Design Study for a Modern Day Renault Alpine Sports Coupe

An affordable, rear-wheel drive sports coupe from Renault bearing the historic Alpine moniker has been in the cards for years but the French carmaker has yet to launch a modern day successor to the last model to carry the Alpine name, the A610 from the mid 1990s.

After production of the A610 ended, Renault used the Alpine factory in Dieppe to manufacture the street-legal RenaultSport Spider, a lightweight two-seater model with a rear mid-engine layout built from 1995 to 1997, which was the French firm’s last bespoke sports car.

Over the years, we have seen many independent designers creating concept studies for a new Alpine coupe, the most recent being the one you see pictured above, which is the work of David Cardoso.

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Geneva 2011: Renault's Sporty Looking R-Space Small MPV Concept

Renault is offering us a glimpse of its next generation Scenic with the new R-Space concept model unveiled today at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The R-Space is the third concept model after the 2009 DeZir and the Juke-like Captur crossover, which is also on display in Geneva, to showcase the French brand's new design language conceived by Renault's chief designer, Laurens van den Acker.

At 4,250mm meters long, the R-Space is slightly shorter than the current Scenic (4,344mm) and features a much more expressive exterior design. The interior styling is quite futuristic with the floating dashboard and the form of the seats echoing those of the DeZir concept car.

“We provided a strong visual and functional contrast between the driver environment, where the focus is on driving pleasure, and a surprising and highly-original rear section conceived as a play space for children," said interior designer Alexandre Gommier.

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Spy Video: Renault R-Space Concept for a Compact MPV Filmed Undisguised!

Evidently, the new Captur small crossover with the removable hardtop we told you about last week won't be the only concept model from Renault to hit the showroom floors of the Geneva Salon in less than two weeks time. A Youtube user managed to scoop a completely undisguised Renault study for a rather sporty looking compact MPV in Lisbon, Portugal. Judging by the black SUV with the camera hooked above the car, it was probably there for a photo shoot. Read more »

Renault Captur: Juke-Sized Crossover Convertible Concept Demonstrates New Design Language

Remember the Renault DeZir sports coupe concept from the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show? If you don't, you can refresh your memory here, but in short, the two-seater study herald the French firm's new and more curvalicious design strategy on a sports car. Fast forward to today, and Renault has unveiled a new concept model called the Captur, which applies the DeZir's design philosophy on a three-door small crossover with a removable hardtop.The Captur will receive its world premiere at the upcoming Geneva Salon.

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Retour vers le futur: Renault's Amazing 800HP Espace F1 MPV Prototype

I don’t have children, but I bet school runs can become pretty boring. However, if parents could get their hands on a Renault Espace F1, I’m sure they'd sing to a different tune when they'd return back from school... Unveiled in 1995, this über-Espace was not your typical soccer-mom transporter. Created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the French MPV and Renault’s decade-long involvement in Formula 1, the concept was literally an F1 racer in disguise. Read more »

Nissan Clones the Renault Twizy EV

Nissan has unveiled a two-seater electric city car concept named the New Mobility Concept or NMC for short. If it reminds you of a recently seen model, then you've got a good eye, because the NMC is nothing more than a rebagded version of the Renault Twizy, which made its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show last month.

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David Cardoso wants Renault to do the Twist with New Design Concept

David Cardoso, whose work includes the water-bound Audi Hydron concept and Cobalt coupe, has created a new car concept to take on Mitsubishi's i-Miev. Envisioned as a Renault, the Twist would be a small electric city vehicle to slot between the baby Twingo and larger Modus MPV.

From the looks of it, the Twist's design is awkward enough to be Renault (and I say that in a good way). Its nose is nothing to blow people away style-wise, but it certainly looks the part of an i-Miev competitor. Luckily, that means it can win people over with cuteness.

Besides the apparently tall and spine-straightening seating area designed by chiropractors, the Twist looks ready to go. Even the wheels are a realistic size, unlike a lot of renderings put out there.

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Paris Show: Renault ZOE Preview Teases 2012 Production EV and Hints at Next Clio

One or two sizes up from the quirky little Twizy is where Renault's ZOE Preview sits. Following in the vein of last year's ZOE Z.E. coupe, the ZOE Preview is a more realistic look at the production version that will be available in 2012 wearing Renault's newest face. Not only that, but it may just be previewing (ZING!) the next Clio as well.

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Carscoop Reader Chops Renault Latitude Cabrio Prior to Flagship Sedan's Paris Debut

Renault's new Latitude mid-size sedan will make it western European debut in Paris very soon, so now's about the time for people to start photoshopping to their hearts' content to see how Renault's funky hit-and-miss lineup can be improved.

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Paris Preshow: Renault DeZir RWD Concept Previews New Design Language

Renault has released the first photos of its latest concept car, the all-electric DeZir ahead of its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in September 2010. What's important about this new concept is its styling as it heralds the firm's new design direction. Its aim is to get people talking about Renault's styling again.

The DeZir project is the first to have been led by Renault's new chief designer Laurens van den Acker who took over from Patrick le Quement in 2009. Before joining Renault, the Dutch designer worked for Mazda where he was responsible for many projects including the Nagara, Ryuga and Hakaze concepts, while he has also spent time at Ford and Audi.

One of the most important design features of the DeZir is the front-end styling as according to the company, it previews the new front-end identity that is set to become a feature of all Renault models in the near future.

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Renault Confirms Production of All-Electric Twizy and Zoe Z.E., Sales Start in 2011

Apparently, Nissan's partner Renault wasn't kidding when it said that it would go ahead and produce the four all-electric concept models that it displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Today, the French automaker not only (re)confirmed production of the futuristic looking Twizy Z.E. city car (for Zero Emission) and the funky Zoe Z.E. sporty supermini, but it also revealed the plants where the two cars will be built.

First up is the Twizy Z.E. based 1+1 seater that will be manufactured at Renault's Valladolid factory in Spain from 2011. Even though we find it hard to believe, it is said that the production version will remain extremely close to the concept model that is powered by an electric motor that makes 15kW (20HP) and 70Nm of torque and drives the rear wheels.

The Twizy will be followed in 2012 by a sporty, all-electric supermini dimly inspired by the Zoe Z.E concept car. It will be produced at the firm's Flins plant near Paris, France. Renault said that it expects that this urban model will account for two-thirds of the Group's EV sales in Europe.

The other two electric vehicles that Renault is planning to produce is the Fluence Z.E. compact sedan and the Kangoo Z.E. small van.

Earlier this week, a letter of intent was signed between the Renault-Nissan Alliance, the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and the French Strategic Investment Fund (FSI) to form a joint venture company that would develop and manufacture batteries for the group's electric vehicles.

Renault Zoe Z.E. Concept

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Renault Twizy Z.E. Concept

Renault Zoe Z.E.: Funky All Electric Supermini Bows in Frankfurt

Proving that electric cars can be fun, at least in theory, Renault took the wraps off its second all-electric showcar in Frankfurt after the Fluence Z.E, the Zoe Z.E. which is a compact-sized, four seater supermini with scissor doors at the front and butterfly doors at the rear. The funky looking French concept is motivated by a 70kW / 93 horsepower electric motor with the lithium-ion batteries promising to offer a driving range of around 100 miles or 160 kilometers.

The Zoe Z.E. also gets massive 21-inch alloy wheels and a retractable rear spoiler for greater aerodynamic efficiency while the photovoltaic cells on the rooftop recover solar energy to power the climate control system that has been co-developed with L'Oréa and features 'hydrating', 'detox' and 'active scent' spray functions -all for the sake of beauty...