RENAULT paved the way for a major change in marketing strategy by previewing its next new model at Fleet Show 2000. The company used the Avantime coupe to put the focus on a dramatic bid to capture fresh business in Britain's luxury car market.

'Fleet buyers operate on a much longer timescale than the retail industry, so we decided to flag up our plans for the next two years at this important event. It's our first move to make an impact in an area where we've never been particularly strong and we recognise we have a job to do,' national fleet sales manager Nick Tame told Fleet NewsNet. When it arrives in 12 months' time, the Avantime will be the first of three completely new upper-range models which company strategists hope will make a big impact in the business car sector.

'It will be quickly followed by the new Laguna and then we'll launch our Safrane replacement range at the end of 2001. We're trying to show the industry what to expect from our brand in future. Like the Avantime, our other new models will also represent a swing away from traditional executive transport and will be anything but conventional,' said Tame.