was a bit hairy on some of those twisty alpine roads, but it did the job well. It's such an iconic car, a good all rounder, which I loved! Now the kids have long gone and I've got the new Arkana etech hybrid, which got me to fall in love with motoring all over again. Merci Renault, and thanks Big Car for pulling together the threads of this story so well.
I had an original "Mark 1" Scenic from 1998 to 2014. Brilliant car and totally reliable. You mention that the 4th generation was discontinued in 2020 but that was in the UK, it's still on sale in France as is the Espace. Renault UK's marketing fell apart in the early 2000's, they had about 10% of the UK market then sales fell off a cliff resulting in them having to cull many of the models that were best sellers to the private motorist, such as the Modus and Scenic. Such a shame. If only Renault UK didn't price their spare parts so expensively and still sold the Scenic in the UK I'd have had another
It was May 2022 when they announced the end of production, so there are likely still some Scénic's for sale in showrooms.
@@BigCar2 Interesting, and sad for those of us who like MPVs. The Renault France website implies that the Scenic and Grand Scenic are still current models and can be configured and built to order (as of 14 Aug 2022)
My family had the RX4 . There was alot of space inside. It was a really good offroader. Ride height was great, my father loved it. Plastic bumpers made it rust free and helped with dings. The thing about rear hatch was absolute truth it was cracked also, that 4X4 drive had some problems, the joint would would brake on almost all RX4's, it was plagued with that. Never had problems with gearbox or engine itself.
We had a Scenic 'Sport'(I use the term loosely!) Mk1Phase 2 in maroon,was an incredibly comfy and versatile car.Sadly nowadays people want horrible suv's.That era of Renault was amazing,all incredibly styled cars,even their vans and trucks too...
Renault should produce the Scenic concept as an electric car. It looks very cool!
Thank you for this video!
My mum had a semicolon when I was growing up and it was one of my favourite cars to be in it was so comfortable had tons of room we moved my brother to uni in it we took out two of the seats so me my mum and my brother could all go in it and fit all of his stuff. That car will always have a special place in my heart.
Big Car strikes again with another fantastic video of a car of my childhood. My Uncle had one of the first generation of Mégane Scenic and as a 14 year old it made a impression on me that Renault were game changing, his was the lowly spec RT but it still had innovative touches, he later followed up the Scenic with another french MPV the Xsara Picasso. Now seeing the latest concept Scenic all I want is Renault to put it into production.
Man as a Renault lover I can say that the Scenic is an amazing MPV. My family always liked the Scenic. When I was born in 2008 we had a Mazda 323, few months later we bought a first gen Scenic and we held it parked all the way till 2017 (or 2018) in 2014 we bought the Scenic 2 phase 2 and we still have it and like a week ago we bought a Scenic 3 phase 1 (2010 model if I remember correctly, that actually I found strange or not) and the Scenic 1 and Scenic 2 were 1.9 dci or just with diesel engines the scenic 3 we bought it now with the 1.4 TCe (or 1,4 litre Turbo 4 cylinder that makes 131hp) and it runs more smoothly than the 1.9 dci though I don't thinks it's as reliable as the 1.9 dci but it's still a good engine. I would recommend the Scenic to all the families out there that want a good family car.
Always liked this car, efficient use of already available tech, but still a massive leap forward in value provided to the customers.
22:26 That's ingenius editing
😀 Thanks. I had fun doing that!
I remember around 2001 when my dad bought a 1998 Renault Scenic in burgundy red, we always struggled for space going on our yearly trip to the Isle of Wight in his early 90’s gold cavalier with my brother and 2 sisters.
I remember us all being in awe at how spacious the scenic was and the front and rear sun roofs and the cool under floor storage in the back and picnic tables.
He kept it for a while that car but one thing I always remember is how the 1.6 petrol automatic sounded like a hoover when you put your foot down.
Another great story on a great car! Patrick Le Quément's testimony is also a real added value. Keep on driving!
