SLIDESHOW
Interesting cars never sold in the UK
There is a multitude of reasons why a car will be sold in one market but not in another. Most are entirely logical: some countries like some types of vehicle far more than others, often due to car culture, climate or consumer taste – or often a combination of the three. But not always. Here are some of the more notable no-shows.
ALISDAIR SUTTIE
Renault Talisman Estate 2016
This handsome devil was on sale in Europe between 2016 and 2022 as a replacement for the Laguna. It came with a variety of engines, ranging from a 108bhp diesel to a 198bhp petrol. Even at its launch back in 2016, it was clear that a large estate car with a mainstream badge was far from the market sweet spot, so Renault never engineered it for, nor sold it in, right-handdrive markets. We missed out because by all accounts this 4860mm-long wagon was a decent steer (complete with fourwheel steering and active damping), comfortable and very practical, offering up to a cool 1700 litres of boot space with the rear seats down. Needless to say, Renault’s rewards were scant: sales (including for the hatchback version) peaked in 2016 at 34,344 then dwindled to 8025 by 2020. The end was nigh, with no replacement scheduled.