Renault – 120 Years Of Classics

6 June 2018 Redazione Alex Marrone, Lifestyle, News, Vintage

RENAULT

120 YEARS OF RENAULT

Words and photos by Alessandro Marrone

I’m landing in Paris after a good hour of flight and looking out I see a wet runway. Today the city of love does not seem very romantic and welcomes me with a pungent air and the inevitable traffic that slows down the drive to the hotel in Rolleboise. It matters a little because I’m here for one reason only and is to immerse myself in the history of Renault, which turns 120 this year. Over a century of history, passion and a vision of the automotive world that from the beginning put the man in the center of a small microcosm that with the passing of years has been confirmed as a reference point for every four wheels enthusiasts, starting from the cars that intend to simplify everyday life, passing through a brilliant legacy of commercial vehicles, up to a pride conquered in the most different categories of motorsport, rallies and Formula 1 included.

The Brand Bath Day is an immersion in this world, discovering a story that was born almost by chance and has evolved to the present day, representing one of the most solid realities in the automotive panorama. Renault is in fact one of the brands with more decades behind its shoulders and has made of its path a continuous mutation, an evolution dictated by time and economy, innovating with all new models such as the Estafette van or the Espace minivan. Two intense days await me and begin in the best way, touching with my hands the taste of Parisian life that is breathed in the small towns a few kilometers from the French capital. A small circle of journalists was invited for the occasion and after a pleasant press conference and an excellent dinner, we go to bed early, hoping that the weather would be more magnanimous the following morning.

The big day arrives on time as the alarm that throws me out of bed without the slightest hesitation, I look out of the room and observe the Seine that is incessantly hit by heavy drops of rain. The sky above us is gloomy and will certainly not help the morning activities, which after a quick breakfast bring us together in the parking lot of the hotel, in front of 10 Renault with a few years on their back. It is here that I begin to breathe a different air from usual and that I approach my first choice, a red 1980 Estafette. Watching its squared lines standing tall among the smallest models on its sides, it seems out of a Pixar animated movie, but in fact its roots are well sunk in the history of the brand and also in French society, thanks to the many versions that have been created for commercial and institutional use, such as that deployed for many years by the Gendarmerie. I open the sliding door on the right side and throw in an umbrella and my backpack with a minimum of photographic equipment, then I head for the opposite side and get on board – in the true sense of the word – up on board. Only after I clambered awkwardly and closed the door with a metallic noise I really realized the situation. The steering wheel has a thin crown and a diameter at least twice as large as a contemporary car, while the dashboard has practically nothing, except for a couple of buttons and air vents. In front of me a horizontal analogue speedometer and nothing else. I start the engine and as I try to get comfortable with the off-set pedalboard, I grab the gear lever, which as soon as I take my first steps towards the road begins to vibrate as if it were bitten by a tarantula. All of this is simply fantastic. Abandoned the comfort zone, I find myself alone, without navigator and driving an almost forty years old van through some French countryside, trying to keep the pace of a Renault 5 in front of me, which seems to run like a Lamborghini. Every movement is more abrupt, more accentuated and if I have to step hard on the throttle, or act on the brakes it would require more energy, not to mention that I really realized where I was, entering the first corner at a speed to say the least exuberant, especially for the type of car I had in my hands this time.

I look for a lower gear and I make the engine revs climbing up, I can’t lose the other three cars that drive my group and I’m having fun like a child who has just figured out how a new toy works. And who cares if this toy is 38 years old, for me it’s a new situation and I like it terribly. After about thirty kilometers it’s time to change the cars and my choice falls on the small 1961 4CV, a nice utilitarian with a almost cartoonish dimensions. I get on board and I find myself in a completely different environment than before, just imagine that turning and stretching the arm I’m able to touch the back of the rear seats. On the dashboard there is nothing this time, hidden at the base of the windshield there is a button that operates the small wipers and I have a gearbox with only three gears. Did I mention that the pedals are tiny and round in shape? Well, now you know it. I have traveled back another twenty years and I can perceive even deeper nuances. The 4CV weighs just 600kg and is very manageable, so much so that I’m immediately in tune with its direct and perfectly communicative behavior with the ground. Finally, after about 30 kilometers, comes the moment of the last change, where I get behind the wheel of the car that I will drive for the longest stretch, that is a 1957 Frégate Domaine. 3 years back in time more, but we gain a lot in terms of habitability, with an estate with six seats, pretty vivid and with the gear lever fixed to the steering column. It takes some moment to understand how the gearbox works, especially to find the first gear and start without stalling once, but then, despite the age, the Frégate drives nice and smooth. It seems to drive a modern car. I would even go back to Italy driving this.