As I'm working on getting my driver's license, my dad gave me a Scénic I from 2000 he had sitting around for a while. It has some minor faults that need to be fixed, but it still works fine, and I'm happy to call it my first car.
Great story, and fortunately have recently experienced a Scenic while on holiday in France when we rented one for 12 days, great car very comfortable, speedy, all the extras.. and to hear it’s being discontinued was totally not expected as we were so impressed with the car
Once again thank you for the great content!
I had a second generation Scenic. it was a fantastic car. I loved it.
I bought one of these to replace my Laguna in 1998. I had it for six years before replacing it with the car I still have today… The Renault Avantime..
What a great insight on the scenic. I love stories of mainstream cars. Hope to see one about the Volvo S60
I had one of these 1st gen Scenic as a company car back in 2001 (different look in the front though than the one shown at the start of this video - must have be the facelift you mention, because it was like the one shown at 14:02 in this video ) - It was a great vehicle. 1.9 turbo diesel - very quick, really comfortable and LOTS of storage cubbies and space. I loved it. And everyone who got into it was impressed with the comfy seats and double sunroofs LOL - Sometimes when it was raining I'd open the rear one for a few seconds to panic my back passengers LOL
I am Brazilian and have always been crazy about motorcycles. I never had an interest in cars or even got a driver's license to drive one until last year. A few months ago I had a back problem and could no longer ride, and like every man who after a certain age decides to buy a motorcycle and buys a giant motorcycle, way above his riding ability (laughs, sorry), I did the same with the car. After doing some research, I fell in love with the Scenic and its practicality, even knowing that it is a huge car for the chaotic traffic in my city. I bought a 2007 model, completely destroyed, with problems in practically all the areas where a car can have problems, but it had a good appearance (lie). Today I can consider myself a beginner in automotive mechanics (laughs), and I am happy with my Scenic. I added some modern conveniences and we plan to travel to Argentina at the end of the year.
In Brazil, it is very difficult to find a Scenic in good condition. Except for the French shock absorbers that suffer on our roads, the rest of the car has always been considered quite resistant, which has led most owners to be negligent with maintenance, or even to leave the car in the hands of mechanics unprepared with the "technology" on board the Scenic.
Which is a shame...
Love these - always have. My Dad had a MK1 facelift and I have had two of the MK2 - one a real cheapie - £900 and 90k miles with electric everything and it just never let me down - Renault make tough durable and well thought out cars - always have. Think of the R16. Brilliant car.
How were the electronics? Our scenic two has nothing electronic working anymore, from the windows to the dashboard itself.
@@olli-pekkapauna8079 I was told everything was a liability but I never had one thing go wrong - in either of the Scenic's I owned
I bought an 08 1.5 DCi off a guy from work for £250 in 2018, he'd been told it needed £000's of repairs to put it back into use. Turned out the clutch had gone... Sold it last year for £1000 after 20000 zero problem miles. Only car I ever regretted selling, and I cannot find another to replace it, ended up in an 07 1.2 clio which, apart from not being a very pleasant place to be in at 70+ mph on the motorway, is just as trouble free and reliable...
@@olli-pekkapauna8079 never had an issue with either to be honest
Wow!!! The 2024 Scenic looks fantastic! I’ll take one. Come back to the USA 🇺🇸
I do love a French car. I've had many over the years and never had any real issues with any of them. Renault have always had a great eye for styling. The only French car that I always wanted but never did get was the 5GT Turbo and looking at the prices of them now I never will.
I have the exact MK2 in the screen shot. My son wanted to learn on something easy to drive. I normally drive Mercedes SLs, but I have to confess, the Scenic is growing on me
We've been with Renault cars for a while - loved Renault 5's. We've mixed this up with Audi's, Skoda's and VW's too. My parents have a Mk 1 Scenic and so do we. They are both still on the road now and have been absolute workhorses.We've just passed on our Scenic on to my parents in excellent condition despite being 20 years old. No rust, always starts and only on it's second clutch. Brilliant innovation. The only thing I wish Renault did better was engines with better acceleration!
