Time Traveling Car Show : Renault 5 Diamant

This car show is the result of a collaboration between Renault and designer Pierre Gonalons. He reinterpreted the historic model in his own way, with an electrical retrofit.

While waiting for the all-new electric Renault R5, planned for 2024, Renault is having fun with the old one, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022. As part of the celebrations for this anniversary, the diamond brand has just presented a show car . Named “5 Diamond”, it links the past and the future. The base is the original model, but this time the vehicle is equipped with an electric motor, as will be the case for the new R5.

For this unique model, Renault teamed up with Pierre Gonalons, designer and architect. The latter thus shows his vision of “the car of the future, by merging the codes of the automobile with those of interior decoration”. Coincidence or not, the project plays on two sides: the popular aspect of the original car and the chic side, brought by Pierre Gonalons. And this big gap could well be attempted by the next R5 at the heart of its range.

The designer had carte blanche. If he kept the silhouette of the electric R5, he did not hesitate to review the front part. His desire was to purify the design, for example with a smooth bumper. The headlights retain a rectangular appearance, but have been detached from the bodywork to be put forward. Headlights and lights are faceted like precious stones.

The large wheels, from the Alpine model, have also been revised to have a smooth look. This R5 is covered with a three-layer paint, made of gold pigments on a pink base. A frosted varnish allows the effects to change depending on the brightness (golden reflections in the sun and a bluer shade in the shadows). 

On board, Pierre Gonalons has also focused on purity, as can be seen, for example, in the door trim reduced to a minimum. But the strong element is of course the steering wheel, a sort of spring, promised to be perfectly functional! It is produced with marble on carbon. The instrumentation here is made up of three round digital counters. In the center of the dashboard, a housing to accommodate the driver's smartphone, which thus acts as a GPS. Another very techno touch: a fingerprint reader unlocks the doors!

Renault and Pierre Gonalons called on renowned French craftsmen for the trim. Examples: the horsehair fabric on the dashboard is manufactured by the company Le Crin, a craftsman who masters the manual weaving of horsehair, the mohair wool floor mat is produced by Pinton, one of the last tapestry manufacturers of French art.

Did this little retro gem catch your eye? Please note that it will be put up for auction in a few weeks. The profits will go to Give Me 5, Renault's new project dedicated to younger generations through sport and music.