Renault - Espace IV
The fourth-generation Espace arrived in 2003 and was the first Espace designed and built entirely by Renault. All of the production of the earlier Espaces was built by Matra in their Romarantin factory. The new vehicle was also the first all-steel Espace.
In exchange for giving up design and production of the Espace, Matra were allowed to design and build the upmarket Renault Avantime model. However, due to delays in getting the Avantimes pillarless construction safety-approved, caused Renault to push their Renault Vel Satis model - whereby the Avantime when finally introduced subsequently sold so poorly that Matra ultimately shut down their automotive production altogether. In good French statemanship, Matra has since then been very active in helping the 1,500 employees finding new jobs, and by summer 2005, that ambition was fulfilled.
