RENAULT DESIGN: THE STORY SO FAR

1950s

RENAULT FLORIDE/CARAVELLE 1958

Classically curvy design by Pietro Frua while at carrozzeria Ghia. A true raregroove beauty.

1960s

ALPINE A110 1961

The most desirable ’60s car from the current Groupe Renault brands is the Alpine A110 Berlinette, with bodywork by Michelotti, known for special Ferraris plus the Triumph TR4 and GT6. Honourable shoutouts to the Renault 8 Gordini (1964), later licensed as the Dacia 1100 Gordini (1968), and of course the Renault 4 (1961).

1970s

RENAULT 5 1972

The original 5 is fondly remembered by many as their first car, while the Gandini-designed Mk2 and epic 1980 Turbo version laid strong foundations for its legacy. The 2021 5 Prototype looks set to cement them, reborn as a modern-day EV.

1980s

RENAULT FUEGO 1980

Cool coupe with the horizontal black ribs, designed by Michel Jardin under Robert Opron. What Magnum P.I. might have driven if he was French. And if that French Magnum P.I. had kids, he’d also have a seven-seat Renault Espace Mk1 (1984), possibly slammed.

1990s

RENAULT TWINGO MK1 1992

The strongest production design of the ’90s was the first smiley-faced Twingo by van den Acker’s predecessor Patrick Le Quément, working with Jean-Pierre Ploué (now head of PSA Group design). The more functional and better seller was the trailblazing Renault Scenic (1996) mini-MPV. Hat-tip to the Renault Argos concept (1994) too – another Ploué wonder, four years before the production Audi TT.

2000s

DACIA DUSTER MK1 2009

There weren’t many stylish production Renaults in the ’00s, when Le Quément’s hands were tied by new management less willing to let him to do his thing. However, the Dacia Duster Mk1 did make it through to put the Romanian marque on a path to the lowcost, well-designed brand we know today.

2010s

RENAULT ZOE 2012

Nailed the ‘cute-but-techno’ full-production EV while rivals (such as the Nissan Leaf Mk1) struggled. Another slept-on Renault design from the last decade was the Espace Mk5 (2015), although its MPV-meets-SUV style never made it to the UK due to dwindling sales and the lack of a right-hand-drive business case.