Lorraine Automobile Museum, Nancy, France
Until May 20, 2025
With its exhibition “Renault’s Popular and Sporty Models” the Lorraine Automobile Museum traces much of Renault’s history. The story begins with a few pre-war models dating back to the 1910s, a time when Renault offered luxury and even prestige models. It was especially after World War II, as part of a French government recovery plan, that Renault turned its attention to the mass-market car segment. In fact, Renault workers and engineers had secretly developed what would become the 4 CV while the country was under occupation.
It was followed by the Dauphine, then the R8, both still featuring a rear-engine layout. And sports versions were already being developed based on these popular models. Building on this foundation, Renault also introduced the Caravelle, available in coupe and convertible versions. The manufacturer switched to front-wheel drive with the Renault 4, which became the best-selling French car. To expand its customer base, Renault introduced more upscale models such as the Renault 12, followed by the Renault 16, which was the first mid-size car to feature the practicality of a rear hatchback.
The Renault 15 and 17 aren’t really sports cars, but they reflect the 1970s trend for coupes, which would later be followed by the Renault Fuego. Several of these models would also see sporty variants, designed for rallying or track use. Alongside its more traditional sedans, Renault also launched the Espace in collaboration with Matra Automobiles. Although it had a rocky start, this model sparked a wave of minivans in Europe that would eventually be adopted by every automaker.
Still in collaboration with Matra, Renault launched the Avantime, a cross between a minivan and a large coupe. It wasn’t a huge commercial success, but it’s a car that’s quite sought-after today. The Vel Satis was another original model that didn’t achieve widespread success, as buyers of large sedans tended to have more traditional tastes.
Renault has always had sports cars in its lineup, and the exhibition features several examples, highlighted by the R5 Turbo 2 and Clio V6, both of which were equipped with mid-engine layouts that made them high-performance sports cars. In addition to the Renaults, the exhibition also showcases a few Alpines, including the iconic A110 Berlinette, of course, as well as the A610.
The photos on this page belong to Lorraine Automobile Museum, no right of reproduction without the express permission of the museum.