Renault Bringing Classic Fun to Retromobile

RenaultRenaultFrance, 1898 > present189 models
6052 photos
17 videos
is celebrating the annual Retromobile Show in Paris with a collection of classic cars that it will put on display. From February 6-10 at the Porte de Versailles in Paris, Renault will celebrate its classic cars, start a new official club for Renault and AlpineAlpineFrance, 1955 > 199414 models
219 photos
and launch a new web site for Renault Classic. Its booth theme this year will be "Passionate People and Extraordinary Vehicles."

Renault's 700m² exhibit area will include three versions of the Twingo and eleven other vehicles. The cars on display will include an Alpine A220 V8, a 1913 road sweeper, a 1937 Nerva Grand Sport and a RS01 Formula 1 car. 

The Fédération Française des Clubs Renault et Alpine will be an overarching club for Renaults and Alpines made up of 50 existing national clubs in Europe. Membership will be free, and Renault claims that the overarching club will provide between the clubs and Renault.

It is already planning Renault Classic Enthusiast Days and guided tours of its factories and museum for club members. It will also organize special parking for members at classic car events like Le Mans Classic. 

The three TwingosRenault Twingo Gen.1France, 1992 > 20076 versions
8 photos
on display include special editions from coachbuilder André Lecoq and Christian Contzen. There will also be a 2012 TwingoRenault Twingo Gen.3 [III]France, 2014 > present15 versions
126 photos
1 video
that fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac created for the French presidential election that imagined the Twingo as the president's car. 

The exhibit will also include early commercial vehicles by Renault like the Type MH six-wheeler that was built to cross the Sahara Desert in 1924 and the Type DM road sweeper from 1913. 

There will be coach built cars like the 1937 Nerva Grand SportRenault Nerva Grand SportFrance, 1934 > 19392 versions
4 photos
and 1913 Type DG that has a body from Victoria Rothschild for Egyptian dignitary Abou Shanab Fadah. There is also a 1957 FrégateRenault FregateFrance, 1951 > 19608 versions
4 photos
Limousine that was built for Charles De Gaulle but never used by him. 

The first Renault Formula 1 car, the RS01Renault RS01France, 1977 > present2 photos
, from 1978 will also be on display. It was the first turbocharged car in the sport.

Other racing cars on display will include an Alpine A110Alpine A110France, 1961 > 197612 versions
41 photos
that was just entered into the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. 

Another Alpine on display will be an A220 V8 prototype. It is just one of two surviving cars. 

There will also be a Renault 8Renault 8France, 1962 > 19766 versions
14 photos
Landon prototype that was considered as a sporty version of the 8. It was designed to have a top speed of 155km/h, but it was turned down in favor of the R8 GordiniRenault R8 GordiniFrance, 1965 > present2 photos
. 

Renault has procured a 4CVRenault 4CV Gen.1France, 1947 > 19616 versions
54 photos
1063 from a private collector to display at Retromobile. Renault build just 80 of the sporty 4CVs. The car on display is the only one that was prepared by the Renault competition department. It raced at Le Mans in 1952 and 1953, in the Rallye Monte-Carlo in 1953 and in the 1954 Mille Miglia and Liege-Rome-Liege race. 



In an odd choice, Renault will also show an Alliance Cabriolet at the show. The car was the American version of the 9Renault 9France, 1981 > 19999 versions
8 photos
and 11Renault 11France, 1981 > 199916 versions
14 photos
and made at the AMCAMCUnited States of America, 1954 > 198713 models
10 photos
1 video
factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin, while Renault owned AMC. They were sold as a four-door sedan, two-door sedan, three-door hatchback or two-door convertible. Sales and reviews were initially solid but long-term reliability was poor, especially in comparison to Asian automakers that had rising popularity in the 80s.