Let’s take a trip back to the 1970s, when the Renault 17TL Coupé was first introduced. This was Renault’s answer to a French Gran Tourer, a fast touring car, and notably their first front-wheel-drive car. The Renault 17 was an attractive car for its time, but by the late ’70s, it was replaced by the Renault Fuego.
Several decades later, the coupé concept was revived with the Laguna Coupé. Since then, Renault hasn’t really had a coupé model in their lineup—apart from the occasional Megane Coupé.
Sacre Bleu! What have they done?
However, the new design is more reminiscent of Cyberpunk than a retro throwback for some. Based on the original Renault 17 Coupé, Renault’s goal was to create what’s known as a restomod—in other words, how a Renault 17 Coupé might look in 2025.
The designer, Ora ïto, has certainly left his mark on the car, both inside and out.
All out Carbon!
The entire car weighs only 1,400 kg—heavier than the original Renault 17 Coupé, but still quite reasonable for a modern vehicle. Ïto also opted for a full carbon chassis.
Most interestingly, you won’t find a small 1.6-liter petrol engine under the hood. Instead, it’s powered by an electric motor delivering 270 hp, aligning with modern trends.
Whether Renault will build more than this one example remains to be seen, but we can likely expect more modern-retro cars from Renault in the future, beyond the upcoming Renault 5 EV.
Other manufacturers are also following this trend; just last year, Opel unveiled their classic coupé, the Opel Manta EV. The electric Renault 17 Coupé is set to make its debut at this year’s 2024 Paris Motor Show.
