RENAULT UK is claiming its new Laguna II will soon be setting records in the business car market. Managing director Benoit Marzloff was in competitive form when he handed over a £10,000 cheque for the British Olympic Association to five-times gold medal winner Steve Redgrave at the UK launch of the hatchback and sport tourer range.

'This is a model that is set to leave the rest of the pack trailing in terms of safety, quality and style,' he said. 'A model like this has never been seen before - it is better than anything else being launched at the show,' he claimed.

Marzloff described Britain as vital to the success of the French company and said the Laguna represented only the first step in revitalising its line-up: 'We will be the first country to take deliveries of this car in February and then the Avantime will closely follow it in August. Next will come the new Espace, and by early 2002 we will also be offering the Vel Satis, our new luxury model,' he said.

To coincide with the unveiling of the Laguna, he also announced details of a new warranty and servicing package. Featuring a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, the no-cost package includes roadside breakdown cover for three years, servicing for 18,000 miles or two years, a 12-year guarantee against corrosion and three years' warranty on paintwork.

'We believe we produce exceptional cars that stand comparison with any of our rivals and this is an exceptional package to go with them. If you change your Renault every two years in future, you might not have to spend a penny on maintenance. The fuel in the tank, tax disc on the windscreen and insurance certificate could be the only motoring costs you'll face,' he said.

Effective from October 17, the package is claimed to be the result of three years of research into customer requirements in Britain and follows the introduction of 100% galvanised bodywork.

It applies to every vehicle in the current car range - with the exception of remaining stock of old-model Laguna models - and also includes the Kangoo van. From next year, the package will also be standard with the New Trafic and Master ranges.

With the exception of the highly-tuned Renaultsport petrol engines and 1.9D 65bhp and Master 2.8dTi diesel engines, every power unit produced by the company now needs only a free 'safety check' inspection every 9,000 miles or 12 months.

UK fleet customers will get their first hands-on-wheel taste of the all-new Renault Laguna II in a major pre-launch appraisal programme which gets under way on November 21. The official on sale date is February 8, 2001, but the manufacturer is determined to boost corporate interest in the car that has never been out of the top five in the UK's sales chart since its arrival here in 1995.

Keith Hawes, Renault UK's fleet and commercial vehicle operations director said: 'We've got two different cars in one with Laguna II,' said Hawes. 'The Tourer reflects a change in the market towards more lifestyle and sport-based products and we fully expect to achieve an increase of more than 100% in sales compared with the previous generation estate.'

Prices and specification levels will be announced in the New Year, but Renault has confirmed the initial Laguna II engine line-up of four petrol units - 1.6 16v, 1.8 16v, 2.0 16v and 3.0 V6 24v - and three common rail diesels - 105bhp and 120bhp 1.9-litre dCi and a 2.2-litre dCi 16v unit, the latter available with a six-speed manual transmission or sequential shift five-speed automatic.