To celebrate its third Formula 1 Constructors’ world title, Renault and Red Bull Racing have teamed up to create the limited edition Megane Renaultsport Red Bull Racing RB8.
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Renault has taken its small Twizy EV and surrendered it over to the engineers at its F1 team, the result from which is the Twizy F1 Concept, complete with KERS and F1-inspired performance.
After announcing that it will return to Le Mans after a 35-year hiatus, Alpine-Renault has unveiled its N°36 race car that will make its track debut at the official European Le Mans Series (ELMS) test days at Paul Ricard, France, on March 26-27.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a Formula 1 race car compete against a V8 Supercar race car and a street car, but to make things more fair this time around, each vehicle was given a handicap.
Because Creativity is Overrated
What’s the most important step a manufacturer undertakes when creating a new car? Building a great chassis? Getting the interior ergonomics right? Providing the perfect drivetrain to complement the new product? Nope. All wrong. The really, really important factor for any new car is getting the name right.
All joking aside, a vehicle’s name is very important. Slap a clever name on a car and it can help boost sales. Conversely, choose a bad name for a vehicle, like Probe or Dictator, and it can hurt sales. Manufacturers spend a lot of time and money analyzing potential model names.
Well, that’s usually what happens, but sometimes, the creativity well runs dry. Every now and then a new vehicle receives a name that leaves us all wondering: “Really? That’s all they could think of?” Not to get confused with naming conventions that are just lazy, like Mazda’s numbered sequence or Mercedes-Benz’s lettered sequence. No, we are referring to model names that give the perception maybe the marketing team forgot to show up one day and the engineers were left in charge of naming the new ride. “We are pleased to announce the latest from Hyonbaru Motors, ‘The Car!” Don’t laugh, some the following models are even worse.
For the first time in 35 years, Renault will be competing in the European Le Mans Series this year with its Alpine brand.
Lotus has become the first Formula One team to unveil its race car for the 2013 season, the E21.
Last year, Nissan announced plans to revive its Datsun nameplate for new and emerging markets, specializing in budget cars that could be as cheap as $3,000 in certain countries.
Recently, the new Smart Forfour mule was spied testing, and the automaker plans to release its new compact four-seater by 2014.
With the recent announcement that Caterham and Renault have joined forces, Caterham is considering powering its Seven model with powerplants supplied by Renault.
Renault and Caterham will revive the Alpine badge, which will adorn new sports cars that the brands will design and build together.
In the never-ending search for more fuel efficient engines that offer respectable performance, Mercedes-Benz is co-developing new four-cylinder powerplants with Renault.
Renault’s sports car caught made a splash big enough to justify production, or so it seems.
We may never seem them on our shores, but there are a few honorable mentions from French automakers on display at the Paris Motor Show.
The alliance of Renault-Nissan and Daimler have just announced a collaboration project that will focus on building new fuel-efficient powertrains.
The first Pope to prioritize environmental issues, His Holiness Benedict XVI now has a Popemobile St. Francis of Assisi would approve of.
Entering its third generation and built in partnership with French automaker Renault, spy photos of the next Smart ForTwo have just surfaced.
10.Honda Civic Hatchback
We might have some fancy cars over here in the USA, but there are quite a few vehicles overseas that we can’t help but think are desperately missing from our shores. More than a few are niche market models perfect for auto-enthusiasts, while others are more stylish or practical than what’s currently available in the US. And some are both.
Managing to look different than any sports concept today but still exotic, the Renault Alpine A110-50 concept broke free of still pictures and graced our screens in motion.
Pictures of the Renault Alpine A110-50 supercar have leaked onto the internet, giving you a preview of what to expect at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix when the car is publicly unveiled.