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Renault Get Olympic Help For Laguna Launch
17 October 2000 -- Renault’s UK launch of its Laguna II got the weight of Britain’s Olympic gold-winning coxless four team behind it at the Birmingham Motor Show today. And returning the athletes’ favour, Benoit Marzloff, Renault UK’s Managing Director, presented Steven Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent, James Cracknell and Tim Foster with a cheque for GBP10,000 to be given to the British Olympic Association. Mr Marzloff described today’s unveiling as "the first step in a two-year renewal of the company’s upper and medium car range". The Laguna II will be followed by the Clio Renaultsport V6 24V and Avantine in 2001, and a replacement for the Safrane and a new Espace in 2002. Also present at the launch of the Laguna II was television presenter Lloyd Grossman, whose presence on the Renault stand was particularly apt, given the fact that one of the new car’s innovations is that can be opened and started using a card the size of a normal credit card. "As you know I’ve been through thousands of doors in my time, but this is the first car in the world I have seen without a key," Grossman told the busy crowd of motoring reporters and photographers. "This could be another gold-winning car for Renault, so let’s reveal who’s car this is," said Grossman, before Britain’s Olympic heroes entered the stage to much applause. The four rowers took the opportunity to talk the crowd through the last minute of their winning race in Sydney, before being photographed alongside the two five-door models of the Laguna II - a hot hatch and an estate. And five-times Olympic gold-medallist Steven Redgrave gave one of his strongest hints that he would be taking a long-earned break from Olympic competition. "I would love to be on the middle podium in Athens, of course. But I don’t really want to get stuck into the hard training that I have been doing for the last 25 years," Redgrave said when asked where he would like to be in four year’s time. "Honestly I can’t really see myself rowing in four years time," he added, before taking a closer look at the Laguna II. Also launched today on the Renault stand was a new slogan, 'Createur D’Automobiles,' which the company says, aims to focus on the brand’s innovation. This is to backed up with a new television commercial featuring French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gautier, which gets its first screening tonight (Tuesday) and was previewed at today's launch. The advertisement features the company’s GT coupé to be launched next year, the Avantime. If you wish to contact us either : PHONE 0121 444
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