Renault Laguna Coupe's Monaco reveal

From a competitive perspective, the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix was a disaster for the Renault outfit, but the French marque made the most of the GP weekend by showcasing its all-new Laguna Coupe -- which will formally debut at October's Paris motor show.

Following in the wake of the Laguna GT models, the suave two-door features the same Active Drive chassis and four-wheel steering set-up used by the former.

The newcomer was trundled out by company boss Carlos Ghosn, who arrived at the foot of the illustrious steps of the 61st Festival International du Film de Cannes at the wheel of Renault Laguna Coupe.

It was the first public showing of the Laguna Coupe, and Renault says it was a fitting way for the carmaker to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its exclusive partnership with the famous film festival.

The Laguna Coupe also profited from the weekend by making a guest appearance around the track of the 66th Monaco Grand Prix with Renault F1 Team test drivers Lucas di Grassi and Romain Grosjean piloting a pair of cars around the street circuit.

The swoopy two-door bears a close resemblance to the racy concept car revealed at last September's Frankfurt motor show, although some design elements have been watered down for the production version.

The initial engine line-up includes a new V6 dCi (turbodiesel) with 173kW/450Nm and a 3.5-litre petrol V6 with 175kW/330Nm. Both these units are mated to a new AJ0 automatic six-speed transmission.

Renault boasts of sub-seven-second 0-100km/h splits for both V6 variants and the Active Drive chassis and four-wheel steering are claimed "to deliver optimum pleasure at the wheel".

Measuring 4.64m in length and 1.83 wide, the Laguna Coupe's stance supposedly "exudes a sense of dynamism and power" and, we have to concede, there is something decidedly Aston Martin-esque about the car.

It sits on either a 17- or 18-inch wheel/tyre package, and the LED tail-lights are claimed to give the Laguna Coupe a "bright, distinctive lighting signature".

Meanwhile, the four-wheel steering system is said to provide outstanding agility and stability. At low speeds, the Active Drive chassis and four-wheel steering system enhance manoeuvrability as the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to those at the front for a tighter turning circle -- a la the Honda Prelude from the late 1980s.

At higher speeds, the rear wheels turn (albeit minutely) in the same direction as the front wheels to promote a greater feeling of stability, enabling the car to virtually crab sideways.

Renault claims four-wheel steering excels not only under braking in difficult conditions (asymmetric grip, deployment of ESP), but also when taking avoidance action (the so-called 'elk test').

The Laguna Coupe isn't expected to be a huge volume seller for Renault, but it's likely to serve as a much-needed image leader for the French brand as it seeks to assert its bold new design direction.