While the rain does not intend to stop, all the groups of cars arrive in Flins, where we cross the gates of one of the most historically rich and productive Renault factories. The first stop is at a space dedicated to some models undergoing restoration and it is here that my eyes begin to retrace the importance that the French brand has had in the automotive world. Passing from the legendary Alpine A110, there are Formula 1 of the golden years, rally glories like the R5 Maxi Turbo and even a tank. And then one of my favorites, probably because it was the car that I always chose as a child when I could only drive in some video game, the Laguna that took part in several BTCC championships. Those colors, those stickers, the ruthless aggression of cars that scream even parked in a garage, two steps away from you, are flanked by the presence of the first ever produced Renault, the 1898 Type A. Closer to a carriage without horses, this “voiturette” was the spark that gave life to everything. It was a special night, on Christmas Eve, when Louis Renault, just 21 years old, wanted to show his friends that he would build a vehicle that could move autonomously and drive up Montmartre, a hill in the north of Paris, as well as the highest point of the city and therefore extremely difficult for the adventure he was about to take. It was a success, born by chance and carried on by the numerous requests of those who randomly attended the scene. Over the years, the minimum production had to increase and so a brand was born with the objective to power the most affluent class in Paris. Everyone wanted a Renault, synonymous with luxury and resourcefulness. 10 years later it was the turn of the Type AX, which takes more the connotations of a car, offering space for comfort for both driver and passengers.

The industry is in turmoil and Renault takes another step, harmonizing an elegant design to larger dimensions, with car bodies that would allow owners to be comfortably accompanied by their personal driver. An example is the splendid Reinastella (1932), the Primaquatre (1937) and the Juvaquatre (1939). Just the logo of Renault, a diamond, confirmed how much care and attention was used to offer its customers the best in every aspect. The Primaquatre was a move against the crisis of the period, which despite not allowing the brand to increase sales, contributed at least to limit losses. Shortly thereafter, in an extremely delicate moment, the Second World War arrived and it was here that, as an internal project, the 4CV came to life, an economic car that could have embraced a much wider customers segment and that would also become the basis for the development of future models. Renault exports everywhere in the world and expands its offer, with models that cover all existing proposals at that time. Following with the new CEO Pierre Dreyfus, there is a new phase for the brand, where different attention is paid to the needs of the customers and the aim is to battle Fiat and VW giants, increasing the daily production and introducing one of the most iconic model of the brand, the Renault 4. From the end of the 60s onwards, the world changes profoundly, people have different needs and the proposal continues to expand, passing through models addressed to younger and sportier customers, the 8 Gordini, up to another authentic symbol of the French company, designed for young people and in particular for the female public, the Renault 5. Our journey along the history of Renault accelerates (unfortunately space is a tyrant), and after numerous variations, we reach another crucial point, the one that gives life to minivans, characterized by generous dimensions, the practicality of a functional cockpit and able to accommodate six or seven people on board – it’s 1987 and the Espace arrives. The rest is just as important, like the Clio, the Twingo or the current incarnation of Renault, made of clean design and cutting edge solutions, without forgetting the RS sports versions and the constant commitment in motorsport, but this would deserve a chapter on its own.

The display of 90 cars in front of me is something wonderful, a feast for the eyes. All arranged in chronological order and able to tell not one, but a thousand life stories. This is a magical place, a casket that holds a nice slice of French history. I have the good fortune to hear the words of Jean-Louis Loubet, an expert in Renault and all the automotive industry – but time runs fast, too fast, and after having fallen into the cockpit of a real F1 car, it’s already time to leave. We face the rain up to the cars waiting for us outside, ready to bring us back to the airport for the return flight to Milan.

I think I have taken more notes in this single day, that in all a university semester and taking a look at the pictures taken, I already taste the sweet taste of an experience that has not only enriched me professionally but also personally. Deepening the history of a brand, catapulting us in the middle of it at the wheel of some of the most important models that have made Renault a symbol of France on wheels, was a fantastic choice. Finding myself in front of something completely new and so alive has given me yet another confirmation that to build a better future, we must first of all know and respect the past. And in 120 years, Renault has written really interesting automotive history pages.

That’s why we decided to give more space to this special birthday, dedicating 12 episodes that will touch some of the most representative models of the brand. You can find them on our website, go and have a look and be ready to have a fantastic journey with us.