Renault facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Renault S.A.

Headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Type	Public (Société Anonyme)
Traded as	Euronext Paris: RNO CAC 40 Component
Industry	Automotive
Founded	25 February 1899; 126 years ago (1899-02-25)
Founders	Louis Renault Marcel Renault Fernand Renault
Headquarters	Boulogne-Billancourt, Île-de-France , France
Area served	Worldwide; 128 countries
Key people	Jean-Dominique Senard (Chairman) Luca de Meo (CEO)
Products	Automobiles Commercial vehicles
Production output	2,235,000 (2023, sales)
Revenue	€52.37 billion (2023)
Operating income	€2.48 billion (2023)
Net income	€2.31 billion (2023)
Total assets	€121.91 billion (2023)
Total equity	€30.63 billion (2023)
Owners	French state (15.01%) Nissan (15%)
Number of employees	170,158 (Q4 2020)
Subsidiaries	List Transportation Renault SAS Alpine Dacia (99.43%) Renault Korea (52.9%) JMEV (50%) Financing RCI Banque Retail Renault Retail Group Other Motrio International Oyak-Renault Renault Pars Renault Argentina Renault España Renault do Brasil Renault India Private Limited Renault Mexico Renault Maroc Revoz Sofasa Somaca

Renault

Owner	Renault S.A.
Introduced	December 1898

Groupe Renault, also known as the Renault Group, is a French company that makes cars. It was started in 1899. The company builds many types of cars and vans. In the past, it also made trucks, tractors, tanks, buses, airplanes, and train vehicles.

In 2016, Renault was the ninth largest car maker in the world based on how many vehicles it produced.

Renault's main office is in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, France. The group includes the Renault brand, plus other car brands like Alpine and Automobile Dacia from Romania. Renault also owns companies that offer car financing (RCI Banque), car sales (Renault Retail Group), and car parts (Motrio). It also works with other companies in places like Turkey (Oyak-Renault) and Iran (Renault Pars). The French government and Nissan each own 15% of the company.

Some parts of Renault's business were sold off. For example, Renault Trucks became part of Volvo in 2001. Also, Renault Agriculture, which made farm equipment, was fully bought by the German company CLAAS in 2008.

Renault is famous for its involvement in motor sports, especially rallying, Formula 1, and Formula E. The company also played a big part in the history of computer graphics because of its early work on designing car bodies using mathematical curves.

History of Renault Cars

How Renault Started (1898–1918)

The Renault company was started on February 25, 1899, by Louis Renault and his brothers, Marcel and Fernand. Louis was a talented engineer who had already built several car prototypes. His brothers were good at business. Louis focused on designing and making cars, while Marcel and Fernand handled the business side.

The very first Renault car, called the Renault Voiturette 1CV, was sold on December 24, 1898.

In 1903, Renault started making its own engines. Before that, they bought them from another company. A big sale happened in 1905 when a taxi company bought many Renault AG1 cars to create a taxi fleet. These cars were later used by the French army to move soldiers during World War I. They became known as the "Taxi de la Marne." By 1907, many taxis in London and Paris were made by Renault. Renault was also a top-selling foreign car brand in New York in 1907 and 1908. In 1908, the company made 3,575 cars, becoming France's biggest car maker.

The Renault brothers knew that winning car races would help them sell more cars. Renault became well-known by winning early city-to-city races in Switzerland, which helped sales grow fast. Both Louis and Marcel raced their company's cars. Sadly, Marcel died in an accident during the 1903 Paris-Madrid race. Louis never raced again, but his company stayed very involved in racing. In 1906, Ferenc Szisz won the first Grand Prix motor racing event in a Renault AK 90CV.

Louis took full control of the company in 1906 when Fernand retired due to health issues. Fernand passed away in 1909, and Louis became the only owner, changing the company's name to Société des Automobiles Renault.

Renault quickly gained a reputation for being innovative. At that time, cars were luxury items, not made on assembly lines. The smallest Renault cars cost 3,000 francs, which was about ten years' pay for an average worker. In 1905, the company started using mass production methods. In 1911, Louis Renault visited Henry Ford's factory and adopted some of his manufacturing ideas.

Before World War I, Renault also made buses and commercial trucks. Their first real commercial truck came out in 1906. During World War I, Renault started making ammunition, military aircraft engines (the first Rolls-Royce aircraft engines were based on Renault designs), and vehicles like the advanced Renault FT tank. Louis Renault was even given the Legion of Honour award for his company's important contributions to the war effort.

Between the World Wars (1919–1938)

After 1918, Louis Renault expanded the company to make farm equipment and industrial machinery. The war from 1914 to 1918 led to many new products. The first Renault tractor, the Type GP, was made between 1919 and 1930 and was based on the FT tank. Renault found it hard to compete with smaller, cheaper "people's cars" that were becoming popular. Problems with the United States stock market and workers also slowed the company's growth. Renault also needed better ways to sell its vehicles. In 1920, Louis signed one of his first sales deals with Gustave Gueudet, a businessman from Amiens, France. They still work together today.

Older Renault cars had a unique front shape because the radiator was placed behind the engine. This gave them a "coal scuttle" bonnet. This design continued through the 1920s. By 1930, all models had the radiator at the front. The badge on the bonnet changed from a circle to the familiar diamond shape in 1925.

Renault introduced new models at the Paris Motor Show each year. This sometimes made it confusing to know the exact model year. For example, a "1927" model was mostly made in 1928.

Renault cars during this time had two main types: economy models with four-cylinder engines (later called "Quatre") and luxury models with six-cylinder engines (initially "-six," later "Stella"). For example, in 1928, Renault made 45,809 cars across seven models. The smaller cars were the most popular.

The London operations were important for Renault in 1928. The UK market was quite large, and luxury cars were also sent to North America. Cars sold abroad often had stronger suspensions, better cooling, and special bodies. However, by 1928, car exports to the US had almost stopped. A luxury Type NM 40CV Tourer cost over US$4,600 in 1928, which was similar to other luxury cars of that time.

