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A breath of fresh air from Paris: Renault Argos in 1994

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Created on August 12, 2025

Text:

Karl Ludvigsen

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Archiv Karl Ludvigsen

32

Archiv Karl Ludvigsen

32

Renault Argos (1994) - With its invitingly open door, the Renault Argos posed among other exotic means of transportation - and was in no way inferior to them

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Renault Argos (1994) - One of the descriptive early sketches by Jean-Pierre Ploué. Earlier designs showed a fabric roof, which Renault ultimately did not realize

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Renault Argos (1994) - As a next step, Ploué produced a rough clay model with the basic dimensions and lines of the as yet unnamed vehicle

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Renault Argos (1994) - sketch by Swedish designer Karine Reikeras, who joined Renault as part of a personnel exchange during the "Renault-Volvo romance"

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Renault Argos (1994) - Foamcore material was used to create the overall volume of the car based on a Twingo bodyshell in order to develop a 1:1 scale interior

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Renault Argos (1994) - After completion of the plaster model, molds were removed and a body was built for assembly on a modified Twingo platform

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Renault Argos (1994) - Renault technicians assemble the vehicle, which is being prepared as a drivable prototype. The fully open sliding doors and the high, protective door sills are clearly visible

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Renault Argos (1994) - The large tailgate is used for fitting on the assembly platform of the Argos-to-be

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Renault Argos (1994) - The very simple dashboard is perfectly color-coordinated with the interplay of exterior and interior design

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Renault Argos (1994) - Technicians fit the grille, which conceals the Twingo technology and gives the Argos a more powerful appearance

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Renault Argos (1994) - The view from above at the rear shows the curved shape of the seat for the third person and the loudspeaker grille of the on-board system

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Renault Argos (1994) - The folding windscreens are clearly visible here. The almond green interior harmonizes with the cream-coloured lower panels and the silver-coloured front and rear sections

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Renault Argos (1994) - Shortly before completion: The grille over the engine is ready, as are the ignition cables to the Twingo engine - perhaps?

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Renault Argos (1994) - From this perspective, the unusual proportions of the Argos become clear and confirm the basis on a modified Twingo platform

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Renault Argos (1994) - This photo was taken at sunset in front of the design center, when the light particularly emphasized the soft, complex shapes of the bodywork

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Renault Argos (1994) - In the G-Studio in Italy: le Quèment next to a 15 cm narrower Argos model, placed next to a clay model from the Twingo development

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Renault Argos (1994) - The Argos prototype is back in the Design Center showroom - in an environment for design analysis and ready for transportation to the Geneva Motor Show

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Renault Argos (1994) - The prototype in the showroom of the Design Center, ready for its journey to the Geneva Motor Show, presented in the midst of the creative environment

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Renault Argos (1994) - Almost the entire team gathers for a group photo at the Renault studio in Boulogne-Billancourt, shortly before the Argos is sent to Geneva for its premiere

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Renault Argos (1994) - Patrick le Quèment presents the prototype to the press and experts at the 1994 Geneva Motor Show. "I can confirm that it remains a vivid memory," he said recently.

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Renault Argos (1994) - The sliding door disappears into the fender

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Renault Argos (1994) - The rims are vaguely reminiscent of the steering wheel of a pirate ship.

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Renault Argos (1994) - I wonder if the USB-C port is inspired by this air intake?

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Renault Argos (1994) - As flat as a futuristic computer mouse

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Renault Argos (1994) - The rear opens like a concert grand piano

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Renault Argos (1994) - Étude de Style pour l'An 2000 par Renault Design

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Renault Argos (1994) - L'Esprit Nouveau

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Renault Argos (1994) - Straightforward down to the last detail

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Renault Argos (1994) - Almost symmetrical geometry

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Renault Argos (1994) - On the Renault stand

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Renault Argos (1994) - The body screws are not just decorative

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Renault Argos (1994) - Elegant curves

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Summary

It was quiet in the halls of the 1994 Geneva Motor Show, one day before the exhibition. A tall man stood for an unusually long time in front of a new concept car. He walked around it, examining the proportions and the materials. The man was Ferdinand Karl Piëch, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG for only a few months. He muttered to himself: "The air must be different in Paris."

This article contains the following chapters

A design is created
The idea becomes tangible
Exterior values
Inner values
Arriving at the destination
What happened next

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

(Translated from English) It was quiet in the halls of the 1994 Geneva Motor Show, one day before the exhibition. A tall man was walking alone, he stopped for an unusually long time in front of a new concept car. He walked around it, examining the unusual proportions, the strange materials, the bold creativity. The man was Ferdinand Karl Piëch, only a few months in office as Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG. Almost as if to himself, he murmured: "The air must be different in Paris." Patrick le Quèment joined Renault in 1987. In 1990, he and his design team moved into the new center in Boulogne-Billancourt - a stone's throw away from the inconspicuous factory where Louis Renault had once built his first car. As usual, le Quèment came into the office early to study the notes on the pinboards - they often revealed what the designers were currently working on.

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