When you think a car manufacturer can’t pull off a new model, an iconic car returns with an enhanced technology to give buyers something new in the shape of a classic. Not only are exclusive brands doing this, but also big manufacturers are adopting the hybrid and full-electric powertrain to give new buyers a taste of the future, while also helping those old-school combustion engine fans get familiar with hybrid technology. The most recent luxury brand to adopt the move of bringing back a mythical car was Bentley.
Brands are bringing back old cars
The British brand is going with one of the most ambitious car returns, bringing back the Bower, a car that became famous when Ian Fleming introduced the vehicle in the first novels of James Bond. This one will be exclusive to certain buyers, and Bentley will work alongside a company that specializes in bringing cars back from the dead.
On the other hand, this is not a market trend, as the models from decades ago continue to be upgraded in almost every manufacturer. On the other hand, besides giving the option to buy a combustion engine, some models are coming out in hybrid and all-electric versions. European brands like Renault, Peugeot, Fiat, and Volkswagen are betting on this, and the French manufacturer is ready for this car.
Renault model returns with a new engine
The Iconic Renault car returns with a full-electric version. The Megane, which hit the market in 2022. Named Megane E-Tech Electric, the platform on which it was built is the same as the Nissan Ariya, and will feature the same in future models of the group. The electric engine is capable of generating 217 horsepower, and the battery has a capacity of 60 kW, which allows the driver to have 450 km of autonomy on a single charge.
Renault has a strong market in Europe in countries near France, such as Spain, Italy, and Turkey. In 2024, the brand sold the highest volume in its history in those three countries, with over 541,000 vehicles sold. Outside the old continent, Brazil is one of the countries where Renault has a great market, with a vast catalogue of cars to choose from.
Now, years after the first launch of the Megane, Renault presented the revised version with some new technical and equipment updates. The car returns with a new trim level called Espirit Alpine, which allows the driver to put the car in a higher position. Beyond that, it also features one-pedal driving, a bidirectional 11-kW charger, and a Plug&Charge functionality.
Upgrades in the new Megane
Details were changed, but the general driving experience should remain the same, besides the option of elevating the trim. Renault did not implement the common one-pedal driving for electric cars, a feature that allows the car to brake only by taking the foot off the gas and braking to recover the energy.
Renault also implemented retro-compatibility for the pedals. The new versions from 2025 will come out with the one-pedal driving, but the 2024 versions can be adapted to units produced from March 2024. Other cars like the Renault 5, Scenic E-Tech Electric, and Renault 4 will also receive the new feature.
How much will it cost?
The price for the new version of Megane E-Tech starts at €40,000 with the new techno trim update in Germany. The Renault car returns, on the other hand, costing €2,000 more in other European countries. In France, the model is priced starting at €35,000 due to the bonus écologique – an initiative from the French government that provides financial aid to businesses for the creation of low-emission vehicles. The future belongs to full-electric powertrains and hybrid versions with state-of-the-art technology. The bonus encourages the adoption of sustainable, renewable sources of energy in cars.