Renault cars were built to be strong and reliable. The Renault Vivasix, starting in 1927, was sold as an "executive sports" model. It had lighter steel bodies and a 3,180 cubic centimetre (cc) six-cylinder engine. This design was used until World War II.

The "de Grand Luxe Renaults," which had a very long wheelbase (over 12-foot (3.7 m)), were made in small numbers. These included six- and eight-cylinder models. The 1927 six-cylinder Grand Renault models introduced a new rear suspension that greatly improved stability, especially since some of these cars could go over 90 mph (140 km/h).

The straight 8-cylinder Reinastella was introduced in 1929. These luxury cars used a lot of aluminium for their engines, brakes, transmissions, and all outside body panels. Many of these cars were later scrapped to help with the war effort.

In 1928, Renault improved its "Stella" line. The Vivastella and Grand Renaults had better interiors and a small star above the front logo. This was a popular change, and in the 1930s, all cars started using the "Stella" name.

In 1931, Renault began using diesel engines in its commercial vehicles.

Renault was one of the few French car makers that continued to produce aircraft engines after World War I. In the late 1920s, it tried to make a powerful military engine but wasn't successful. However, its engines for civilian planes did better. In the 1930s, the company bought the aircraft maker Caudron, focusing on small airplanes. It also bought a share in Air France and helped start the airmail company Air Bleu. Renault Caudron planes set several speed world records in the 1930s. Renault also kept developing tanks for France's army, including the D1 and the R 35.

During the late 1920s and early 1930s, Citroën became France's largest car maker, making more modern and popular cars than Renault. But by the mid-1930s, French car makers were hit by the Great Depression. Renault could manage losses because of its tractor, railroad, and weapons businesses. Citroën, however, went bankrupt and was later bought by Michelin. Renault then became the largest car maker again, a position it held until the 1980s.

The Great Depression finally affected Renault in 1936. The company separated its aircraft engine and foundry divisions into their own businesses, keeping its main car business. Between 1936 and 1938, there were many worker strikes and unrest in the French car industry. Renault dealt with these disputes very strictly, and over 2,000 people lost their jobs.

World War II and Aftermath (1939–1944)

After France surrendered in 1940, Louis Renault refused to make tanks for Nazi Germany. Instead, he produced trucks. On March 3, 1942, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) bombed the Île Seguin, Billancourt, Paris plant, causing a lot of damage and civilian deaths. Renault tried to rebuild quickly, but the factory was bombed again by Americans in 1943.

A few weeks after Paris was freed in September 1944, the Renault factory gates reopened. Work slowly started again. The French government accused Louis Renault of working with the Germans. He was arrested on September 23, 1944, and died in prison on October 24, 1944, while waiting for his trial.

On January 1, 1945, by order of de Gaulle, the company was taken from Louis Renault. On January 16, 1945, it officially became a national company called Régie Nationale des Usines Renault. Renault's factories were the only ones permanently taken over by the French government. Later, the Renault family tried to get the company back and receive money, but the courts said they couldn't change the government's actions.

Postwar Comeback (1945–1971)

Under the new leader, Pierre Lefaucheux, Renault saw its business grow again, but also faced worker strikes.

During the war, Louis Renault had secretly developed the rear engine 4CV car. It was launched under Lefacheux in 1946. Renault then introduced its main model, the Renault Frégate (1951–1960). The 4CV was a strong competitor to cars like the Morris Minor and Volkswagen Beetle. Over half a million 4CVs were sold, and it was made until 1961.

After the 4CV's success, Lefacheux continued to develop new cars, even though the government wanted Renault to only make trucks. He oversaw the creation of the Dauphine (until his death). He also got artist Paule Marrot to help create new fabric and color designs for the company.

The Dauphine sold well as the company grew its production and sales around the world, including in Africa and North America. The Dauphine sold well in the US at first, but it became old-fashioned compared to new cars like the Chevrolet Corvair. Renault also sold the Renault Caravelle roadster, known as the Floride outside North America.

In the 1950s, Renault bought two small French truck makers and combined them with its own truck and bus division in 1955 to form Saviem.

Renault then launched two more successful cars: the Renault 4 (1961–1992), a practical car like the Citroën 2CV, and the rear-engined Renault 8. The larger Renault 10 followed the R8's success and was the last rear-engined Renault. The company also did well with the more modern Renault 16, a pioneering hatchback car launched in 1966, followed by the smaller Renault 6.

On January 16, 1970, Renault celebrated 25 years since it became a national company. The 1960s were a time of fast growth. In October 1969, Renault launched the Renault 12, which combined the ideas of its hatchbacks with a more traditional "three-box" design. The four-door Renault 12 fit between the Renault 6 and Renault 16. This model was very successful. 1970 was also the first year Renault made over a million cars, producing 1,055,803 vehicles.

Modern Era (1972–1980)

The company's small and fuel-efficient Renault 5 model, launched in January 1972, was another big success, especially before the 1973 oil crisis. Throughout the 1970s, models like the R4, R5, R6, R12, R15, R16, and R17 kept Renault's production going. New models like the Renault 18 and Renault 20 were also introduced.

In the mid-1970s, Renault expanded into more industries and continued to grow globally, including in Southeast Asia. The energy crisis made Renault try again to enter the North American market. Even though the Dauphine was successful in the United States in the late 1950s, Renault started to disappear from North America by the end of the 1970s.

Renault bought a major share in Automobiles Alpine in 1973. Over the years, Renault also worked closely with Nash Motors Rambler and its later company, American Motors Corporation (AMC). From 1962 to 1967, Renault assembled Rambler Classic sedans in its factory in Belgium. Renault didn't have large or luxury cars, so the "Rambler Renault" was seen as an alternative to other luxury cars. Later, Renault continued to make and sell a mix of AMC's Rambler American and Rambler Classic called the Renault Torino in Argentina. Renault also worked with AMC on other projects, like a special engine in the late 1960s.

