Sitting alongside the Plush Initiale as the range???s flagship, the GT 205 features a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine good for ??? as its name suggests ??? some 205bhp. Renault claim it???s a Grand Touring model ???dedicated to driving enjoyment and is both sporting and civilised in everyday driving???. That???s as maybe, but it???s certainly extremely quick, accelerating through 60mph from a standstill in 7 seconds flat and not letting up until it gets to 146mph. In fact, the performance isn???t that far off the acclaimed Clio Renaultsport 182. One can imagine enterprising Clio owners already wondering how they can lay their hands on one of these engines. Renault have had some V6 Lagunas that have been quick in a straight line but the GT205 is different, offering a downsized engine solution that still makes the power but also features emissions that won???t slaughter company car user choosers and fuel economy that won???t swell the coffers of OPEC too drastically. If you???re really worried about economy, there???s also a 175bhp dCi diesel engine offered in GT trim.

Thanks to what Renault call a ???twin-scroll turbocharger??? which improves efficiency by limiting the re-aspiration of burned exhaust gas, there???s a hefty slug of pulling power (some 300Nm) available from just 3,250rpm. Still, you???d expect a certain amount of noise with all that turbocharger puffing and whirling. In actual fact, it???s not too bad: Renault couldn???t afford for it not to be given that this same engine must also satisfy executives in their larger Vel Satis models. The acoustic solutions have come courtesy of modified valve timing, a special tensioner for the camshaft drive toothed belt and a twin-mass damper which reduces noise from the rotating assembly. With specially developed Michelin Pilot Exalto2 tyres on 17inch ??? Drenalic??? wheels and lowered and stiffened suspension, the GT 205 features a lower air intake grille, wheels with a smoked chrome finish, a rear wing for the hatchback model and satin finished roof rails and dark tinted side windows for the Sport Tourer estate version. The interior is something of an acquired taste, with red and black leather upholstery with satin aluminium detailing on the dashboard. Bespoke GT205 carpet mats, ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), heated front seats, an integrated rear sunblind, ???Turn by Turn??? satellite navigation, a tyre pressure monitor and xenon elliptical headlamps are all standard fit items. The GT205 weighs in to coincide with a range of modernisations across the Laguna range. Although it will doubtless attract the column inches, it???s worth considering quite how this car differs from many that have come before it. The first thing to bear in mind is history. The Laguna was introduced during a period of flux for Renault. Unsure of quite where their future styling direction lay, the turn of the century was a period of intense stylistic invention in the company, with many disparate and bold designs making it to the sales floor. One of these was the Laguna II and although it still looks agreeably edgy today, Renault???s corporate design language was diverging, taking in the likes of the Megane, the Scenic and the Modus. The Laguna was increasingly looking something of an anomaly smack in the middle of the Renault line up. Something had to be done and that something is the facelifted version we have now. It might be right for Renault???s integrated design direction but is it an improvement over the old Laguna II? That may well provoke some discussion. The nose has been modified with a one-piece component that integrates the front bumper and grille. The bonnet line is shortened and more convex and the headlamps have been extended lengthwise. Moving round to the back shows a revised tail light configuration. The interior has come in for some attention too with improved ergonomics and materials quality. The dashboard features better quality plastics with a redesigned centre console and repositioned stereo and ventilation controls. A new moulding surrounds the top part of the fascia giving a swoopier look to the dashboard, but the basic architecture still feels a little older than some rivals. The changes made don???t concentrate solely on the aesthetic. The suspension has been tuned to offer better body control and to reduce unwanted vibration. Safety has also been improved and although its predecessor was the first passenger car to attain the coveted five-star Euro NCAP rating, the latest Laguna (???New Laguna??? as Renault dub it) features better restraint systems, road holding and braking Plus a later generation of anti lock brakes and electronic stability control. The ESP system now features understeer control that even takes into account the actions of the suspension and the wear of the tyres. With a revised program, the stability control system can now react even quicker than before, preventing the build up of yaw forces before they get out of control. There???s also a major investment in technology to make the Laguna easier to live with. The Renault Card with hands free engine ignition already offered on the Megane and Scenic debuts on the Laguna. The parking brake is now automatic and a revised Carminat 3D Navigation and Communication centre has also been developed. Audio systems have been improved and a multimedia selector has been created, sited where a conventional handbrake would normally sit. Drivers can operate it without taking their eyes off the road due to different shaped buttons which enable tactile recognition ??? part of Renault???s Touch design philosophy. The GT205 marks a key shift in Renault???s development of the Laguna model line. More dynamic, more aggressive and more in tune with modern requirements, it???s a car that should be easy to promote. The competition should be very worried indeed.