Nice New Renaults

As a brand, Renault suggests many different things to many different people. This is something that few brands, particularly vehicle brands manage to accomplish. Often a vehicle brand will be pigeonholed as creating one type of car or another and that branding often limits the appeal that a car released by that brand can have. There are some brands, like Ferrari, that have specialised and concentrated on one area of the car market to the exclusion of all others to make the best car of the sports car arena. In contrast Renault has made a name as a car manufacturer who is capable of creating good cars in a variety of different sections of the car market.

In addition to the cars that Renault produces for everyday use, there are the cars that Renault has created for the Formula 1 Grand Prix. This shows that Renault is more than capable of creating extremely high powered machines that can outperform some of the best in the world. That sort of versatility is often lacking from those companies whose companies produce cars which are highly regarded in segments of the market other than sports cars. The quality of the cars that Renault creates is consistently high and in all markets where the company is focused it is considered a leading brand.

Currently the Mégane Renaultsport R26 is topping the tables all over as it wins award after award for it’s capability across the board. Not only is the general public flocking to buy it, motoring journalists are heaping more and more praise on it as time goes by. The unassuming Renault speedster allows those whose pockets aren’t exceptionally deep to still experience the feeling of taking off like a rocket. The functionality is fantastic in the Renault and the form matches it point for point. Another fairly recent release that is gaining loyal supporters far and wide is the Clio Renaultsport 197.

The new concept car that has just been unveiled is the Renault Clio Grand Tour which is set to become the latest groundbreaking addition to the Clio III range of cars. It’s classified as an estate, although noticeably less bulky than other cars classified in this group. The sleek lines and smaller dimensions of the Renault are mainly due to the fact that the car is a hybrid of estate and touring car. The size has not diminished the capacity of the car in any way and the 2.0 16 valve engine is put to very good use. This elevates the Renault Clio Grand Tour above its competitors in any grouping since the best aspects of the different groups are used in the creation of this hybrid that will make Renault proud.

Renault, the world famous maker of cars, tractors, buses, vans and lorries, was founded in France in 1899 by Louis Renault along with his brothers Fernand and Marcel. The company was initially called Societe Renault Freres, though what was to be the first Renault vehicle was actually produced a year before the formal formation of the new company. The new car was called the Renault Voiturette 1CV and was given its first test drive on Christmas Eve, 1898.

In a bid to court publicity for the new company, the decision was taken to enter motor racing events. Renault enjoyed success in the new sport, but it led to the death of Marcel Renault. Despite the tragedy, the company continued to engage in motor racing. They were part of history when Ferenc Szisz won the first Grand Prix, held in 1906, in a Renault AK 90 CV. That same year Louis Renault took sole charge of the company as failing health forced the other surviving brother Fernand to retire.

Renault had also been making their mark in the fledgling car market. In their first year of operation they launched their first sedan car. However, at FFR3,000 for Renault’s smallest and cheapest car they were very much luxury items. The company also quickly diversified production, rolling out lorries, taxis and buses.

The World War One years, between 1914 and 1918, also saw the company branch out into war production as the company turned its attention to manufacturing ammunition, aeroplanes, lorries and the renowned F-17 tank for the French and allied military. Those efforts saw Louis honoured by the allied nations following their victorious end to the war.

The First World War certainly did not have a detrimental effect on the fortunes of Renault as it emerged as France’s biggest private sector company. They also entered the export market, sending its engines, the Renault 26 hp and 40 hp four-cylinder engine, to the United States.

The re-emergence of peace saw the business diversify further, entering the agricultural and industrial sector by producing machinery. However, on the car production side the company were losing out in its ability to produce cars that were more affordable to the general public though sales at the higher end were growing. Nevertheless they continued to expand their range of cars and 1928 production exceeded 45,000 and included a range of seven different models. And, though exports to the United States had all but dried up, the company was enjoying success in the United Kingdom market.

In the decade prior to the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, Renault produced a range of luxury cars, including the Vivastellas and Grand Renaults. The later were made mainly of aluminium, many of which were scrapped to aid the war effort at the outbreak of hostilities.

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