Renault Brings Back Filante Name For New Korean Made SUV

Renault is in the midst of a global move upscale. The brand wants to elevate the manufacturer’s perceived status against more mainstream car brands, much like Mazda is currently undertaking.

To further Renault’s plan, a new name has been chosen for the next high-end SUV that will be produced by the French manufacturer. It will be called Filante and is the fifth entry of eight, in what the brand refers to as the International Game Plan 2027.

For those in North America not familiar with the name Filante, it was first used on the Etoile Filante, an aircraft-inspired single-seater unveiled in 1956. It was used primarily to set new speed records, including averaging 300 km/h over 1 km and 5 km. This isn’t the first time Renault has resurrected the Filante name, as there was recently a concept vehicle in 2025 wearing the Filante Record nomenclature.

Initially, the Renault Filante will be launched in South Korea, as it will be built in built at the company’s Busan factory. From there, it will be exported to other regions.

"Korea has exceptional strength in the D and E segments. This is why Korea is so important to Renault. Filante is the second new-generation model in the Renault International Game Plan 2027 to be designed in Korea. It illustrates our vision of a distinctive and daring crossover, a bold expression of Renault's global move upmarket. It perfectly embodies the brand's French roots," said Nicolas Paris, CEO of Renault Korea.

For us in North America, it’s doubtful the Filante will make it to our shores, as Renault has no plans to bring the brand back to our market. However, there are plans to bring the Alpine brand here, which falls under Renault’s corporate umbrella, so maybe we’ll get a variation of the Filante down the road.

The new Filante will debut in South Korea on January 13 at 8 AM (CET).

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