Who of you remembers the Renault 17? A small sports coupe that was built from 1971 to 1979 and combined pretty much all the design elements that defined the 1970s.
Image: renault.fr
I remember the car well.
I found it horrible.
Far too many unnecessary, fiddly styling gimmicks tacked onto an already angular and ugly overall shape, I thought at the time.
Image: renault.fr
At that time.
Today I look at the Renault 17 and think: This thing has aged amazingly well. What seemed bulky and ugly back then is now considered classic and iconic…
… which of course shows once again that design and aesthetic sensibility must always be understood in context. With the relentless passage of time, many abominations have been transformed into design icons.
And now look what Renault did with the R17:
Image: renault.fr
“Restomod“ is the key word here. “Restoration” and “modification”: the classic charm of a vintage car is combined with modern materials and the latest technology. With a restomod, the old design is largely retained, but the technology is improved. More power. Better brakes. Better handling thanks to more modern suspension and shock absorbers. And above all: greater reliability.
Image: renault.fr
Image: renault.fr
With the R17 Electric Restomod x Ora Ïto – that’s the official name of the vehicle – Renault isn’t doing things by halves. As the name suggests, the drive is fully electric, and the design language was dictated by furniture and interior designer and architect Ora Ïto.
Image: renault.fr
Image: renault.fr
The body is made of carbon and painted in the specially created color “Galactic Brown”.
Image: renault.fr
The electric motor delivers 270 hp and a range of 400 km.
Image: renault.fr
LEDs replace the original iodine headlights. And other details have also been revised. However, the side air vents on the rear vent windows typical of the Renault 17 have been retained.
Image: renault.fr
Inside, Ora Ïto wanted to retain many of the original design elements but add a modern touch.
Image: renault.fr
The controls are digital, but the structure of the seats and their covers are strongly reminiscent of furniture and interior design from the 1970s.
Image: renault.fr
The steering wheel has a rectangular shape – a styling element that is reminiscent of another design icon of the 1970s, the Austin Allegro.
Image: renault.fr
Image: renault.fr
Well, the electric R17 is of course a concept car and therefore not intended for mass production. Unfortunately. Because it shows what would be possible. In an age of automotive uniformity, in which clunky SUVs are the norm, it shows that elegant retro car design combined with functionality would be possible.
Image: renault.fr
It shows what we actually deserve: a little more aesthetics in everyday life.
