PARIS MOTOR SHOW: Renault Espace

The first official images of the new fifth-generation Renault Espace people-mover are out, showing off a contemporary design that moves closer to the crossover genre and could change the way the segment is viewed.

But not Down Under... Renault Australia has already stated the new Espace will not come to Australia.

Based on the Renault-Nissan CFM1 platform that also underpins the Nissan X-TRAIL, the new Espace is one of Renault's largest passenger vehicles seating seven adults. Only left-hand drive versions are planned so even markets like the UK are off-limits.

The design will be one of the key talking points when showgoers get to look at and clamber into the Renault Espace at the 2014 Paris motor show, as Renault design boss Laurens van den Acker's take on the often stale minivan appears to set a new benchmark.

Inspired by the Paris Initiale concept from 2013, the new design is being called a crossover rather than a people-mover, and boasts a far more sporty appearance than both its predecessors and competitors.

It's raised ride-height contributes to its fresh aesthetic which borrows design cues from both the Megane and Clio.

Although no interior images have been provided, Renault is promising to wow crowds with a similarly innovative "occupant-friendly cabin" that features a "floating centre console… ingenious interior modularity and meticulous attention to design and build".