Tag Archives: Renault

News

Renault’s Grand Unveiling: A Century of Soul, Steel, and Turbocharged Glory

If you thought Renault was just that brand that makes cheeky hatchbacks and the occasional quirky crossover, think again. Hidden behind the factory gates at Flins-sur-Seine lies one of the greatest automotive treasure chests in Europe — and, come December, Renault is about to crack it open.

This isn’t just a car auction. It’s a love letter to 125 years of French engineering madness, human triumph, and a fair bit of turbo lag.

The Vault Opens

Renault is gathering every shard of its mechanical soul — 600 historic vehicles, priceless artworks, and archives — into one grand exhibition space near Paris, due to open in 2027. Think of it as the Louvre, but for petrolheads. And to make room, the brand is doing something utterly un-French: it’s letting go.

On 7 December 2025, at the freshly transformed Flins-sur-Seine site, Renault and its long-time auction partner Artcurial Motorcars will host a once-in-a-lifetime sale. Roughly 100 cars and 100 artefacts from the company’s 800-strong collection are going under the hammer — and here’s the kicker: 90 percent will be sold without reserve. That’s right. No safety net, no pretence, just pure, unfiltered passion for sale.

Pierre Novikoff of Artcurial puts it best: “Collectors are being given the chance to become curators of Renault’s history.” Translation: get your wallet ready; this is heritage up for grabs.

From Louis Renault’s Spanner to Prost’s Turbo

The line-up reads like a timeline of Renault’s DNA. At one end, there’s a 1901 Type D, still running, smelling faintly of oil and heroism. There’s even a replica of the 1898 Type A — the car that started it all — built in 1998 to celebrate the centenary, available both as a classic ICE and as a forward-thinking electric reinterpretation.

Type D – 1901

Then the auction kicks into overboost. Renault’s motorsport legacy takes centre stage with a fleet of fire-breathing Formula 1 machines from the Turbo Years (1981-1985). We’re talking RS01s, RE27Bs, RE60s — yellow rockets that once howled down Silverstone and Spa with names like Arnoux, Jabouille, and Prost stitched on their cockpits.

This was the era when Renault, against all common sense, shoved a turbocharger onto an F1 car and rewrote the rulebook. In 1979, Jabouille’s win at Dijon wasn’t just a victory — it was the sound of the future spooling up. Some of these cars come with their original technical notebooks from Viry-Châtillon — the sacred scrolls of the turbo age.

Le Mans Legends and Rally Royalty

Endurance fans will drool over the Alpine A442, chassis 0 — the original that thundered through Imola, the Nürburgring, and Le Mans in the mid-’70s. Its yellow-and-black livery still whispers of 24-hour heroics and champagne at dawn.

Maxi Turbo 5 prototype B0

And then there’s the dirt-slinging end of the spectrum: rally icons like the Maxi Turbo 5 prototype B0 and the Renault 5 GT Turbo Bandama. The latter still wears actual Bandama red earth in its wheel arches — honest battle scars from a time when drivers had moustaches, nerves of steel, and very little suspension travel.

Everyman Icons

Not everything here screams down Mulsanne Straight or climbs Alpine passes at full chat. Renault’s people’s cars get their time in the spotlight too: the 4CV, Floride “Disney”, and Clio Williams all line up, polished but proud of their working-class roots. The R5 Police even adds a touch of French flair to the gendarmerie’s glory days. Some are fully restored; others wear their patina like a well-loved leather jacket.

4CV

The Artefacts of Imagination

And because Renault has always been more than a carmaker — equal parts dreamer, designer, and occasional lunatic — the auction also includes the weird and wonderful.
Wind-tunnel mock-ups of R4s, Twingos, and concepts that never were.
A crate-fresh Renault Elf V6 Turbo EF15 — the very engine that powered Ayrton Senna’s Lotus at Detroit and Adelaide in 1986.
Even a “Reinastella” flying saucer built with EuroDisney, because why the hell not?

A Museum in Motion

This auction isn’t a clear-out — it’s a declaration. Renault isn’t dusting off the past; it’s rebooting it. The Flins-sur-Seine centre will soon serve as a living museum, celebrating 125 years of progress, personality, and persistence.

For collectors, December 7th will be more than an opportunity to buy a car — it’ll be a chance to own a slice of French industrial poetry. For the rest of us, it’s a reminder that Renault, for all its quirks and experiments, has always been one thing above all: bold.

Because in a world of electric anonymity, a 1980s turbo F1 car still screams louder than any algorithm ever will.

Source: Renault

NEW CARS

2026 Renault Twingo: The Funky French EV Comes Back Swinging

Images of Renault’s all-new Twingo have slipped out ahead of its official November 6 debut, and the internet’s already buzzing. What we’re seeing is a retro-cool electric city car that wants to remind everyone just how fun small cars can be — and do it for less than £17,000.

That’s not a typo. The Twingo will be Renault’s cheapest EV when it hits the streets in 2026, undercutting the Renault 5 and 4 in the company’s rapidly expanding electric family. Its mission? Take on the upcoming Volkswagen ID.1 and prove that affordable electric mobility doesn’t have to look (or feel) like an appliance.

Retro Charm, Updated for 2026

If the leaked photos are anything to go by, the fourth-generation Twingo doesn’t stray far from the 2023 concept that wowed showgoers. The production car keeps the concept’s playful, bubble-like shape and the semi-circular light signatures front and rear — clear nods to the original 1990s Twingo that made Renault’s design language famous for its cheeky confidence.

