Currently reading: Dramatic new Renault Coupe Corbusier concept revealed

New concept car created to honour the work of architect Le Corbusier

A bold new Renault concept car has been created to celebrate 50 years since the death of France’s best-known 20th century architect Le Corbusier.

Renault insists the Coupé Corbusier concept car has no direct relevance to any future project, instead saying that “future-looking” concepts such as this allow its designers “to explore new ways forward and offering creative staff more leisurely moments”.

The concept is a long, sleek coupé with a long bonnet, slim glasshouse, pronounced rear aches, and dramatic dihedral doors hinged at the rear. Geometric shapes make up the front-end design, and also graphics in the side profile. No powertain has been outlined by Renault; nor have any dimensions or any other specific details.

Renault describes the concept as “a 21st century car inspired by the architect’s modernist principles and theories”. Le Corbusier’s work is described by Renault as “as a conceptual prequel to the modern automobile”.

On the concept, Renault added: “The ideas of simplicity, a visually- and aesthetically-pleasing structure, geometric elegance and mastery of light guided the designers in the creation of the Coupé Corbusier concept car.

“The design teams at Groupe Renault are proud to pay homage to the visionary architect and designer who reinvented architecture and made it more broadly accessible to the public. His thought and value structure is one that we share at Renault.”

The concept is on display at Villa Savoye, a modernist villa on the outskirts of Paris. To commemorate 50 years since Le Corbusier’s death, France’s Centre des Monuments Nationaux, a government body that manages and maintains historic buildings and sites owned by the state, is putting on an exhibition at Villa Savoye called ‘Cars for living: the automobile and modernism in the 20th and 21st centuries’.

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Mark Tisshaw

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Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

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marj 26 October 2015

The design world has been set alight

The design world has been set alight y this apparently. These links might explain the story a little more:

designboom.com/technology/renault-design-le-corbusier-coupe-c-concept-10-23-2015/

blog.dupontregistry.com/concept-cars/renault-le-corbusier-concept-at-villa-savoye/

Personally cannot understand why, it it is such a big thing for Renault, there is no Renault branding and no design themes. It looks closer to the DS9 from Citroen than anything Renault is likely to produce.

Moparman 22 October 2015

Was Renault Freud already taken?

This is, perhaps, the most phallic-looking car since the original E-Type. A gloriously pointless show car which should stir the passions of men who believe they have something to prove as well as be subject to many hilarious memes if there is a person with the right combination of car love and tech savvy stumbles upon it.
gonif 22 October 2015

Absurd, bloated visual

Absurd, bloated visual flatulence with Renault electrics. Who said the French haven't got a sense of humour? A fitting homage to a consummate egotist.