In the late 1960s and 1970s, the company set up branches in Eastern Europe, especially Dacia in Romania, and South America. Many of these are still active today. Renault also made deals to share technology with Volvo and Peugeot, for example, to develop the PRV V6 engine, which was used in the Renault 30, Peugeot 604, and Volvo 260 in the late 1970s.

In the mid-1960s, Renault Australia was set up in Melbourne. This company made and assembled models like the R8, R10, R12, R16, sporty R15, R17 coupes, R18, and R20. The Australian unit closed in 1981.

When Peugeot bought Citroën and formed PSA, their work with Renault was reduced, but existing joint projects continued. Before merging with Peugeot, Citroën sold its truck and bus maker Berliet to Renault in December 1974. Renault then combined it with its Saviem branch in 1978 to create Renault Véhicules Industriels, which became the only French maker of heavy commercial vehicles. In 1976, Renault organized itself into four main business areas: cars and light commercial vehicles (LCVs), finance, commercial vehicles (trucks and buses), and other smaller businesses (like farm machinery and plastics). In 1980, Renault made 2,053,677 cars and LCVs.

In North America, Renault worked with American Motors Corporation (AMC). Renault lent AMC money and bought a small share (22.5%) in the company in late 1979. The first Renault model sold through AMC's dealerships was the R5, renamed Renault Le Car. Jeep was helping AMC stay in business until new products could be launched. When the market for four-wheel drive (4x4) trucks dropped in early 1980, AMC was in danger of going bankrupt. To protect its investment, Renault gave AMC more money, and in return, gained a controlling share (47.5%). Renault changed some AMC leaders, and Jose Dedeurwaerder from Renault became President of AMC.

This partnership led to Jeep vehicles being sold in Europe. The Jeep XJ Cherokee might have been a joint AMC/Renault project, as some early designs were made with both companies' engineers. The Jeep also used parts like wheels and seats from Renault. AMC aimed to save money by using Renault's parts and engineering knowledge. This helped improve the AMC inline six engine, making it more powerful and modern.

The Renault-AMC car sales in North America were not as successful as Jeep vehicles. This was because by the time Renault cars were ready, the second energy crisis was over, and people didn't want small, fuel-efficient cars as much. One exception was the Renault Alliance (an American version of the Renault 9), which came out in 1983. Made at AMC's Kenosha, Wisconsin plant, the Alliance won Motor Trend magazine's "Car of The Year" award in 1983.

Renault eventually sold AMC to Chrysler in 1987 after Renault's chairman, Georges Besse, was killed. Renault cars stopped being imported to the US after 1989. A new large sedan, the Eagle Premier, was developed during the AMC and Renault partnership. Its design and advanced factory in Canada were used as a starting point for later Chrysler cars.

In early 1979, Renault bought a 20% share in truck maker Mack to help sell light trucks through Mack's dealerships. By 1983, Renault increased its share in Mack to 44.6%.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Renault became more involved in motorsport, using new ideas like turbochargers in its Formula One cars. Renault's engine head, Georges Douin, made sure turbocharged engines were used in many Renault cars starting in 1980. By 1984, 10% of all turbocharged European cars were Renaults. The company's car designs were also new in other ways. The Renault Espace was one of the first minivans and remained Europe's most famous minivan for the next twenty years. The second-generation Renault 5, the award-winning Renault 9, and the luxurious 25 were all released in the early 1980s. However, poor quality also hurt the brand.

Changes and Growth (1981–1995)

Renault cars were quite successful on roads and in races, including the launch of the Renault Espace in 1984, which was Europe's first multi-purpose vehicle. However, Renault was losing a lot of money. The government stepped in, and Georges Besse became chairman. He cut costs by selling many of Renault's non-car businesses, almost completely stopping involvement in motorsports, and letting go of many employees. This reduced the company's debt by half by 1986. Sadly, Besse was killed in November 1986. He was replaced by Raymond Lévy, who continued Besse's efforts. By the end of 1987, Renault was financially stable. However, Lévy decided to sell AMC to Chrysler that same year.

The Renault 9, a small four-door family car, was voted European Car of the Year when it launched in 1981. It sold well in France, but later the Renault 11 hatchback became more popular. The Renault 5 got a new design in 1984 and continued to sell well. The long-running Renault 18 was replaced by the Renault 21 in early 1986. Renault's most expensive model in the 1980s was the Renault 25, launched in late 1983.

In 1990, Renault worked more closely with Volvo. They signed a deal to lower costs for designing and buying car parts. Renault used Volvo's knowledge for bigger, more expensive cars, and Volvo used Renault's designs for smaller and mid-sized cars. In 1993, the two companies planned to merge, but Volvo shareholders said no.

A stronger Renault launched successful new cars in the early 1990s, along with better marketing in Europe. This included the Clio in May 1990, which replaced the Renault 5. The Clio was the first new model to use names instead of numbers. It was voted European Car of the Year soon after its launch and became one of Europe's best-selling cars in the 1990s. Other important new cars were the third-generation Espace in 1996 and the innovative Twingo in 1992. The Twingo was the first car marketed as a city car MPV (multi-purpose vehicle). It was much roomier than other cars its size. Twingo sales reached 2.4 million in Europe.

Becoming a Private Company and Alliances (1996–2019)

Eventually, it was decided that being owned by the state was hurting the company. In 1994, plans to sell shares to the public were announced. Renault became a private company in 1996. This new freedom allowed the company to expand into markets in Eastern Europe and South America, building a new factory in Brazil and improving its facilities in Argentina and Turkey. In December 1996, General Motors Europe and Renault started working together to develop light commercial vehicles.

Renault's financial problems were not completely solved by becoming private. Renault's president, Louis Schweitzer, asked his deputy, Carlos Ghosn, to fix them. Ghosn created a plan to cut costs from 1998 to 2000. This involved reducing staff, changing how cars were made, standardizing car parts, and launching new models faster. The company also changed its organization, using a "lean production system" inspired by Japanese methods.

