Auto Channel

At the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, Renault debuted the futuristic yet sexy Laguna Coupe Concept to a receptive press corps and now here are the first photos of the upcoming production model caught testing near the Arctic Circle in Sweden.

Although difficult to see, the overall styling of this prototype, compared to the concept car, looks quite toned down and not as sporty. With smaller wheel openings, longer quarter panels and a rear roof showing less slope, it seems Renault is putting greater emphasis on rear passenger space and cargo capacity more akin to the Mercedes CLS-Class or Jaguar XF instead of an aggressive sport coupe.

In addition to the existing selection of engines for Laguna, the coupe could also be available with a new V6 dCi 3.0 liter engine delivering between 230 and 250 HP.

Expected to enter the European market in 2009, the new Laguna Coupe faces strong competitors such as the BMW 3-Series coupe, Audi A5 and Peugeot 407.