Some of the wilder details have been tamed for production, of course. The concept’s flush, Mk1-style door pulls have been replaced by traditional handles, and the ride height has been lifted a touch — sensible moves for urban reality. Still, the vibe remains unmistakably “Twingo”: simple, joyful, and just a little bit weird in the best way.

Inside: Simple, Bright, and Clever

The cabin shows Renault’s new approach to small EV interiors: minimal but not minimalistic. Unlike the Renault 5 and 4, which blend their infotainment and instrument displays into one wide screen, the Twingo splits them up. Expect a standalone 7-inch display — likely borrowed from Dacia — and good old-fashioned physical dials for climate control.

Oval vents and body-colored dash inserts make sure the retro cues keep coming, echoing the first-gen car’s youthful energy. Renault describes the interior as “airy, cylindrical, and suspended” — which is PR-speak for “you’ll actually enjoy sitting in traffic.”

Power, Range, and Efficiency

Renault’s keeping mum on exact specs for now, but the Twingo rides on the same AmpR Small platform as the Renault 5. The 5’s base version delivers 118 horsepower and 190 miles of range from a 40kWh battery. The Twingo will probably go smaller and lighter — think Dacia Spring territory — with a 25kWh pack and around 140 miles of range.

Renault originally promised an impressive 6.2 miles per kWh efficiency figure, which could make the Twingo one of the most energy-efficient EVs on sale. That’s key for keeping costs down — both at purchase and plug-in time.

Built Fast, Priced Right

Beyond the car itself, what’s remarkable is how Renault got here. From green light to production, the Twingo’s development will take just 21 months — less than half the time it took to bring the Clio to life.

This speed is part of CEO François Provost’s new obsession with “competitiveness.” He’s made the Twingo a poster child for how Renault plans to fight back against low-cost Chinese EVs: faster development cycles, leaner production, and smarter software.

The result is a car that reportedly costs 50% less to build than a typical C-segment SUV, thanks to simplified materials and Ampere’s software-focused engineering. Ampere, Renault’s new EV subsidiary, is also driving down production costs to reach price parity between EVs and ICE cars — a milestone that could make or break Europe’s electric transition.

Sustainability Meets Accessibility

Renault says the new Twingo will produce 75% fewer CO₂ emissions over its lifetime than the average European gasoline car sold in 2023. Combine that with its sub-£17,000 price tag, and it’s easy to see why Renault calls it a “fit-for-purpose urban vehicle with no compromise.”

The car also marks a comeback for UK buyers. After the third-generation Twingo Electric never made it across the Channel, Renault initially hesitated to commit to a right-hand-drive version. But strong enthusiasm for the Renault 5 has convinced executives that Britain deserves the little French charmer once again.

The Comeback Kid

It’s been seven years since the petrol-powered Twingo quietly disappeared from UK showrooms — but this all-new, all-electric version feels like the right kind of comeback. Playful, practical, and purpose-built for the city, it’s a reminder that small cars can still be fun, affordable, and forward-looking.

And if Renault really does deliver that £17,000 price tag? The 2026 Twingo might just become the people’s EV we’ve all been waiting for.

Source: Renault

News

Renault Duster Makes Its Comeback in India

Renault is revving up its Indian ambitions with the official return of one of its most celebrated models: the Duster. Originally launched in 2012, the Duster quickly became a household name, selling over 200,000 units in India alone and carving out a thriving B+ SUV segment that now accounts for nearly a quarter of the country’s retail SUV sales.

“Renault Duster is more than just a name – it’s a true legend. A symbol of adventure, reliability and innovation,” said Stéphane Deblaise, CEO of Renault India. “Its comeback shows our commitment to the Indian market and our desire to offer vehicles that meet the needs of our customers. New Renault Duster will rely on its iconic heritage while adopting a modern design, advanced technology and enhanced performance.”

Indeed, the Duster isn’t just a car—it’s a statement of ambition, freedom, and success. Globally, Renault has sold nearly two million units of the model across 100 countries, cementing its reputation as a rugged, versatile SUV.

India itself is a market that Renault can’t afford to ignore. In 2024, the country emerged as the world’s fastest-growing car market, with a 7% increase in sales, making it the third-largest automotive market globally. The launch of the New Duster comes at a time when Renault is actively expanding its footprint outside Europe as part of its International Game Plan 2027. The strategy focuses on designing and building vehicles close to their markets of sale to meet local customer expectations more precisely.

The New Duster will roll off the assembly lines at Renault’s Chennai plant (RNAIPL), the brand’s fifth international hub following Latin America, South Korea, Turkey, and Morocco. With this move, Renault signals that it sees India as a strategic center for growth in the SUV segment.

The decision to retain the “Duster” name underscores its enduring legacy. “We decided to capitalise on the name of Duster because it is a strong, iconic name that is part of the history of Renault India,” explained Sylvia dos Santos, Head of Naming Strategy, Global Marketing Division. “Derived from the English word ‘dust’, it evokes the dust found on the roads it is capable of travelling on, reflecting the vehicle’s robustness and adventurous character.”

While details about engine options, trims, and pricing are still under wraps, one thing is clear: Renault is betting that the New Duster’s combination of heritage, modern tech, and global pedigree will resonate with Indian buyers looking for a capable, stylish, and reliable SUV.

For a country that loves its SUVs as much as it loves its cricket, the Duster’s return may just be the perfect match between nostalgia and modernity—a vehicle ready to tackle everything from city streets to dusty backroads with equal confidence.

Source: Renault