There is still hope
It’s not every day you get invited to the preview of a new concept car. And the name “Renault 8 Gordini Concept” brought back enough memories that I jumped at the chance and traveled to Paris.
Once again, Renault’s designers have delved deep into the brand’s history and, following the Renault R17 Restomod and the production models R4e, R5e, and R5 Turbo 3E Electric, have revived yet another special model from the past: the R8 Gordini.
As is well known, this model was built from 1964 to 1971 and, with around 100 PS, really shook up the lower mid-size segment back then.
Of course, the French designers could have created an SUV-like concept car with 1,000 electric PS, but they stayed fairly true to the spirit of the original R8 Gordini.
Although the Renault 8 Gordini Concept is slightly longer and, above all, significantly wider than the original R8, it has remained compact. Many details are inspired by the old model, and even the interior stays true to the spirit of the ’60s car, doing away with huge displays and other bells and whistles. Of course, there are small LCD screens, but they’re embedded in the concept car’s round gauges.
The concept car’s interior remained surprisingly minimalist, but you immediately feel at home in it. The seats are comfortable and the ergonomics are just right.
The biggest surprise, however, was that you can easily see all four corners of the car from the driver’s seat. When was the last time that happened? These days, it’s practically unheard of.
And when it comes to power, the Renault engineers didn’t “go overboard” either; they cited 270 PS. A production vehicle of this size and with this level of equipment would likely weigh around 1,400 to 1,500 kg these days, so a good power-to-weight ratio would be guaranteed, just as it was 60 years ago.
The only downside: The rear seats were sacrificed, as were the two rear doors—the concept is meant to look even sportier as a coupe. The transformation, however, appears to have been a success.
We aren’t necessarily fans of retro design, but in this case we were positively impressed and would love to take the car for a test drive; however, although the concept car is said to be somewhat drivable (or maneuverable), longer drives weren’t part of the designers’ specifications. What a shame!
All the more reason, though, for us to now wish for a ride in the original R8 Gordini 1300…
P.S. To get us in the mood for a possible future photo shoot, we’ve quickly published a historic test report on the original , complete with period photos, a sales brochure, and the owner’s manual (!).
