It was believed that the cult car of the 1970s, that of our childhood, our parents, and even our grandparents, had disappeared forever.
Here it is again to celebrate its 50th anniversary today.
This innovative little racing car, as at home in town as on the holiday road, sold more than 5 million units between 1972 and 1984, was the icon of happy and unconstrained years, lugging around without fuss on its fabric seats for the biggest movie stars, from Romy Schneider and Claude Brasseur in
Une histoire simple
, in 1978, to Annie Girardot and Philippe Noiret in
Tendre Poulet
, in 1978, Brigitte Fossey and Sophie Marceau in
La Boum,
in 1980 , and even Sean Connery, aka James Bond, in
Never Never Again
, in 1983.
Cars for everyone...
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New in design and high-tech for the R5., diamond-shaped headlights.
Gaelle le Boulicaut
But why so much love for this small automobile a thousand miles from the large cylinders that have been thrilling the seventh art since the 1950s?
According to Pierre Gonalons, the French interior architect and designer to whom Renault entrusted the mission of rethinking the new R5 to celebrate its five decades of creation, the reason is obvious: "In terms of line, it really has something unique: neither round nor square, it has this chic and relaxed flavor of the seventies, smiling and finally quite French.»
“In life, I'm not a big fan of cars, says the designer.
But the R5 is really special… Like a Knoll chair, it is part of the myths of design, striking the perfect balance between a pretty design and something that is not inaccessible.
I like this idea of
… to the techno jewel
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New in design and high-tech for the R5, a marble steering wheel.
Gaelle le Boulicaut
And even if it means resuscitating a French myth, you might as well strike hard.
“I first chose a color banned from automobiles: pink.
Today, men wear it as a total look on suits, so why not bodywork?
I then continued to play with the codes of femininity by choosing the world of jewelry as a red thread.”
On the program, then?
Modernity: a 100% electric car, diamond-shaped headlights, a gear lever gilded with pale gold, and a marble steering wheel.
The high-tech detail?
Farewell to the famous push button on the handles, make way for a fingerprint reader that unlocks the doors.
This car, tuned like an exceptional jewel, is intended to be sold at auction with its double
digital twin,
in NFT version.
The profits will be donated to Give Me 5, the brand's new social responsibility project, dedicated to young generations through sport and music.