After Volvo decided not to merge, Renault looked for a new partner. They talked with BMW, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and others. This led to a partnership with Nissan. On March 27, 1999, the Renault–Nissan Alliance was formed. It was the first of its kind between a Japanese and a French company, with each owning shares in the other. Renault first bought a 36.8% share in Nissan. Nissan, in turn, bought a 15% share in Renault (without voting rights). Renault continued to operate on its own but worked with Nissan to lower costs. In the same year, Renault bought a 51% share of the Romanian company Dacia. In 2000, Renault bought a controlling share of the Samsung Group's car division in South Korea.

In Japan, Renault cars were previously sold by Yanase Co. However, after Renault bought shares in Nissan, Yanase ended its contract in 2000, and Nissan became the only seller of Renault vehicles in Japan.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Renault sold off various assets to fund its investments and purchases, focusing on making cars and vans. In 1999, the company sold its automation business. In 2001, Renault sold its share in the bus/coach maker Irisbus and its logistics company. After selling Renault Véhicules Industriels to Volvo in 2001, Renault kept a small but controlling share (20%) in the Volvo Group. In 2010, Renault reduced its share to 6.5% and sold its remaining shares in December 2012. In 2004, Renault sold a 51% share in its farm machinery division, Renault Agriculture, to CLAAS. CLAAS later took full control in 2008.

In the 21st century, Renault became known for its unique and bold car designs. The second generations of the Laguna and Mégane had ambitious, angular designs that were successful. The 2000 Laguna was one of the first European cars to have "keyless" entry and ignition. Less successful were Renault's more expensive models. The Avantime, a unique coupé multi-purpose vehicle, sold poorly and was quickly stopped. The luxury Vel Satis model also didn't do well. However, its design inspired the popular second-generation Mégane. Besides its unique style, Renault also became known for car safety, earning high ratings from Euro NCAP. In 2001, the Laguna got a five-star rating, followed by the Modus in 2004. Renault also gained control of AvtoVAZ in 2008.

In April 2010, Renault–Nissan announced a partnership with Daimler. Renault provided Mercedes-Benz with a new 1.6-liter turbo-diesel engine, and Mercedes-Benz provided a 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine to Renault–Nissan. This new partnership aimed to develop a replacement for the Smart car, based on the Twingo.

In February 2010, Renault opened a new factory near Tangier, Morocco, that could make 170,000 vehicles a year. It first made the Dacia Lodgy and Dacia Dokker models, followed by the second-generation Dacia Sandero in October 2013. The factory's capacity increased to 340,000 vehicles per year with a second production line. This factory is in a special free trade area and is designed to produce zero carbon and industrial liquid waste. Over 100,000 vehicles were made there in 2013. Renault plans to increase production at the Tangier plant to 400,000 vehicles per year.

In the 2010s, Renault worked harder to gain market share in China. In 2013, it formed a joint company with Dongfeng Motor Group called Dongfeng Renault. In December 2017, it signed a deal with Brilliance Auto to create a new joint company (Renault Brilliance Jinbei) to make light commercial vehicles and minivans. In December 2018, Renault announced it would buy a large share in JMCG's electric vehicle company, JMEV. In July 2019, Renault took a 50% majority share of JMEV. In April 2020, Renault announced it would leave the Dongfeng Renault company.

In December 2012, Algeria's National Investment Fund, SNVI, and Renault signed a deal to build a factory near Oran, Algeria, to make Symbol cars starting in 2014. The Algerian government owns 51% of this factory.

In September 2013, Renault launched its brand in Indonesia, aiming to become one of the top European brands there by 2016. The models sold at launch included the Duster (assembled locally), the Koleos, and the Mégane RS. Later, the Clio and the Captur were also added.

In April 2015, the French government increased its share in Renault from 15% to 19.73% to prevent a change that could reduce its control over the company. In 2017, the government sold shares and returned to a 15% stake as agreed with Renault.

In 2016, Renault changed its view on small diesel cars in Europe. They became much more expensive to update for new emissions rules after the Volkswagen emissions scandal. Renault believed that by 2020, many small and some mid-sized cars would no longer be diesels. However, in January 2017, Renault's shares fell because a French prosecutor started an investigation into possible exhaust emissions cheating. The company later recalled 15,000 cars for emission testing and repairs. Renault, along with other car companies, was accused of cheating on tests for NO
x pollution from diesel cars. Independent tests showed that some diesel vehicles, including the Renault Espace, released more than 10 times the legal limit of nitrogen oxide (NO
x ) under normal driving. Renault denied any wrongdoing, stating they followed French and European rules.

In November 2018, Renault's CEO, Carlos Ghosn, was arrested in Japan for allegedly not reporting his Nissan salary correctly. Renault's shares fell more than 15% after the arrest. After Ghosn's arrest, Thierry Bolloré became the acting CEO. In January 2019, after Ghosn resigned, Renault appointed Jean-Dominique Senard as chairman and Bolloré as CEO. In October 2019, Bolloré was fired and replaced by Clotilde Delbos as acting CEO. In January 2020, Renault announced that Luca de Meo would be its new CEO, starting on July 1.

COVID Effects and Company Changes (2019–Present)

In May 2020, Renault announced a plan to cut costs by eliminating 15,000 jobs worldwide (about 10% of its staff) due to falling sales and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In January 2021, as part of a company reorganization, Renault said it would divide its car business into four units: Renault, Dacia and Lada, Alpine, and Mobilize (for new "mobility services").

On February 15, 2021, Renault launched the SUV Kiger in India.

In April 2021, Renault reported that its revenue fell by 1.1% from the start of 2021 until March. It announced plans to reduce car production and focus on models that bring in more profit.

In November 2022, Renault announced plans to create a separate company for electric car development, temporarily called Ampère. It also plans to create a joint company called Horse with Geely to produce and develop engines (including gasoline and hybrid systems).

