RENAULT has brought out some strikingly revolutionary new designs over the past year and now the Espace has got the treatment but old fans of the original multi-purpose vehicle have nothing to worry about.

From the outside there are no quirky styling cues but between the bumpers there is a wealth of innovation in this the fourth generation Espace, billed as the first luxury MPV and a joy to drive with commanding views, effortless controls and saloon-like driving position.

As such, the seven-seater is now being distributed through Renault's new Premier Centres, alongside the Aventime GT Coupe and Vel Satis executive saloon luxury cars.

However it will not be out of reach of traditional customers, with prices from £19,130 on the road and insurance groups starting at only 10E.

Similar at a glance to its predecessor, the new Espace and longer Grand Espace is radically different in construction to the three models that have gone before, all of which had a galvanised chassis and composite bodywork.

That rust- and dent-free combination helped ensure top marks for value retention.

But while the Espace has been Europe's top-selling MPV for all the 19 years since it created the niche, limited supply of that bodywork constricted production at a time when MPVs now account for more than a quarter of the market.

So now the Espace is based on the more sophisticated Vel Satis platform for better handling and with more conventional bodywork, although it still has composite front wings and gains aluminium bonnet and doors.

A premium MPV with a class-leading specification, and not simply a van conversion like some of its challengers, the new Espace is predicted to retain its high residual values which the CAP Black Book has put at 42 per cent of the new price after three years/60,000 miles.

This compares to 41 per cent for a Mercedes E Class, 38 per cent for a BMW 5 Series and 32 per cent for an Audi A6.

Customers have a choice of six engines covering the whole spectrum of power and economy including a 245bhp 3.5 litre V6 petrol and the world's first V6 diesel MPV with a 180bhp three litre V6 power plant, and choice of six-speed manual or five-speed electronic automatic transmissions.

Top-selling engine choices are expected to be the two litre petrol turbo and 2.2 litre dCi diesel, with diesels accounting for 55 per cent of sales.

As to be expected from Renault, the new Espace is packed with safety features including no fewer than eight airbags including curtain bags running the full length of the cabin sides, and all five rear seats which are fully interchangeable have both three-point seatbelts and Isofix child seat mounting points.

Naturally there are antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution, traction control and also electronic stability programme with understeer control on all models. On the comfort front all versions have air conditioning, electric door mirrors and windows and hi-fi.

There are four trim levels depending on the level of luxury required and also the engine choice, starting with the Authentique and rising through Expression and Privilege to Initiale, Grand Espace only being available with the top three levels.

The flagship Initiale models, priced at around £32,730 for the Espace 3.5 V6 Automatic (petrol) and the 3.0 dCi V6 Automatic (diesel) and £1,000 more for Grand Espace, feature such luxuries as cruise control, parking sensor, alcantara and leather upholstery, 160 watt hi-fi, satellite navigation, electrically adjusted and heated front seats and rear window blinds.

Options across the range include a choice of alloys and also what is claimed to be the world's biggest sunroof you simply dial up the degree of opening to minimise the time your hand is off the leather steering wheel.