Van den Acker, Renault's Head of Design: "Ironically, electric cars allow us to regain proportions from the 70s and 80s"
The head of the French group's designs argues that creating a new combustion Renault 5 with proportions similar to the classic model would have been impossible, in addition to discussing the Twingo and Gordini shown in Paris.
Laurens Van den Acker is currently the head of the design department at Renault, overseeing the shapes of both concepts and models that eventually reach the market. In an interview with the German media Edison Media, he revealed an interesting fact about retro-styled cars - their proportions can only be reproduced if conceived as 100% electric cars.
Much criticism has been directed towards the Renault 5 and the decision to make it 100% electric instead of combustion like the Clio. The truth is that in terms of sales, the decision validates Renault: the Renault 5 has had such demand at the European level (although it is not leading in registrations of BEVs in Spain) that the Douai plant has had to open a third shift. The same can be said for the Clio, with several very strong years in sales.
The return of the 70s and 80s, only possible with electric cars
Renault is a brand that is doing very well with its retro-styled models - especially the Renault 5 and the Twingo, both electric, although the Alpine A110, both the outgoing model and the one coming soon, can be considered retro to a certain extent. This trend continued with what they showcased at the Paris Motor Show, with the Renault 8 Gordini Concept, the Alpine A310 Vision, and the E-Space concept, a minivan based on the original Espace from 1984.
The weapon of legacy is one that all European manufacturers are using to defend themselves against the superior Chinese wave in terms of technological deployment and economies of scale. Stellantis demonstrated this with its various concepts, also Volkswagen subtly (with the retro dashboard of the ID. Polo, reminiscent of the original Golf and Polo) and even Ford, bringing rally models like the Escort MKI or the Ford RS200 from Group B to the Paris Motor Show.
A combustion Renault 5 with the same shape would be impossible
"Today we have a long wheelbase, short overhangs, and a compact electric motor that leaves room for larger, bolder wheels. Although the new R5 is also slightly taller than the original, the large wheels visually disguise this perfectly. It looks like the old R5, just enlarged by 110 percent," Van den Acker added. He also pointed out the possibility of betting on different icons, taking advantage of the brand's great history that has produced many models over the decades - some of the most remembered in its plants in Valladolid and Palencia.
On three-volume cars and physical buttons vs screens
Another aspect that the Dutch designer mentioned is the blurred body formats over time in favor of the SUV format. One is that of the minivan, which still fits in current times for those seeking space and practicality, as we saw in the E-Space. Another is the ‘notchback’ format like the 8 Gordini, indicating that the three-volume cars are clearly in decline, so seeing a concept like this turned something formerly conventional into something new.
Van den Acker also emphasizes how Renault has maintained physical buttons instead of betting everything on digital screens, a path that many Chinese (and non-Chinese) manufacturers have followed and are now reversing. The designer justifies the decision with a balance, unrelated to the human body itself, with vital functions that are tactile and others that you feel without looking directly at them.
* This news is an AI translation of the original content. Motenic.com is part of Motor.es.
Fuente: Edison