In January 2023, Renault said it would transfer almost 30% of its controlling share in Nissan to a French trust. This would reduce Renault's voting shares to 15% and give Nissan voting rights in Renault. The two companies also agreed on Nissan investing in Ampere and working on projects in different markets. In February 2023, both companies approved these changes. The share transfer was completed in November 2023.

Innovations

• 1899: Louis Renault invented a new "direct drive" gear system that worked much better for going uphill.
• 1963: The Renault 8 was the first mass-produced car with disc brakes on all four wheels.
• 1980: Renault patented a "Braking distribution device for total adherence" to improve braking.
• 1988: CARMINAT, a system for real-time location and weather information, was introduced. These innovations are now part of Renault's R-link system and Carminat TomTom devices.

Motorsport

Renault started taking part in motorsport in the early 1900s, encouraged by Marcel Renault's interest in racing. Over the years, the company bought other sports-related companies like Gordini and Alpine.

In the 1970s, Renault created a special motorsport division called Renault Sport. In 1978, they won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race with the Renault Alpine A442. Renault has also been very successful in both rallying and Formula One racing.

The company has also supported various racing series for single-seater cars, such as Formula Renault and the Formula Renault 3.5. These series have helped thousands of drivers, including Formula One champions like Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, start their careers.

Renault Sport designs and makes the Renault Sport-badged cars, like the Renault Clio RS and the Renault Mégane RS. These cars hold world records in their categories and have won awards from car magazines.

Formula One

Renault brought the turbo engine to Formula One when their first car, the Renault RS01, debuted at Silverstone in 1977. The Renault team raced until 1986. From 1989, Renault supplied engines for the very successful Williams-Renault cars.

Renault took over the Benetton Formula team in 2000 for the 2001 season and renamed it Renault F1 in 2002. In 2005 and 2006, the team won the Constructors' and Drivers' titles with Fernando Alonso.

Renault engines powered the winning 2010 Red Bull Racing team. In December 2010, Renault sold its remaining share in its old team, ending its direct role in running a Formula One team for the second time.

Renault bought the Enstone-based team again for the 2016 season, renaming it Renault. In 2021, the team was renamed Alpine F1 Team and became part of the new Alpine business unit, with Renault still providing the engines.

Rallying

Renault has been involved in rallying since its early days. Marcel Renault won the 1902 Rallye Paris-Vienna, but he died while competing in the 1903 Paris-Madrid rally.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Renault made several small cars with rear-wheel drive, like the 4CV, the R8, and the Dauphine. These cars were well-suited for rallies at the time. The tuner Amedee Gordini helped improve their performance. In the 1950s, the Renault Dauphine won several international rallies, including the 1956 Mille Miglia and the 1958 Monte Carlo Rally.

In 1973, Renault took control of Automobiles Alpine, a company it had worked with for years. Alpine was known for building successful rally cars like the A110. A highly improved A110 won the first World Rally Championship, representing Alpine-Renault.

In 1976, Alpine's competition department and the Gordini factory were combined into Renault Sport. The focus shifted to Formula One, but Renault still achieved several victories, including the 1981 Monte Carlo Rally with the Renault 5 Turbo, before leaving world rally racing in late 1994.

Renault cars also take part in cross-country races, most notably the Dakar Rally. The Marreau brothers won the 1982 edition driving a Renault 20 Turbo 4x4 prototype.

Later, Renault provided a Megane platform and sponsored the Schlesser-Renault Elf buggies that won the 1999 and 2000 editions. The 1999 car was the first two-wheel drive vehicle to win the Dakar.

Renaults have won the European Rally Championship four times: in 1970, 1999, 2004, and 2005.

Financial Data

Financial data in € billions

Year	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Revenue	40.932	41.055	45.327	51.243	58.770	57.419	55.537	43.474	41.659	46.328	52.376
Net income	0.695	1.998	2.960	3.543	5.210	3.302	-141	-8.046	967	-0.716	2.315
Assets	74.992	81.551	90.605	102.103	109.943	114.996	122.171	115.737	113.740	118.319	121.913
Employees	121,807	117,395	120,136	124,849	181,344	183,002	179,565	170,158	156,466	105,812	105,497

Production

The Renault group makes cars, light utility vehicles, and parts for Renault, Dacia, Alpine, Mobilize, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mercedes, and Polestar.

Vehicle Production in 2023

Here's where Renault group vehicles were produced in 2023:

• Mioveni (Romania): 322,086 units
• Tangier (Morocco): 287,860 units
• Bursa (Oyak Renault, Türkiye): 284,040 units
• Curitiba (Brazil): 178,332 units
• Valladolid (Spain): 172,733 units
• Batilly (France, Sovab): 150,260 units
• Sandouville (France): 131,426 units
• Palencia (Spain): 129,567 units
• ElectriCity Maubeuge (France, Ampere): 123,149 units
• Busan (South Korea): 100,503 units
• Casablanca (Morocco): 94,801 units
• Córdoba (Argentina): 83,586 units
• Chennai (India, RNAIPL): 67,266 units
• Novo Mesto (Slovenia): 60,881 units
• Shiyan (eGT-NEV, partner in China): 54,119 units
• ElectriCity Douai (France, Ampere): 51,486 units
• Bursa (Türkiye, with Karsan otomative): 41,327 units
• Envigado (Colombia): 34,712 units
• Flins (France): 16,679 units
• Dieppe (France, Alpine): 4,708 units
• Oran (Algeria): 2,456 units

Total: 2,391,977 vehicles

Engine Production in 2023

Here's where Renault group engines were produced in 2023:

• Valladolid (Spain): 969,502
• Cléon (France): 665,129 (both gasoline/diesel and electric)
• Mioveni (Romania): 345,121
• Curitiba (Brazil): 217,866
• Bursa (Türkiye): 210,754
• Busan (South Korea): 96,527

Total: 2,504,899 engines

Gearbox Production in 2023

Here's where Renault group gearboxes were produced in 2023:

• Seville (Spain): 596,576
• Cacia (Portugal): 526,627
• Mioveni (Romania): 278,509
• Cléon (France): 239,990
• Los Andes (Chile): 189,529
• Bursa (Türkiye): 71,895

Total: 1,903,126 gearboxes

Corporate Structure

Renault's main office is in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. This location is close to where the first Renault factories were built in 1898.

