First Renault Cars

1905 Renault Brougham

1909 Renault Type AI

1910 Renault Type AX

1912 Renault AX  

1913 Renault Model DM

1914 Renault EF

The History of Renault Brand

The Renault corporation was founded in 1899 as Société Renault Frères by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand. Louis was a bright, aspiring young engineer who had already designed and built several models before teaming up with his brothers, who had honed their business skills working for their father's textiles firm. While Louis handled design and production, Marcel and Fernand handled company management.
The first Renault car, the Renault Voiturette 1CV was sold to a friend of Louis' father after giving him a test ride on 24 December 1898. The client was so impressed with the way the tiny car ran and how it climbed the streets that he bought it.
The brothers recognised the publicity that could be obtained for their vehicles by participation in motor racing and Renault made itself known through achieving instant success in the first city-to-city races held in Switzerland resulting in rapid expansion for the company. Both Louis and Marcel Renault raced company vehicles, but Marcel was killed in an accident during the 1903 Paris-Madrid race. Although Louis Renault never raced again, his company remained very involved, including Ferenc Szisz winning the first Grand Prix motor racing event in a Renault AK 90CV in 1906. Louis was to take full control of the company as the only remaining brother in 1906 when Fernand retired for health reasons.

Paris-Madrid race in 1903

The Renault reputation for innovation was fostered from very early on. At the time, cars were very much luxury items, and the price of the smallest Renaults available being 3000 francs reflected this; an amount it would take ten years for the average worker at the time to earn. In 1905 the company introduced mass-production techniques, and Taylorism in 1913. As well as cars, Renault manufactured taxis, buses and commercial cargo vehicles in the pre-war years, and during World War I (1914–18) branched out into ammunition, military airplanes and vehicles such as the revolutionary Renault FT-17 tank. The company's military designs were so successful that Renault himself was awarded the Legion of Honour for his company's contributions to the war. The company also exported their engines overseas to American auto manufacturers for use in such automobiles as the GJG which used a Renault 26 hp or 40 hp four-cylinder engine.

Renault Factory

Perioada Interbelica - Renault

Înainte de Primul Razboi Mondial autoturismele Renault aveau un aspect aparte în special la partea frontala, datorita poziţiei neobişnuite a radiatorului care se afla în spatele motorului. În perioada de dupa razboi, 1920 - 1930, toate modelele Renault au început sa aiba radiatorul în faţa motorului. Astfel, în 1925, sigla de pe capota motorului îşi schimba forma, trecând la forma de romb, familiara astazi.

1922 Renault Model 40 Kellner Town Car

1924 Renault Labourdette Skiff 

Renault a produs o gama larga de produse de la modele în serii mici la modele în serii foarte mari. Au existat opt stiluri de caroserie şi cele mai lungi şasiuri erau disponibile pentru caroseriile tip trasura. Modelele au fost produse la diferite dimensiuni, însa cele mici ereau preferate de un numar mare de clienţi. În anul 1928 Renault decide sa exporte automobilele sale şi în Marea Britanie, operând o serie de modificari pentru ca modelele sa corespunda condişiilor de trafic din Regat. În consecinţa modelele erau mai ridicate, aveau radiatoarele şi caroseriile mai mari. Exporturile în Statele Unite s-au redus aproape la zero dupa ce atinsesera un maxim înainte de Primul Razboi Mondial.

1925 Renault Model 45