No surprises that it's French and no longer in production. Renault's chiselled Avantime grand tourer - one of the few concept cars to go within six months from the motor show stand to production with barely any changes - only lasted about a year in production but in its 10th anniversary of sale in the UK, remains as eye-catching as its designer intended.
The guy who penned the Avantime, Patrick le Quement, said at the time that he wanted someone walking around the car to be continually astonished. Ten years later, we're still astonished.Â
The expensive Avantime - French for 'ahead of time' - was shown at the 1999 Geneva motor show as a concept and then as a production car at the 1999 Frankfurt and London shows.
It was lauded for its combination of performance and the luxury of interior space and comfort aided by the panoramic glass roof.
The drivetrain was initially a six-speed manual gearbox linked to a 155kW 3.0-litre V6. Renault aimed it at buyers who wanted to travel quickly over long distances and claimed a top speed of 225km/h. A 2-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel and an automatic transmission for the V6 were later offered.
Production only lasted 12 months because coach builder Matra was unable to find a replacement model for Espace III production that was coming to a close leaving them with too much excess capacity.
In the UK and fancy seeing the Avantime? The UK Avantime Owner's Club 10th anniversary meeting takes place at the Coventry Motor Museum on Saturday, April 7.
More details on www.avantime-owners.com