Renault is managed by a board of directors, an executive committee, and a management committee. As of January 2019, the board included Jean-Dominique Senard (chairman), Cherie Blair, and others. Clotilde Delbos was the acting CEO.

Products and Technologies

Best-selling Renault Group models in 2023 including Dacia marque
Rank	Model	Sales
1	Dacia/Renault Sandero	308,781
2	Renault Clio	295,325
3	Dacia/Renault Duster	256,722
4	Renault Captur	159,562
5	Renault Trafic	128,041
6	Renault Kwid	112,472
7	Renault Master	107,005
8	Renault Trafic	106,400
9	Dacia Jogger	94,128
10	Renault Megane	87,614

Current Car Models

Here are some of the current car models made by Renault, with their introduction year:

• Clio (1990–present; hatchback)
• Twingo (1992–present; hatchback)
• Mégane (1995–present; hatchback, estate)
  • Mégane E-Tech Electric (2021–present; crossover SUV)
• Kangoo (1997–present; also sold as Mercedes-Benz Citan and Nissan Townstar)
• Twizy (2012–present)
• Zoe (2012–present; hatchback)
• Captur (2013–present)
• Duster Oroch (Latin America only) (2015–present; pick-up)
• Kwid (China, India, Latin America only) (2015–present; hatchback)
• Alaskan (Latin America only) (2016–present; pick-up)
• Triber (India only) (2019–present; mini MPV)
• Kiger (India only) (2021–present)
• Taliant (Africa, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East only) (2021–present; a restyled Dacia Logan)
• Austral (2022–present)

Dacia vehicles, sold in some markets under the Renault brand:

• Logan (2004–present)
• Sandero (2008–present)
• Duster (2009–present)

Renault Samsung vehicles, sold in some markets under the Renault brand:

• Koleos (2008–present; Renault Samsung QM5/QM6)
• Arkana (2020–present; Renault Samsung XM3)

Renault light commercial vehicles:

• Master (1980–present; also sold as Nissan Interstar)
• Trafic (1980–present; also sold as Mitsubishi Express and Nissan Primastar)
• Kangoo (1997–present; also sold as Mercedes-Benz Citan and Nissan Townstar)
• Express (2021–present; also sold as Mercedes-Benz Citan and Nissan Townstar)

Dacia light commercial vehicles, sold in some markets under the Renault brand:

• Dokker (2012–present)
• Duster Commercial (2017–present)

Concept Cars

Renault concept cars show what future designs and technologies might look like. Since 2008, Renault has shown several all-electric car concepts called "Z.E." (for zero emission). This started with a concept based on the Renault Kangoo Be Bop. More concepts followed, leading to the production of the Renault Fluence Z.E. car in 2011 and the Renault Zoe in 2012.

Renault showed the Ondelios hybrid concept in 2008, but then focused on the Z.E. electric car program. However, Renault presented a new hybrid car in September 2014, the Eolab. This car included many new ideas that the company said would be added to production models by 2020.

In 2014, at the New Delhi Auto Show, Renault announced a new model, the Kwid Concept, which came with a helicopter drone.

Electric Vehicles

In 2013, Renault became the top seller of electric vehicles in Europe, thanks to its wide range of models (Twizy, Zoe, Fluence, Kangoo). The Renault Zoe was Europe's best-selling all-electric car in 2015 and 2016. Global Zoe sales reached 50,000 units by June 2016 and 150,000 units by June 2019. The total sales of Groupe Renault electric vehicles passed 100,000 units in September 2016. Since the start of Renault's electric program, the Group has sold over 273,550 electric vehicles worldwide by December 2019.

Starting in 2008, Renault made deals for its planned zero-emission products in places like Israel, Portugal, Denmark, and parts of the US. Serge Yoccoz is the director for the electric vehicle project.

In 2008, Renault–Nissan signed a deal to make electric cars for an initiative in Israel with Better Place, a US company building new transport systems. Renault aimed to sell 10,000–20,000 cars a year in Israel. Renault also agreed to develop batteries that could be easily swapped out for the project. Renault worked with Better Place to create a network of all-electric vehicles and thousands of charging stations in Denmark, planned to be ready by 2011. The Renault Fluence Z.E. was chosen for the Israel project. It was the first zero-emission vehicle with a swappable battery. Renault ended the partnership in 2013 after Better Place went bankrupt.

Renault–Nissan and the largest French electric utility, Électricité de France (EDF), signed a deal to promote electric vehicles in France. They planned to test projects on battery management and charging. Renault–Nissan also signed deals with Ireland's Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and in Milton Keynes as part of the UK's national project.

We have decided to introduce zero-emission vehicles as quickly as possible in order to ensure individual mobility against the background of high oil prices and better environmental protection

According to Ghosn, the Renault–Nissan alliance was very important for developing electric cars. They needed each other for things like battery making, charging stations, and business plans.

I don't think either Renault or Nissan would have been able to launch an EV alone successfully. You can have an electric car alone. But what you cannot have is an EV business system, from batteries to recycling to cars to infrastructure to negotiation, by being alone.

The Renault–Nissan group is a member of the PHEV Research Center. In September 2013, Renault and Bolloré announced a deal to work together on a new electric vehicle and a car-sharing project.

In 2021, Renault launched a new electric vehicle and mobility brand called Mobilize. They showed a prototype for a small electric car called the EZ-1, similar to the Twizy. Renault Group also invested in a new company called Verkor, which will develop EV batteries and plans to build a large battery factory in France around 2026.

By 2025, Renault plans to produce 400,000 electric vehicles each year.

Eco² Cars

In 2007, Renault introduced a new line of environmentally friendly cars called eco². These cars used at least 5% recycled plastic, and 95% of their materials could be reused. Eco² cars had CO² emissions of no more than 140g/km, or they could use biofuel. At the 2008 Fleet World Honours, Renault received the Environment Award.