I still have a Grand Scenic gen 2. A brilliant car that does everything you could want of a car. Definitely no plans to change to anything else anytime soon.
These retrospectives are incredibly detailed and presented so, so well. Congrats. I have a soft spot for Renaults and Mr. Le Quement's designs. They were miles ahead of their time. I drove a Megane II for around 6-7 years and have very fond memories of it, despite the occasional mechanical & electronic gremlin. And I've stuck with Renault since.
I had an '05 Grand Scenic. Fabulously practical car that I remember fondly. The wireless key worked flawlessly but there were issues with window mechanisms breaking in midwinter and the coolant system dumping enough coolant regularly that the heater wouldn't work. Not a cold climate car ;)
MK2 scenic was by far the best looking of the lot (and still looks good) BUT the Mk1 scenic and megans were by far the better car....Renault were doing everything right in the mid-late90s
Then it all went wrong in about 2001. Same with Peugeot as well.
@@JohnnyPaton Yeah except RS line and the Kangoo yeap
@@FEGTTTSDH kangoo was basically a M1 megane til 08-09 same chassis/tech throughout other than obviously the switch to 1.5dci engine which i am pretty sure the Mk1/facelift megans never seen as the Mk2 megane was so close to appearing. yeah as for the rs yeah great regarding performance and so on BUT same shit electrics door/window components etc etc as the rest of them never seen any of that type of failures in volume on the Mk1s
I had such a crush on the Renault Scenic RX when i was a kid.
My mums 2nd gen Scenic barely got driven yet last year when me and my partner moved house for the first time it was incredibly useful, despite not knowing how to take the seats out everything that didn’t go in a hired van went in there. And in only a few trips all our stuff was moved. Despite it’s faults I really liked it. It was such a relaxing car to drive.
nice world play in the title :D
My last three cars have all been Scenic's. Two Mk 2's, and for just short of the last 12 months i have owned a Mk 3. I really do love them. I have a really intense work commute, and in the main, the Scenic(s) just take it all in their stride. Of course, all vehicles have their 'moments', and the Scenic is no different, but in all honesty i won't hear a bad word against it. Nice work Renault
👏😎
“Storage space world record” - Funny!
My friend is a Mechanic. For 30 years he has told me "Never buy a Diesel. Never buy a used car that has a Turbo. And never buy a French car!"
He's only recently started to change his tune about Diesels - the other two warnings remain.
He says French cars have engines that always need more time to fix because of the placement of certain parts.
Well, I was a mechanic, and when I see the reliability of most turbo diesels of today I wonder if your friend has only worked on those Oldsmobile self destroyers. 😉
Yeah, some French engine and engine bay designs were/are really awful for mechanics - but other car manufacturers from other countries were also viciously successful in hiding parts which needed regular maintenance. One of my favourite examples is the oil catch of the Volvo inline-5 which is hidden behind the intake manifold.
@@reynardkitsune501 His reason for avoiding Turbo engines - is because second hand you don't know what the previous owner has done - and if the Turbo goes, the whole engine needs replacing.
@@garyphisher7375 Not necessarily - we had to replace the turbo on the Renault 5 GT of an army comrade twice, but the engine itself took no damage.
In most cases it's "only" bearings, the housing of the turbo or the periphery which goes poof; I had only seen once that the blades broke off and destroyed the engine.
But it is expensive to overhaul or replace a turbo anyway, so the concerns of your friend are justified.
My mechanic drives a facelifted Mk1 Scénic, I'm not sure but it's probably the diesel version
Excellent work Big Car and a big Thank you to Partick for taking part in this documentary.
I really hated the scenic when a saw it. Until I got to drive one as a fleet car and it just worked so well. Comfortable, practical, surprisingly decent to drive and generally nice place to be. When I got my head around it I was impressed.
