CAR REPAIRE: Renault Concepts

Showing posts with label Renault Concepts. Show all posts

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Express Yourself: Renault Twingo Conceptualized by Four Artists [72 Photos & Videos]

What would happen if you gave various artists from different fields and countries the opportunity to break barriers and explore new paths with the design and the use of a vehicle like Renault's entry in the small city car segment, the recently refreshed Twingo?

Renault tried to answer this question by summoning four artists from the fashion, music, design and cooking industries to give their personal take on the Twingo.

The artist lineup includes: French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, who came up with a presidential vehicle concept; Italian chef Davide Scabin renowned for his creative cooking, who decorated the interior of the Twingo accordingly; UK singer Nicola Roberts, who matched he passion for music and make-up, and pragmatic German designer, Nils Holger Moormann, who turned the Twingo into a rolling library.

Renault Rolls Out Pure-Electric Frendzy Minivan Concept in Frankfurt

At the 64th International Frankfurt Motor Show, Renault lifted the veils off the fourth concept car to demonstrate the brand's new styling DNA, the Frendzy minivan that doubles as both a passenger car and a commercial van. Read more »

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Renault 4 Ever Concept: David Obendorfer’s Revival of a Childhood Impression

As previously reported, the Renault 4 Ever Design Competition is asking the world’s up-and-coming designers to pen a modernised take on the brand’s iconic Quatrelle hatchback.

Here’s one design that really impressed us: Italian David Obendorfer’s “Revival of a Childhood Impression”. Like Fiat’s Nuova 500, Obendorfer’s Revival takes the classic lines of its inspiration and wraps them around modern underpinnings.

2011 Frankfurt Show Preview: Renault Reimagines Kangoo with Frendzy Concept

After the sporty DeZir rear-wheel drive coupe, the funky Captur three-door crossover and more recently, the practical R-Space minivan, Renault is ready to share its latest concept model with the Frendzy, which was unveiled today ahead of its world premiere at the 64th Frankfurt Motor Show later this fall.

The Frendzy is a fresh take on the small van segment where Renault is currently represented by the Kangoo series that is available in both leisure and commercial versions.

2012 Renault Koleos Facelift Inspires Gordini Rendering

Even though Renault’s revival of the Gordini badge has left a bitter taste to fans of the famous nameplate, the French carmaker’s decision to use the brand for upscale versions of its vehicles has proved to be successful with almost two-thirds of Twingo Renaultsport models sold in Europe and one third, in the case of Clio Renaultsport being Gordinis.

Recently, Renault also applied the Gordini treatment, which consists of bespoke styling cues and equipment upgrades, to a non-RenaultSport model, the Wind Roadster. This move inspired Carscoop reader reader L il-k Amaru to render a Gordini version of Renault’s most recent new model, the redesigned Koleos SUV.

Renault 4 Celebrates its Golden Anniversary with Design Competition

Renault’s eminent 4 is turning 50 this year, and in recognition the French automaker and website Designboom are holding a special competition to see who can design the best Nouveau Quatrelle. Anyone can enter, though registration is mandatory, and the top prize is a 1965 Renault 4L driven by ex-F1 driver Michel Leclère in the 2011 Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo. Works can be submitted through June 20, 2011, with the winner to be announced in July 2011.

More than eight million Renault 4’s were sold over a thirty-one year period, starting in 1961 and ending in 1992. Renault’s approach was to offer a functional, minimalist “everyman’s car” with low running costs and a sturdy five-door body. Think of it as a Gallic precursor to Toyota’s indestructibility mantra of the 1980s and ‘90s.

Report: Renault Captur to Spawn two Production Models within the next two Years

It seems Renault's funky Captur concept that premiered in Geneva won't remain just another design study, as the French automaker is planning to build two production models inspired by the small crossover, according company insiders quoted by Autocar. The first version will be a small five-door crossover similar in size to the Nissan Juke, with which it will share the platform. Read more »

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Design Study for a Modern Day Renault Alpine Sports Coupe

An affordable, rear-wheel drive sports coupe from Renault bearing the historic Alpine moniker has been in the cards for years but the French carmaker has yet to launch a modern day successor to the last model to carry the Alpine name, the A610 from the mid 1990s.

After production of the A610 ended, Renault used the Alpine factory in Dieppe to manufacture the street-legal RenaultSport Spider, a lightweight two-seater model with a rear mid-engine layout built from 1995 to 1997, which was the French firm’s last bespoke sports car.

Over the years, we have seen many independent designers creating concept studies for a new Alpine coupe, the most recent being the one you see pictured above, which is the work of David Cardoso.

Geneva 2011: Renault's Sporty Looking R-Space Small MPV Concept

Renault is offering us a glimpse of its next generation Scenic with the new R-Space concept model unveiled today at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The R-Space is the third concept model after the 2009 DeZir and the Juke-like Captur crossover, which is also on display in Geneva, to showcase the French brand's new design language conceived by Renault's chief designer, Laurens van den Acker.

