Long forgotten coupe revived 40 years after it was discontinued with sleek new look – & as much power as a VW Golf GTI
A LONG-forgotten car model has been reborn and reimagined – some 40-odd years after it was discontinued.
The sleek, retro-styled coupe has been revealed as a one-off and won’t be put into production – instead, it will be showcased at several upcoming events.
Renault has once again looked to its past by creating a modern concept based on the Renault 17 coupe from the 1970s.
This charming set of wheels was built as part of a collaboration between the French car brand and designer Ora Ito.
Speaking about his concept design, Ito said: “I wanted to drape Renault 17 in a second skin, showcasing the design while giving it a more contemporary look in terms of flow, dynamics and rationality through my own approach to design and my own signature: simplexity.
“I wanted to simplify the more complex aspects.”
Fans of the original Renault 17 will certainly recognise its shape, but this new version is 17cm wider with flared fenders for improved handling.
The wheels are simple but elegant, and the front end features four rectangular headlights as a nod to the original’s round ones, while the motor’s colour, Galactic Brown, was specially made for the show car.
Inside, it has a 1970s-style earth colour scheme, while the seats, redesigned around the original ‘petal’ shape, use beige and brown wool.
Modern touches include screens in the cabin that blend in with Renault’s graphics.
Behind the square two-spoke steering wheel lie four small geometric displays that echo the original model’s dials, while the central screen sits below the dashboard where the radio used to be.
The original Renault 17, launched in 1971, had a 1.6-litre engine driving the front wheels, while the restomod swaps that for a 270bhp electric motor.
Renault shifted more than 92,000 17s between 1971 and 1979, before it was replaced by the equally rare Fuego.
The Renault 17 EV will be shown at several events this year, including the Paris Motor Show in October, where Renault will also unveil the all-new Renault 4.
This comes as Renault recently revealed an updated version of the iconic 5 hatchback priced at £25,000.
Sun Motors’ main man Rob Gill got the lowdown on the new EV supermini, which is full of nods to the classic motor and even has a bizarre interior option.