Renault. A real passion for life
‘Passion for life!’ - is not just a slogan of the company. Renault is a real passion for life! Renault Group is a French corporation producing cars under the Renault brand. It is a part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance - one of the leaders of the world market of carmakers. The French-Japanese alliance is in the top 5 world manufacturers. Renault is one of the largest and most recognizable car brands in the world. About 2.5 million Renault cars are sold annually in 165 countries.* Автомобили под маркой ‘Рено’ много раз становились ‘Европейскими автомобилями года’, выигрывали гонки Формулы-1, Many Renault models were Cars of the Year, won Formula One races, and have been recognized as the safest for both drivers and passengers and received the highest possible score of any Euro NCAP crash test. *As of in 2018-2019
The largest shareholders of Renault Group, owning 15% each, are the French government and Nissan. Renault itself, in turn, owns 80% of Korean Renault Samsung, 99% of Romanian Dacia, 43% of Japanese Nissan Motor, more than 50% of Russian AvtoVAZ, 20% of Swedish Volvo, and 3% of German Daimler AG. Yeah! Samsung and Dacia are Renault brands!
About 2.5 M Renault cars are sold annually in 165 countries.*
Renault Group is not only engaged in cars but also produces engines – for example, a diesel engine for Mercedes Class C. Renault also produces trucks, urban buses, and coaches under the Renault Véhicules Industriels brand. RenaultF1 team also wins Formula-1 races in both the individual event and the World Constructors' Championship. And Renault has won the first prize as European Car of the Year six times. Many Renault models have also been recognized as the safest for both drivers and passengers and received the highest possible score of any Euro NCAP crash test. Do you want to know which ones? Renault Laguna II New, Renault Koleos, Renault Megane II New, Renault Grand Scenic, Renault Clio IV, Renault Captur, Renault ZOE, and Renault Espace V.
The beginning
And all this story began at the end of the 19th century with Louis Renault, the youngest son of a rich French family. The spoiled boy but a big fan of technology built his first workshop in his parents' barn and, literally at bench scale, turned the three-wheeler De Dion-Bouton into the four-wheeler with the world’s first cardan-shaft gearbox, which exceeded the previously used gears and chains. Louis Renault was not only a brilliant inventor but also a great advertiser and PR practitioner! To demonstrate the capabilities of his new car, he easily overcame the slide with a 13% slope! This is the slope of the Rue Lepic in Montmartre, considered the highest point of Paris, where Louis drove “as quick as the wind” for his time. The very next day, he received an order for the first dozen of his cars.
A month later, Louis Renault registered a patent for his innovative gearbox, being immediately accepted by all automotive manufacturers. His design of the cardan shaft still remains unchanged in cars with rear-wheel drive!
If you think that’s the only “first-ever” Renault’s invention, this is not the case! His direct drive gearbox, the car with a chainless direct drive to the rear wheels, turbo engine, removable spark plug, compressed-air starter, brake servo, diesel railbus, classic tank (the one with a revolving turret, a fighting cap in the middle and a rear engine) were first in the world. The world’s first hatchback - Renault 16, the first European minivan - Renault Alliance, and the world’s first model with a non-digital name - Renault Clio – were made by Renault for the first time as well.
The world’s first hatchback - Renault 16, the first European minivan - Renault Alliance, and the world’s first model with a non-digital name - Renault Clio – were made by Renault for the first time as well.
The birthday of Renault company is October 1, 1898. Elder brothers Louis - Marcel and Fernand - supported the brilliant young brother and founded the company Société Renault Frères (Renault Brothers Society) together. Louis Renault at the age of 21 became a real carmaker. The first car produced by Société Renault Frères was called ‘Voiturette’, the French for ‘wagon’ or ‘cart’. Lightweight and maneuverable ‘cart’ easily outpaced the more powerful but also much heavier cars in the Paris-Bordeaux race, after which the Renault company immediately received an order for 350 cars. By the year of 1904, Renault cars were sold in 120 salons in France and other countries, and their count came close to 1000 cars.
In 1905, Renault cars began to be used as taxis, and during the First World War, 1300 Renault Taxi La Marne cars brought 6000 soldiers to the Marne River in a short time. The German armies were stopped, and this unusual way of French army deployment has entered the folklore as the ‘Marne taxi’. The French called Louis Renault a savior and presented him the highest award - the Order of the Legion of Honor, and the monument of ‘Taxi de la Marne’ was erected in Levallois, which is within Paris boundaries now. The Last Russian Emperor Nicholas II was fond of Renault cars and owned as many as 5 of them. Renault was one of the first cars in pre-revolutionary Russia… By 1929, the Renault brand cars were already used in 49 countries, and the main strategy of the company was the production of reliable and cheap cars available for ordinary people.
Renault Laguna 2 was the first in the world to receive the maximum number of stars from Euro NCAP for its safety. And then Renault Megane II repeated its result, becoming the car of the year and the best-selling car in Europe.
After the Second World War, Renault Group advanced in leaps and bounds. By 1954, it had produced its two millionth car, and in 1959 Renault became the world’s sixth automobile manufacturer by production volume. Renault Alliance because of the 007 series, became the car of the year in the US. Then Renault Clio became the Car of the Year, Renault Ligne became the AE Truck of the Year, Renault FR1 became the Bus of the Year and Renault President himself became the “President of the Year”. :) Renault Laguna 2 was the first in the world to receive the maximum number of stars from Euro NCAP for its safety. And then Renault Megane II repeated this result, becoming the car of the year and the best-selling car in Europe. The world-famous racer Fernando Alonso won a Formula 1 championship in a Renault racing car.
The passion for life is in Renault’s blood! This is what made the company move forward through ups and downs, overcome challenges, achieve their goals, and, in the end, gain worldwide fame. Try this brand of cars and experience a real French passion for Renault!