I remember renting a car in December 2003 and getting an upgrade to a Scénic Mk 2.
Om the first day the switch for the electric windows failed when the driver's window was wide open. On returning the car to the rental company, we overheard a conversation and learned that half the rental company's Scénic fleet was currently grounded due to those failed window switches.
So we one of the surviving Scénic as a replacement.
A few days later, the car's battery was stone dead - and since even the parking brake release was electric, not even that would work.
That time, the rental company would come to collect the beached Scénic and bring us a Hyundai in return. A lot less of a car but it lasted through the remaining holidays... what a relief!
I loved all Renault videos - Avantime, Scenic and of course - Twingo. Thanks for sharing Patrick's thoughts and comments, would love to hear from you and him about one of the cars that I lots of people in Europe still love and cherish - the first generation Renault Laguna.
I always liked the third generation Scenic, it looked so elegant for what it was. The 4th was so so much better than the Kadjar too, it’s a shame it didn’t work
Nice vid Andy also thanks for Patrick Le quement
I continue to love your videos. We had a 1st gen Scénic when we moved to the UK from the US. It was a bit of a problem because the prior owner didn’t service it well, but I loved the concept.
I am surprised the the Chrysler minivan wasn't mentioned - it came out in 1984 and was essentially the creator of the minivan category. I remember making the decision to purchase a Chrysler Town & Country after our family started to grow- and it was exactly the thought process that you described. You sort through the numbers, the practicality, the design, and then you buy it! I have had cars from Alfa, Lexus, Audi, and many others, but no car was more perfect for its mission than the Chrysler.
I mentioned it early on as an influence.
Just wanted to say Thank You from Denmark again (some time since last) - There is nothing more cozy on a Sunday afternoon than watching your video's !
Even though I'm loving my Tesla model S P, I much enjoy learning the history of the other brands and appreciating all the details.
... Brexit; Johnson; Truss etc - It matters little. As long as Britain has people & narrators like you, the UK has someting no other culture has: A calm informative experience in the middle of the chaos of the rest of the world. Thank You :- )
Glad you like them Jesper!
I had 2 MKII’s and now have a couple of MK3’s and would buy another in a heartbeat
SO SO GOOD! And another interview with Le Quement, who I could listen to all week. It's also a massive, massive sentimental journey for me, I was seven when the Mégane range launched, I was lusting after the two-tone gray Scénic in the showroom as all we could afford back then was a poor man's version of Mégane with non-painted bumpers. The concept of having individually moving seat, _my own_ seat was mind-blowing for a 7-year-old me. And the trays, cupholders, storage, the promise of an exciting journey ahead. I think Scénic singlehandedly turned me into a car guy.
So interesting and learning about an automobile I knew nothing about living in the USA. Thanks
Renault were really flying high in the late 90's with a full range of desirable cars.
I remember all of the concepts shown here and also the first time I saw the Scenic at launch..
My grandfather had a MK3 Espace which was fantastic, all other large MPV's were just imitating the Espace. It was a big car though so it stands to reason that a compact version would do well.
It's a Shane that Renault had industrial relations issues in 97 following the announcement of the closure of the Vilvoorde factory, it all came as the Scenic, Mégane Cabriolet and Megabe.Classic were being added to the range.
The first facelift actually suited the MK1 scenic with its taller headlamps working well in the MPV body style. Sadly I can't say the same for other Mégane variants. Even though the phase 2 cars were better equipped they lost their identity without the bird beak style front end. That is why I drive a 1997 pre facelift Mégane coupe in sunflower.
Great video as always, well researched and always a bonus to have Patric in the video.
Great summary, really enjoyed that. It’s clear that it popularised the segment to make it what it was. When at Nissan we launched the Almere Tina but it was clear we were way behind the curve already, ironic then that months later Renault would effectively “own” the ailing and insolvent Nissan. I think you can’t write this body style off for the future, but the phase of SUVs will come to an end and will be replaced by something possibly in the style of the new Citroen C5X.
