RENAULT LIVE SHOWROOM

Although Renault South Africa didn’t miss out on the opportunity to punt a new limited edition of its Kadjar SUV, the XP (this could be seen as a play on the gaming world’s experience Points), the real star of the show of the company’s most recent launch was Live Showroom.

Said to be an automotive industry first for South Africa, Live Showroom ( liveshowroom.renault.co.za) is a consequence, Renault says, of us not being able to find the time to visit a brick-and-mortar dealership. The system currently operates during normal weekday working hours. Customers connect to interactive sessions scheduled every 20 minutes, where an online Renault expert gives a live audiovisual vehicle walkaround and fields questions. Viewers are given the option of booking test drives and getting further information. In a future issue, we’ll report more fully on what Renault calls a real-time interactive digital dealership just a click away.

For the record, the Kadjar XP Limited Edition features 17-inch alloy wheels, cornering lights, swan-neck towbar, side steps and roof racks in an add-on package said to offer R40 000 worth of added value. It’s based on the 96 kw 1,2 Turbopetrol Expression derivative with 6-speed manual transmission. From R364 900.