R-Link System

The R-Link infotainment system, developed by Renault, is used in Renault's vehicles. It was ranked first in a study on how easy it is for users to access. R-Link received 85% user satisfaction.

Autonomous Vehicles

Renault plans to introduce autonomous vehicle technology by 2020. The company showed a prototype, the Next Two (based on the Zoe), in February 2014.

Vehicle Design

Design History

Early "Pre-Design" Era

In its early years, Renault only made the car's chassis, while other companies called coachbuilders completed the bodywork. The first car with a Renault-designed body was the "Taxi de la Marne" in 1905. Most Renault-made bodies were simple and practical until the Reinastella was shown in 1928. In the 1930s, Renault developed sleek, aerodynamic cars like the Viva Grand Sport. In the 1950s, the company worked with Ghia designers.

Renault Styling Department

In 1961, with help from designer Philippe Charbonneaux, the company created Renault Styling as a design department. Gaston Juchet led it from 1963. In 1975, Robert Opron became chief designer, and Renault Styling was split into groups for Interior, Exterior, and Advanced Design.

In the 1960s, a computer-aided design (CAD) system called UNISURF was introduced. This was led by Pierre Bézier, who worked at Renault and made Bézier curves famous.

Industrial Design Department

In 1987, Renault named Patrick le Quément as chief designer and created the Industrial Design Department. This new division used more technology and staff. Renault gave it the same importance as Engineering and Product Planning in developing new products.

Le Quément was known for bold designs like the Mégane II and the Vel Satis, which gave Renault a more consistent and stylish look. In 1995, Design and Quality departments were combined under le Quément. Later, the new department moved to the Technocentre, which also became the main place for Engineering and Product Planning. The group was organized into three parts: Car Design; Truck, LCV, and Bus Design; and Concept Cars and Advanced Design. Over the next years, satellite design centers opened in Spain (1999), Paris (2000), South Korea (2003), Romania (2007), India (2007), Brazil (2008), and China (2019).

At the end of 2009, Laurens van den Acker replaced le Quément. He introduced the "cycle of life" idea to Renault's design.

Engineering and Product Planning

Most of Renault's engineering was spread out until 1998, when the Technocentre became the main engineering facility. There are still satellite centers, including Renault Technologies Americas (in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico), Renault Technologies Romania (in Morocco, Russia, Slovenia, and Turkey), and Renault Technologies Spain (in Portugal). As of 2013, Renault's engineering section had over 6,500 employees worldwide. Engine development is handled by a special division, Renault Powertrains. Overseas engineering is growing, and research and design teams work on adapting existing vehicles for local needs and budgets.

As of 2014, Engineering and Product Planning are led by Gaspar Gascon Abellan and Philippe Klein, respectively.

Technocentre

The Renault Technocentre is the main research and development facility. It is located in Guyancourt, France. It covers 150 hectares (370 acres) and includes all departments involved in developing products and how they are made (design, engineering, and product planning), as well as representatives from suppliers. The Technocentre has over 8,000 employees and three main parts: The Advance Precinct, The Hive, and the prototype build center. The Advance Precinct has design studios. The Hive is the tallest building and holds research and engineering facilities for developing new vehicles. The prototype build center is an extension of The Hive.

The Technocentre was one of the first places to have real-time, life-size 3D modeling systems.

Renault Tech

Renault Tech is a part of Renault Sport Technologies, located in Les Ulis, France. It was started in 2008 and is responsible for changing cars and vans for special uses, such as cars for people with disabilities, driving school cars, and cars for business fleets.

Subsidiaries and Alliances

Top 10 Groupe Renault vehicle sales by country, 2019
Rank	Location	Vehicle sales	Market share
1	France	698,723	25.9%
2	Russia	508,647	29.0%
3	Germany	247,155	6.3%
4	Brazil	239,174	9.0%
5	Italy	220,403	10.5%
6	Spain	183,264	12.4%
7	China	179,494	0.7%
8	United Kingdom	109,952	4.1%
9	India	88,869	2.5%
10	South Korea	86,859	5.0%

Including AvtoVAZ sales

Including Jinbei and Huasong sales

Subsidiaries (Companies Owned by Renault)

Regional Brands

Dacia

In 1999, Renault bought a 51% controlling share of the Romanian car maker Automobile Dacia. This share later increased to 99.43%. Dacia is now a regional brand within the Renault group, focusing on affordable cars for Europe and Northern Africa. Many Dacia models are similar to Renault models.

Renault Samsung Motors

Renault bought the car division of Samsung in 2000. Most of the cars made at its Busan plant are exported under the Renault name. In April 2024, the company was renamed Renault Korea and became an assembly subsidiary, aligning its marketing with the Renault brand.

RCI Banque

RCI Banque is a company fully owned by Renault. It provides financial services for Renault brands worldwide and for Nissan brands in Europe, Russia, and South America.

Renault Retail Group

Renault Retail Group is Renault's own car distributor for Europe. It sells cars in France, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the UK, and other countries.

Manufacturing Factories

French Factories

Factories Outside France

Alliances (Working with Other Companies)

Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance

For many years, Renault owned a large share (43.4%) in Nissan, which gave it control. Nissan, in turn, owned a 15% share in Renault (without voting rights). As of November 2023, Renault owns 15% of Nissan shares with voting rights. It has more shares in a French trust that it can use for voting in certain situations.

Besides sharing engines and working together on electric car technology, Nissan also increased its presence in Europe by selling various Renault van models under the Nissan brand. Some passenger cars have also been rebadged, like the Renault Clio-based Nissan Platina in Brazil. The "Renault Production System" used by all Renault factories was inspired by the "Nissan Production Way," which helped Renault improve its productivity by 15%.

In March 2010, the Renault-Nissan alliance opened its first joint factory in Chennai, India. This factory builds the Nissan Micra. The Renault Fluence and Renault Koleos are also assembled there. Because of this new factory, Renault ended its five-year joint venture with Mahindra & Mahindra in India.

Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi and Daimler Alliance

On April 7, 2010, the CEOs of Renault-Nissan and Daimler AG announced a partnership. Daimler bought a 3.10% share in Renault-Nissan, and Renault and Nissan each bought a 1.55% share in Daimler.

American Motors Alliance

In 1979, Renault made a deal with American Motors Corporation (AMC) to sell cars in the US. A year later, Renault bought a 22.5% share in AMC. This wasn't the first time they worked together. In the early 1960s, Renault assembled and sold Ramblers in France. In 1982, Renault increased its share in AMC to 46.4%. The Renault Alliance/Encore (versions of the Renault 9 and 11) started being made in the US. But after AMC's continued problems, Renault left the US market in 1987 and sold its share to Chrysler.

Awards

Renault models have won the European Car of the Year award six times:

• 1966: Renault 16
• 1982: Renault 9
• 1991: Renault Clio
• 1997: Renault Scénic
• 2003: Renault Mégane II
• 2006: Renault Clio III

Renault cars have also won many national awards in Spain, Australia, Ireland, the United States, Denmark, and other countries. Renault and its Dacia brand have won three "Autobest" car of the year awards for the Duster, Logan, and Symbol models.

In 2016, Renault received an award for its Art Collection, which inspired the creativity of its car designers.

Marketing and Branding

Renault sells its products under five main brands: Renault, Lada, Dacia, Renault Samsung Motors, and Alpine.

Renault Badge

Renault's first badge was introduced in 1900 and showed the intertwined initials of the Renault brothers. When the company started mass production in 1906, it used a gear-shaped logo with a car inside. After World War I, the company used a logo showing an FT tank. In 1923, it introduced a new circle-shaped badge, which was replaced by the "diamond" or lozenge shape in 1925. The diamond shape of Renault represents the brand's strong and consistent image.

The Renault diamond logo has changed many times. To make its image more modern, Renault asked Victor Vasarely to design a new logo in 1972. This new logo kept the diamond shape. The design was later updated to match the rounder shapes of the brand's new car styles. The current badge has been used since 1992.

The logo for web and print was updated three times after that. In 2002, a more realistic version inside a yellow rectangle was made, which is still used as the Renault Trucks logo (but in red). In 2004, the logo got the Renault Identité typeface. In 2007, a version with the wordmark and logo inside a square was created.

In April 2015, Renault introduced new designs to show the difference between the company and the car brand, as part of the 'Passion for life' campaign. The new brand logo replaced the yellow background with a yellow stripe. A new font was also introduced. A company logo was revealed in 2015, including Renault, Dacia, and Renault Samsung Motors.

In January 2021, a new flat diamond logo was introduced with the Renault 5 Prototype electric concept car. This logo received so much positive feedback that Renault officially made it their new logo in March 2021. They plan to use the new diamond on many online platforms in June 2021, and the first car model with the new logo will be shown in 2022.

The yellow color associated with the company first appeared in the diamond badge of 1946, when Renault became a national company.

• 

  Logo of Renault from 1923 to 1925

• 

  Logo of Renault from 1925 to 1946

• 

  Logo of Renault from 1946 to 1959

• 

  Logo of Renault from 1959 to 1971

• 

  Logo of Renault from 1971 to 1972 (This logo was not used because it is considered as a copy of the logo of the company Kent)

• 

  Logo of Renault from 1972 to 1981 (Vasarely Logo)

• 

  Logo of Renault from 1981 to 1992

• 

  Logo of Renault from 1992 to 2004

• 

  Logo of Renault from 2004 to 2007

• 

  Logo of Renault from 2007 to 2015

• 

  Logo of Renault from 2015 to 2021 (still used as a badge)

• 

  Logo of Renault since 2021

• 

  Groupe Renault logo up to 2021 (as distinct from the Renault diamond used for the brand)

• 

  Renault Group logo from 2021 onwards

Typefaces (Fonts)

Renault MN

Both the Renault logo and its documents (technical and sales) historically used Renault MN, a special font designed by the British company Wolff Olins. This font family was mainly designed to save costs when using different fonts was expensive.

Renault Identité

In 2004, French font designer Jean-François Porchez was asked to create a new font. This was shown in October of that year and was called Renault Identité.

Helvetica

Since 2007, as part of a design update, all graphic advertising uses Helvetica Neue Condensed.

Renault Life

The Renault Life font family was created by Fontsmith Limited, based on their FS Hackney font family.

L'Atelier Renault Paris

Renault's main showroom, L'Atelier Renault, is on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. It opened in November 2000. The first Renault place at this location was the Magasin Renault in 1910, which was a pioneering car showroom.

L'Atelier has a Renault shop and regular exhibitions featuring Renault and Dacia cars. There's a fancy restaurant on the second floor with a view of the Champs-Élysées. The ground floor can hold up to five exhibitions at once. By March 2009, 20 million people had visited L'Atelier Renault.

Renault Classic

Renault Classic is a department within Renault that collects, preserves, and displays important vehicles from the company's history. The collection was put together in 2002, and its workshops officially opened on April 24, 2003.

Music in Advertising

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Renault's European advertisements often used Robert Palmer's song "Johnny and Mary". TV ads first used Palmer's original version, and later, different versions of the song were made, including an acoustic one by Martin Taylor.

Sponsorships

Renault has sponsored films as an advertising method since 1899. A Renault Voiturette Type A, driven by Louis Renault, appeared in one of the early films by the Lumière brothers. Between 1914 and 1940, the company ordered a series of documentary films to promote its industrial work. Renault also supported some films set in Africa in the 1920s to show how reliable its products were in tough conditions. Since 1983, the company has sponsored the Cannes Film Festival and other festivals like the Venice Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival.

Through its foundations and institutes, Renault supports projects around the world that focus on education (through scholarships), road safety, and diversity.

See also

In Spanish: Renault para niños

• Tanks in France