Renault is taking another stroll through its rich performance history, unveiling the Renault 8 Gordini Concept, an all-electric reinterpretation of one of France’s most beloved sports sedans.
The two-seat concept made its debut earlier this week at the Renault Carwalk event and will appear next month at the Paris Motor Show. Renault calls it a design exercise intended to explore how the original Gordini could be translated into the electric era.
The Renault 8 Gordini occupies a special place in the company’s history. Introduced in 1964, the compact rear-engine rear-wheel-drive sedan gave ordinary enthusiasts access to an attainable racing machine. The 95-hp sedan also became the training ground for generations of French racing drivers, including rally icon Jean Ragnotti, and it introduced the instantly recognizable twin white racing stripes that would become synonymous with Renault performance.
The new concept doesn’t bear much resemblance to the four-door original, which stood much more upright. Instead, Renault gives the two-door concept a more low-slung stance. It measures 13.5 feet long, with dramatically widened fenders, 19-inch front wheels, and 20-inch rear wheels — proportions that resemble a modern rally car more than a 1960s economy sedan.
It’s also an EV, with a 270-hp electric motor driving the rear wheels, preserving the layout that helped define the original Gordini.
Renault did give it a number of visual references to its predecessor despite the fundamentally different body design. Six round headlights recall the rally lights fitted to competition Renault 8 Gordinis, while the squared-off wheel arches, full-width cowl vent, shell-style mirrors, and the famous twin white stripes all return in modernized form. Even the signature Gordini blue paint has been recreated to evoke the original Bleu de France.
Inside, the car sports a minimalist “café racer” look. Brushed aluminum replaces much of the conventional trim, while Alcantara and blue corduroy upholstery reference the original car’s plain bucket seats. Round digital instruments mimic classic analog gauges, and the cockpit has been stripped down to keep the driver’s focus on the road.
The concept is the latest in a series of heritage-inspired Renault projects that includes the Renault 5 Diamant art car, the R17 electric restomod created with designer Ora Ïto, and the upcoming Renault 5 Turbo 3E. Renault says the concept also previews part of its future heritage strategy. Once it completes its auto museum in Flins, France, in a little over a year from now, the Renault 8 Gordini Concept will join the company’s growing collection of historic vehicles and concept cars on permanent display.
