This is a rather absorbing article from the good people at the Truth About Cars. It discusses the Renault Espace’s life in Brazil.
“Originally conceived by Renault and its partner, Matra, the first Espace appeared in 1984 and was initially greeted with a combination of intrigue and scepticism – nothing like Espace had ever been seen before. Flying in the face of accepted wisdom, the Espace epitomised Renault’s desire to push the boundaries of conventional design and create a car which met the changing needs of a rapidly evolving society.” (Automobiles Review, 2009)
Driven To Write 
Interesting to see the mini debate at TTAC about what constitutes a people carrier (minivan). One poster claimed that the Espace’s lack of a sliding rear door excluded it, which seemed rather like saying that footwear with laces aren’t shoes, and another seemed to suggest that other vehicles that weren’t monobox were excluded. I don’t see that either omission should deny a vehicle inclusion. Sliding doors can be advantageous, but add weight. In the end, designing as a true monobox, rather than with a vestigal bonnet, is really a styling decision. The engine and wheels prevent you from sitting any further forward, all that it gives you is a screen that is further away. In an extreme case, that would allow you to fit a slightly longer pole from boot lid to windscreen but, generally, a monobox is just a stylistic decision that denies the existence of an engine. That might be a good marketing ploy when selling a car to the sort of people who don’t care about engines, but it is not quite the rational packaging solution it seems. Also, speaking as a once long-term Mark 1 Espace driver, although I quickly acclimatised, my initial impression of a dashboard top that was deep enough to accommodate a reasonable sized herb garden was that it isolated you somewhat from the road in front.