It’s a big favorite this early in the week: space is back! On Tuesday morning, Renault lifted the curtain on the sixth generation of its flagship minivan. At the end of 2022, it was removed from the brand’s catalog pending a hypothetical replacement. Renault has finally confirmed the rumors about the return of this legendary name. But like the previous generation, This Cosmos of the sixth name has radically changed its form and its philosophy. Get out of the “monospace” side of the first four generations. In 2015, it turned into a large crossover, and this trend is confirmed today this sporty look and very high on the leg. Plus the “utilitarian” aspect we once knew about it. It’s normal, it’s far from new, it really is Austral is elongated and equipped with seven seats.

SUVs with all the sauces

It is no longer surprising to say SUVs dominate sales, and now manufacturers’ catalogs. Sedan, coupe, convertible, minivan: most of the traditional and historical categories have disappeared. They were replaced by their SUV equivalent. Thus, in 2022, the Scénic and C4 SpaceTourer minivans left the catalog. Among sedans, Mondeo, Passat, IONIQ or even Talisman have left their niche. All of them will be indirectly replaced by SUVs. To make it easier for customers to take the pill, manufacturers increasingly use recognized designations. Even if these novelties have nothing in common with their distant ancestors.

Names from the closet

At Peugeot, The 2009 3008 MPV gave way to an SUV in 2016. At Ford we resurrected the Puma name, a coupe from the 90s, to put it on a crossover. The brand also intends to relaunch mythical Capri…in the form of an electric SUV coupe. And we’re not even talking about Electric Mustang Mach-E. The same in Land Rover with Defenderat Toyota with Crown. At Renault in addition to spaceit Picturesque which will return, but again not as we know it. It will be the same Lancia with Aurelia, Fiat with Multipla, Opel with Manta… What happened to manufacturers that they so absurdly offer models with such symbolic names? Admittedly, these names sell better because they are known to the largest number of people. But the distortion of mythical models on the altar of SUVs, doesn’t it further confuse consumers and tarnish the memory of these sometimes exceptional cars?