Renault's flamboyant new Laguna coupe Test

it’s the super-coupé that’s got added Va Va Voom! And it proves that Ren-ault is swapping safe for sexy.

Reaching UK dealers at the end of next year, the sensational new Lag-una Coupe shows the French brand is returning to flamboyant design – building on the legacy of the Avan-time MPV and the luxury Vel Satis.

However, unlike those models, it will be no sales flop. The newcomer is set to mark the revival of the affordable coupé, and will join the reborn Volkswagen Scirocco and the forthcoming Hyundai Coupe in a market sector where style and head-turning looks don’t have to come at a huge price. Tipped to cost around ?20,000 when it arrives in the UK in Decem-ber 2008, the two-door is certain to sell like hot croissants – so we caught up with it at Renault’s test track in northern France to see what buyers can expect.

Revealed at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the Coupé looks every bit as amazing on the road as it did on the stand. It’s part of Renault’s plan to challenge the likes of BMW and Audi, and bosses know that improving reliability and quality alone isn’t enough – the car needs style, too.

To this end, the Coupé is everything its hatch brother isn’t: daring, dynamic and desirable, with shades of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage from the rear. You could park it next to a BMW 3-Series Coupé and plenty of people would prefer the Renault on looks. Stephane Janin, the man in charge of Renault’s concept car des-ign, is pleased with the results.