Why classic car fans should make a pilgrimage to the Airshow (AIR14 Payerne)
The Swiss Air Force is celebrating its 100th anniversary on the two weekends of 30/31 August and 6/7 September 2014 and is organizing Europe's largest air show of the year: AIR14 in Payerne (VD), located between Bern and Yverdon. On the second weekend of AIR14, September 6/7, the organizers are expecting a very large number of visitors. And thanks to the Renault exhibition 115 Years of Car Passion, vintage car fans will also find the event worth a visit.
Three milestone birthdays will be celebrated: 100 years of the Swiss Air Force, 50 years of Patrouille Suisse and 25 years of the PC-7 TEAM. The fascination of technology and performance, gravity and aerodynamics takes place in the air above Payerne, but also on the ground! As the official mobility partner of AIR14, Renault is presenting a unique selection of automotive gems representing 115 years of passion and performance: from the legendary sports cars to the "shooting star", the "Étoile filante" with jet propulsion, to the current model range with the limited special series Megane R.S. 275 Trophy AIR14.
The Renault exhibits create a connection, a space between heaven and earth that is difficult to grasp, but all the more fascinating and inspiring. This applies to the flying space in which the pilots at AIR14 demonstrate their mastery of technology in its most beautiful form. But it also applies to phenomena that virtually "fall from the sky". One of these is called "Étoile filante".
Probably the most legendary shooting star on wheels can be found at AIR14 in the Partner Village, in the Renault tent. It is part of an exhibition that is as exclusive as it is fascinating, with which Renault is presenting 115 years of passion in automotive engineering. The centerpiece of the exhibition - the "Étoile filante" - establishes a direct link between heaven and earth. On September 5, 1956, the jet-powered vehicle (270 hp) set the world record with a standing start: 306.9 km/h after 1 kilometer and 308.86 km/h after 5 kilometers. The record stands until haute.
50 years of the Patrouille Suisse and 50 years of the Renault 8 Gordini: the Patrouille Suisse is not the only legend celebrating its 50th birthday in 1964. The Renault 8 Gordini rolled into the limelight 50 years ago and established a new motorsport category with the world's first one-make cup series. With 86 hp, a top speed of 170 km/h and the maneuverability of a go-kart, the sports sedan affectionately known as the "Gorde" easily outperformed even much more powerful vehicles in the 1960s.
Today, the rear-engine design is celebrating its revival in the new Renault Twingo - whose sales in Switzerland will start with the spectacular air show in Payerne - because it enables unparalleled maneuverability with optimum traction, in the spirit of the Renault 8 Gordini. Like the Patrouille de France, the Renault 8 Gordini on display in Payerne demonstrated deep national pride thanks to its French racing color "Bleu France 418" with white double stripes on the trunk lid, roof and hood. The Renault 40 CV with 9000 cm3 engine was also Bleu France.
From the Goodwood Festival of Speed to Payerne: since Renault was founded, performance and innovation have been among the values that have always given the French brand an edge, in motorsport as well as in series production vehicles.
For visitors to AIR14, Renault brought a few more unique and rare cars to Payerne, including the Type K, which won the Paris-Vienna race in 1902, and the Renault 40 CV (with a 9000 cm3 engine!), with which Renault set one record after another. Both cars were shown at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Motorsport fans can admire the following cars: the Alpine A110 Gr. 4, the Formula 1 Lotus-Renault 95T from 1984, the Renault 5 Maxi Turbo Diac from 1985 and the Renault Clio Williams from 1991.
The latter was very successful. The first 2500 units, which were necessary for the registration of the sports version, were sold in no time.
The first 3800 examples of the Renault Clio Williams were numbered on a small plaque, which gave it a collector's value right from its market launch. This one in honor of Formula 1 team boss Frank Williams is equipped with a 16V 2.0 l engine and 150 hp.
Speaking of Formula 1, the special Renault exhibition in Payerne also features a collection of helmets from Renault F1 world champions such as Michael Schumacher, Jacques Villeneuve and Fernando Alonso and, of course, the current Formula 1 Lotus with Renault engine driven by Romain Grosjean from Geneva.
Information about the Airshow Payerne can be found on a specially designed website .