At 4,250mm meters long, the R-Space is slightly shorter than the current Scenic (4,344mm) and features a much more expressive exterior design. The interior styling is quite futuristic with the floating dashboard and the form of the seats echoing those of the DeZir concept car.

“We provided a strong visual and functional contrast between the driver environment, where the focus is on driving pleasure, and a surprising and highly-original rear section conceived as a play space for children," said interior designer Alexandre Gommier.

Spy Video: Renault R-Space Concept for a Compact MPV Filmed Undisguised!

Evidently, the new Captur small crossover with the removable hardtop we told you about last week won't be the only concept model from Renault to hit the showroom floors of the Geneva Salon in less than two weeks time. A Youtube user managed to scoop a completely undisguised Renault study for a rather sporty looking compact MPV in Lisbon, Portugal. Judging by the black SUV with the camera hooked above the car, it was probably there for a photo shoot. Read more »

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Renault Captur: Juke-Sized Crossover Convertible Concept Demonstrates New Design Language

Remember the Renault DeZir sports coupe concept from the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show? If you don't, you can refresh your memory here, but in short, the two-seater study herald the French firm's new and more curvalicious design strategy on a sports car. Fast forward to today, and Renault has unveiled a new concept model called the Captur, which applies the DeZir's design philosophy on a three-door small crossover with a removable hardtop.The Captur will receive its world premiere at the upcoming Geneva Salon.

Retour vers le futur: Renault's Amazing 800HP Espace F1 MPV Prototype

I don’t have children, but I bet school runs can become pretty boring. However, if parents could get their hands on a Renault Espace F1, I’m sure they'd sing to a different tune when they'd return back from school... Unveiled in 1995, this über-Espace was not your typical soccer-mom transporter. Created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the French MPV and Renault’s decade-long involvement in Formula 1, the concept was literally an F1 racer in disguise. Read more »

Monday, November 1, 2010

Nissan Clones the Renault Twizy EV

Nissan has unveiled a two-seater electric city car concept named the New Mobility Concept or NMC for short. If it reminds you of a recently seen model, then you've got a good eye, because the NMC is nothing more than a rebagded version of the Renault Twizy, which made its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show last month.

David Cardoso wants Renault to do the Twist with New Design Concept

David Cardoso, whose work includes the water-bound Audi Hydron concept and Cobalt coupe, has created a new car concept to take on Mitsubishi's i-Miev. Envisioned as a Renault, the Twist would be a small electric city vehicle to slot between the baby Twingo and larger Modus MPV.

From the looks of it, the Twist's design is awkward enough to be Renault (and I say that in a good way). Its nose is nothing to blow people away style-wise, but it certainly looks the part of an i-Miev competitor. Luckily, that means it can win people over with cuteness.

Besides the apparently tall and spine-straightening seating area designed by chiropractors, the Twist looks ready to go. Even the wheels are a realistic size, unlike a lot of renderings put out there.

Paris Show: Renault ZOE Preview Teases 2012 Production EV and Hints at Next Clio

One or two sizes up from the quirky little Twizy is where Renault's ZOE Preview sits. Following in the vein of last year's ZOE Z.E. coupe, the ZOE Preview is a more realistic look at the production version that will be available in 2012 wearing Renault's newest face. Not only that, but it may just be previewing (ZING!) the next Clio as well.

Carscoop Reader Chops Renault Latitude Cabrio Prior to Flagship Sedan's Paris Debut

Renault's new Latitude mid-size sedan will make it western European debut in Paris very soon, so now's about the time for people to start photoshopping to their hearts' content to see how Renault's funky hit-and-miss lineup can be improved.

Renault Confirms Production of All-Electric Twizy and Zoe Z.E., Sales Start in 2011

Apparently, Nissan's partner Renault wasn't kidding when it said that it would go ahead and produce the four all-electric concept models that it displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Today, the French automaker not only (re)confirmed production of the futuristic looking Twizy Z.E. city car (for Zero Emission) and the funky Zoe Z.E. sporty supermini, but it also revealed the plants where the two cars will be built.

First up is the Twizy Z.E. based 1+1 seater that will be manufactured at Renault's Valladolid factory in Spain from 2011. Even though we find it hard to believe, it is said that the production version will remain extremely close to the concept model that is powered by an electric motor that makes 15kW (20HP) and 70Nm of torque and drives the rear wheels.

The Twizy will be followed in 2012 by a sporty, all-electric supermini dimly inspired by the Zoe Z.E concept car. It will be produced at the firm's Flins plant near Paris, France. Renault said that it expects that this urban model will account for two-thirds of the Group's EV sales in Europe.

The other two electric vehicles that Renault is planning to produce is the Fluence Z.E. compact sedan and the Kangoo Z.E. small van.

Earlier this week, a letter of intent was signed between the Renault-Nissan Alliance, the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and the French Strategic Investment Fund (FSI) to form a joint venture company that would develop and manufacture batteries for the group's electric vehicles.

Renault Zoe Z.E. Concept