I had forgotten about the Almira Tino..
Nissan had one earlier, the Prairie from 1982. Style free, well , just ugly really, but practical. Turned into a bed, ironic seeing that anyone driving one isn't going to get laid. Unless they're elderly doggers.
@@paulqueripel3493 yes I forgot about that and the equally inspirational Toyota Picnic, both as reliable as a fridge.
In the 1990s a colleague had two Nissan Serenas in a row. There again they were paid for by Motability because he had a disabled son so I'm not sure how much they were his choice.
The facelift Scenic was very different from the original. I owned both. The facelift version had a lower roof at the back with less hatchback height. The battery was moved from under the front seat to the engine bay. It felt more cramped in the back. I also had lots of electronic faults with mine. It just didn't feel as good a car as the original.
Love this video!
Got to learn about the Scénic as a child through car magazines and always thought it was a cool vehicle for families. It's a shame that line has been discontinued as I believe the latest models (Scénic and Grand Scénic) are the best looking ones yet.
Just a note though: The Isuzu Panther, also known as the Isuzu Hi-Lander/Crosswind and Chevrolet Tavera, was based on the Isuzu Fuego pick-up truck. Pick-up based MPVs, including the Panther, Toyota Tamaraw/Kijang, and Mitsubishi Adventure, were really popular in Southeast Asia, and may be a reason why their successors are still best-sellers in the region today 😀
I LOVE the wheels on the vision at the end. Very unique and futuristic.
I absolutely love my grand scenic 2, had her years, all the newer cars I buy keep breaking but she just keeps going, stepping in to save the day.
You legit make the best car history videos on TH-cam, I enjoy these videos a lot and appreciate the subtitles :)
The initial concept was brilliant and executed now might surprise a lot of buyers.
I had a 2001 1.6 petrol automatic Scenic bought second hand from Germany. A very practical car, indeed good for a family with a little boy , economical, with a good suspension, good quality seats, etc. But (there alway s a but) it had a poor autobox, which eventually failed completely (type DP0) and a nasty engine sound. I always wanted to buy the second generation, but 2 friends told me about the electronics, the dashboard failure, etc, etc, so, at that time, I gave up. Beautiful , the 2.nd gen, I m still looking after them in the streets (now I have a smaller Audi A3, no need for an MPV ). Thank you for the beautiful video!
fantastic, the most practical car ive ever,owned. hill climbing,canoing. snowboarding, moving fridges, it done everything
lol, love the editing at around the 22 minute mark!
Thanks - I had fun doing that bit!
I owned one for 4 years, a great and very comfy MPV!
As usual great in depth video always love watching your videos thank you
With cars like Scenic, who cares if its as far removed from automotive passion as possible?
Its a family car, where kids had life long memories going to Alton Towers, long drives to the family holiday caravan, family memories in general.
You have a car dor 4 or 5 year, that's a long time in a kids life, and they'll form so many deep memories in these types of cars.
So if you're Jeremy Clarkson, yeah they're dull, but as a mum or a dad, the memories made in cars like these are the most cherished
I would say that applies to every car. Any could be amazing and make good memories even if the car is utter crap.
As usual a great informative well put together video!
We owned a 2003 1.6 16v “Fidji” from
new until 2017. Gave us minimal problems over 81k miles, mainly just ignition coils. Practicality and comfort was great and it took us to the south of France from Glasgow twice when it was 10 years old. However at the time though the Parkers used car forums were almost dedicated to the problems with the Phase 2 Scènics, Lagunas and Meganes. Peugeot seemed to take a nosedive in quality too in the 00s.
Great video, very informative and entertaining as usual.
I had a Mk2, from my company, leased for 4 years. Back then my 2 children were really young. Great car for families. Not fun to drive it though. I remember that it had so many storage spaces, that when I returned it to the leasing company, i had to go one more time to take things from all that storage spaces.