Why do you mention this?
Only because, for this year's Paris Motor Show (Mondial de l'Automobile), Renault has created a frankly stunning all-electric coupe concept that pays gorgeous homage to the classic Renault 8 Gordini sports saloon (and successful rally car) of the 1960s.
Wow!
Yes, that was our reaction too. This new Renault 8 Gordini Concept is a loving tribute to the original 1964 rear-engined Renault 8 Gordini, a high-performance version of the Renault 8 which produced as much as 95hp in period — not bad for a small car in the mid-sixties. It became a major success on racetracks and rally stages, and was a popular ‘starter’ racing car for many future stars, such as rally ace Jean Ragnotti. Think of it as France’s answer to the Mini Cooper.
So what’s this new version all about?
This is Renault having an enjoyable dip into its 128-year back catalogue, much as it did with the retro-seventies R17 concept a couple of years ago. Originally begun as an informal in-house design competition, the response from the styling team was so enthusiastic — 300 design proposals were submitted — that Renault decided it had to build at least one for real.
And it’s fully electric?
Yes, Renault hasn’t issued much in the way of tech details yet, but given the 8 Gordini Concept’s overall size, we suspect that the platform from the high-performance Renault 5 Turbo 3E might be lurking under there somewhere. We do know that there’s a 270hp electric motor driving the rear wheels, which sounds like it falls into the ‘plenty, but not too much’ power category.
What about the styling of the Renault 8 Gordini Concept?
It’s clearly related to that of the original Renault 8, but this is a Concept that is a coupe, not a four-door saloon like the original. The Renault 8 Gordini Concept uses a lot of the same detailing as the original, but it’s far more muscular and sculpted.
What details are we talking about?
Well, for a start, there are the classic four round headlights, backed up by two spotlamps, which are integrated into the car’s front fascia, rather than being bolt-on units. The main headlights are supposed to form a number eight shape, incidentally. The bonnet and the area where a conventional car would have its grille (the original R8 never had one — it was rear-engined, of course) come to a distinctive prow-like point where the Renault diamond badge sits.
What about the wheels on the Renault 8 Gordini Concept?
Black and silver in design, the Renault 8 Gordini Concept’s alloy wheels are actually staggered in size — they’re 19-inch rims at the front and 20-inch at the back. Those wheels sit under massive, extended box arches, which are connected by a substantial carbon-fibre ‘blade’ side skirt. In fact, the whole body is made of carbon-fibre, for maximal lightness. At the rear, there’s a full-width air vent, a nod to the rear-engined nature of the original.
“We updated the distinctive styling of the original Renault 8, which was virtually symmetrical from front to rear, to give it a more dynamic look. With the flowing cabin lines, wide track, prominent wings and wheels of 19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the rear, it appears to hug the road. The decision to make the rear wheels larger creates a visual sense of momentum: a nod to the rear layout that was the hallmark of the hugely enjoyable ride delivered by the original”, said Alexandre Malval, Renault’s vice president for design.
What about the white stripes?
They were a successful rock band in the 2000s, who had a hit single with ‘Seven Nation Army.’
No, the white stripes on the Renault 8 Gordini Concept…
Oh right. Yes, those are a throwback to the sixties once again, referencing the classic blue-with-white stripes livery of the original racing Gordinis. Here, the blue is inspired by that original ‘Bleu De France’ shade, but with mother-of-pearl shimmer in the metallic paint and where the original would have used chrome, this modern Concept uses careful body shaping to give the impression of a chromed swage line along the side of the car. The stripes run from the edge of the bonnet, over the roof and all the way down to the rear deck, and Renault says that it’s not just decoration, but also a signpost — the grille at the base of the windscreen (used for pulling cooling air into the cabin) and the signature LEDs of the brake lights are lined up with the stripes. Indeed, the stripes continue into the cabin…
Ah yes, the cabin. Tell us more…
The white paint of the exterior stripes turns to blue suede strips running across the dashboard, and the neat three-spokesteering wheel is lined up with them. The seats are deep black-and-blue buckets with Alcantara centres, and that man-made suede material is also found on the doors. There’s lots of contrast top-stitching as well. The main instruments are digital displays, but mounted in small, individual round pods, referencing the cabin of the original Renault 8 of course. The switchgear is bespoke to the car, made of tactile aluminium, and mounted down low on a centre console between the seats (there are only two seats, incidentally). There are some very neat touches inside, including a starter button on the steering wheel spoke marked ‘Engine’ (there’s an identical button on the other spoke which changes the driving mode), a stopwatch integrated into the smaller dials on the dashboard and fabric pulls for the interior door handles.
“We drew inspiration from the original Renault 8 dashboard, taking its iconic design cues and reinterpreting them for today. The traditional metal panel with its circular dials has been repositioned horizontally to support and showcase a series of perfectly aligned round screens. The result is a design that feels both more modern and more elegant, while maintaining a clear link to the past. The entire interior and instrument cluster sit beneath a fluid, wraparound beltline, creating a sense of purity and providing the driver with a perfectly unobstructed field of vision”, said Stéphane Maiore, Renault interior design director.
When can we buy one?
Sadly, the likely answer is never. The Renault 8 Gordini Concept reminds us of the Peugeot Legende concept and the Nissan IDx concepts — fabulous-looking retro-styled coupes with taut surfacing and apparently limitless appeal. Sadly, the market for small coupes — new Honda Prelude notwithstanding — is small and not very profitable, and so even though Renault genuinely surprised us by putting the astonishing electric 5 Turbo 3E into limited production, we doubt that particular lightning will strike twice here.
When can I at least see it?
Ahead of its appearance at the Paris Motor Show on 12 October, the Renault 8 Gordini Concept will be on display at the Renault Carwalk — Renault’s cool museum-showroom on the Champs Élysées in Paris — from today.
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