Renault's Boulevard Raspail retail premises in central Paris have become the first of a new format for the brand's city centre showrooms where space is at a premium.

Designer Patrick Norguet was commissioned to create a relaxing, living room-style environment incorporating a library and an interactive screen system, to combine technology and 'l'art de vivre'. The Bd. Raspail premises, which Renault has occupied since 1900, incorporate 328 sq m, and last year the site sold 350 new and 200 used cars, while the service workshop on the premises sold 12,500 labour hours.

Besides selected vehicles on show, the new facility allows visitors to configure models on plasma screens with colour and materials options.

The new city centre showroom concept is being rolled out, initially in Paris, by Renault's own sales subsidiary, Renault Europe Automobiles, the parent of its wholly-owned retail outlets in 12 European countries. - REA now has 260 retail sites including 40 in Paris, 14,200 personnel, and accounting for 20% of Renault's European sales volume, achieved turnover of €7.2 billion in 2002.