This Renault 17 Restomod is Sleeker and Much Cooler Than the Original
The iconic Renault 5 was resurrected as a production-intent EV earlier this year, but the French automaker is not done bringing back the dead. After showing a modern interpretation of the first-gen Twingo, it’s now reinventing the 17 coupe.
Never heard of it? Well, fewer than 95,000 units were made during the 1970s. Both the 17 and the closely related 15 were sold in North America following a debut at the 1972 Montreal Auto Show, but the need to comply with U.S. safety regulations forced the company to redesign the bumpers and add extra equipment.
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Teaming up with car designer Ora Ïto, Renault recently created a version for the 21st century using an existing unit. The silhouette is largely unchanged, but the chrome bumpers and four round headlights are gone. The rectangular grille up front is fully closed and paired with quad headlights in a similar shape.
The lower body is much more sculpted than on the original, while the wheels feature a new, aerodynamic design. By the way, the doors and windows were carried over from the donor car, but the flared wheel arches add more than 15 cm to the overall width.
In the rear, it’s all about cleaner looks once again, with a thin light bar stretching from side to side and no tailpipes appearing anywhere. Still, it’s not that hard to recognize the design of the late Renault 17.
In case it’s not clear enough, this restomod is fully electric. The 270-horsepower motor is mounted over the rear axle and drives the rear wheels, further separating from the front-wheel-drive, gas-powered classic. Renault has not specified acceleration times or range, but said that carbon fibre helps offset the heavy battery and bring the weight to approximately 1,400 kg (3,100 lbs).
As for the cabin, the iconic Petal seats have been reimagined for the modern era and cloth is used extensively following current interior design trends. The four round gauges are replaced by four squared displays, while a touchscreen on the centre console takes care of infotainment.
Don’t expect this Renault 17 to roll off the line anytime soon, but join us in applauding the automaker for coming up with such cool creations. More pictures can be found in the gallery at the top of the page.