If you've never been to Renault's 'Flagship' location on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, you really should go - it's a fascinating combination of museum, shop, restaurant, and a display space for new cars. Maybe wait a little before heading over, though, as Renault has just announced a major upgrade and update for the Flagship.
Re-named for the third time
Indeed, the Flagship will actually take on a new name - Le défilé Renault, or The Carwalk Renault. Think of it as a combination of display case and catwalk. It's not the first time that the name of the location has been changed - originally a showroom and dealership, it became the Renault Pub (see below...)in 1962 and L'Atelier Renault in 2000.
The changes being made are part of, and a visual symbol of, the bigger changes being made across the Renault Group in CEO Luca De Meo's 'Renault-lution' plan. The site will now feature a permanent exhibition of 18 vehicles with an 'agora' or meeting place at the centre, for conferences, rotating exhibitions and live broadcasts.
There will be a gift shop, of course, featuring products from the rather cool Renault Originals range, and there will be a new restaurant with a separate terrace that will be reopened to accommodate up to 154 guests. Renault will also open out the space to third parties who want to use it for conferences or major events.
Renault has been at this Champs-Élysées address since 1910, but it was in 1962 that it first moved beyond being a straightforward dealership. According to Renault: "The site became a meeting place for the brand, taking a more creative and expressive approach while remaining as modern and visionary as it was in 1910. This was Pub Renault, inspired by the French word 'publicité', or advertising, and the English word 'pub'. The era of 'cars for living' was under way. In 2000, taking its inspiration from the industrial aesthetic of the 90s, the site was renamed L'Atelier Renault, reflecting the new advertising slogan 'Renault, creator of cars'."
Digital twin
The change to Le défilé Renault, or The Carwalk Renault, according to the company: "refers to the brand's expertise, reflecting the site's ambition to be a place where people can meet and exchange ideas, where every visitor can be part of Renault's 'living' show. The play on words in the name (Carwalk) is a reference to haute couture fashion shows (catwalk)."
If you can't quite wait for the new Carwalk to open, then there's already a virtual 'digital twin' version online that you can peruse. Developed with Publicis Sapient, a digital transformation consultancy, the online Carwalk takes, as Renault puts it, 'a few creative liberties.' It copies the sweeping staircase-like design of architect and designer Franklin Azzi, as per the real thing, but expands it dramatically upward and outwards for a full 14 storeys, so that it features not 18 Renault cars, but 85.
"Retracing 125 years of brand history, this new virtual world takes visitors on an interactive journey, allowing them to walk around to see all the models, from the oldest to the most recent in the range - the Megane E-Tech electric, Austral E-Tech full hybrid, Espace E-Tech full hybrid, new Clio, Prototype R5 E-Tech electric, 4ever Trophy E-Tech electric and Scenic Vision. A drop-down menu takes them directly to the vehicle of their choice" said Renault in a statement. "They can create their own personalised avatar and interact with other users via the public or private chat, or using the built-in microphone system."
Poetic side
"Renault is once again addressing the challenge of the dialogue between the real and the virtual. With this digital twin, we are confirming our position as technology leaders and pioneers in immersive experiences and digital services" said Arnaud Belloni, Global Chief Marketing Officer for the Renault Brand.
As mentioned, the real physical space has been designed for Renault by architect Franklin Azzi, who has previously created the Tour d'Argent restaurant, and the Halles Alstom in Nantes.
"The objective is to create a living space, a, smooth, intuitive, and emotional experience marker that will reveal the brand and deliver an unmissable and unforgettable customer journey around an iconic site. The Carwalk is the backbone of the project, creating a link not only between the various areas and programmes, but also between eras. As if on a timeline, the vehicles that have marked Renault's history sit alongside those that will shape its future. The "big loop" is a high-tech functional concept that also has a poetic side. Taking the form of a "never-ending road" disappearing into the ceiling, it symbolises Renault's ambition to go even further in its constant quest for innovation. This original architectural concept embodies the Group's values of freedom, mobility and sustainability. It is a unique place that demonstrates the concept with strength and clarity, where everyone can experience the Carwalk" said Azzi.
When it's finished, the Carwalk will have 2,258 m² of floor space, 2,000 m² of exhibition space open to the public, 170 linear metres of the Carwalk display itself, 185 m² of glass frontage, and full accessibility for the three visitor areas.
"The automotive sector is going through one of the biggest revolutions in its history, with the advent of electric vehicles, cutting-edge onboard technology, transformations in mobility, sustainability, and more. At Renault, we are proud to celebrate our 125 years of expertise and to share a vision of the car that is human, impassioned, international and modern . We see it as our role to be at the very centre of our customers' lives. Being present on the Champs-Élysées, symbolising a nation open to the world, is a natural choice. And it's a perfect illustration of how we see tomorrow's car of the future: as an experience, an echo of the past and vision of the future, a shared concept inspiring a sense of wonder" said Fabrice Cambolive, CEO Renault brand.