Renault 5 Diamant Concept Celebrates 50 Years of a French Icon
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of its iconic Renault 5 hatchback, French automaker Renault has partnered with renowned designer Pierre Gonalons to create a colourful new concept.
And unlike the five million units that were sold globally between 1972 and 1984, this one is fully electric.
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“The brand gave me free rein to design my dream car,” says Gonalons. “As I see it, the Renault 5 embodies a pop, upbeat and categorically contemporary lifestyle. What I wanted to do with Renault 5 Diamant was pay tribute to its revolutionary design and at the same time transfer the shapes and colours in my universe to the automotive world.”
His inspiration came from the decorative arts, and particularly from fine jewellery. Gonalons streamlined the body while preserving the unmistakeable shape of the original Renault 5. The headlights and taillights have gem-like faces, while the large wheels, inherited from the Alpine version, are smoother and have a sun at the centre, a symbol Gonalons holds dear.
As for the unique exterior colour, it’s a combination of three layers of paint: golden pigments on a pink base, covered with frosted varnish producing a wide variety of effects ranging from golden dashes in the sunshine to bluer tones in the dark.
Inside, Gonalons simplified the car keeping only a handful of very specific items. The door handles, window controls and shift lever have truncated spheres featuring distinctly Parisian hints such as brass gilded with pale gold, stainless materials, and hard-wearing materials.
The highlight of the interior is definitely the spiral-shaped steering wheel utilizing marble on carbon. Behind it are three round digital dials that pay tribute to the art of clockmaking and provide the essential information—speed, battery charge and the time. The driver’s smartphone, which fits in a dedicated cradle in the middle of the dashboard, replaces the centre display for navigation and infotainment.
Several artisans who work with Gonalons on a regular basis also pooled their expertise on this project. Among others, the fabric covering the seats as well as the horsehair fabric covering the dashboard were produced by Métaphores, the only workshop in the world that still weaves horsehair by hand. The mohair wool carpet is made by Pinton, one of France’s last tapestry artisans.
True to this day and age, Renault and Pierre Gonalons will also develop a large collection of NFTs inspired by the Renault 5 Diamant that will be unveiled in September. Both the car and its digital twin will be put up for auction a few weeks later, with the proceeds from the sale going to Give Me 5, the automaker’s new CSR project to reach out to young generations through sport and music.