With the arrival in 2009 of Laurens van den Acker, the man behind the new design identity, Renault styling gained fresh new momentum. Simplicity, sensuality and warmth are the three keywords, informing an emotional approach to design that expresses our Latin culture and our passion for the automobile.
The new design identity is based on the idea of the human life cycle. Since 2010, Laurens van den Acker’s design strategy has reflected six major stages of our lives: love, exploration, family, work, leisure and finally the wisdom that comes with these experiences. Symbolised by a six-petaled flower, the strategy drives the enterprise towards new commercial endeavours, together with a complete update of the range.
Each concept car unveiled by Renault since the 2010 Paris Motor Show represents a phase in this “life cycle” strategy, from falling in love and exploring the world to starting a family, working, having fun and gaining wisdom.
And so it was natural that the first concept car bearing the new identity with its sensual shapes was called DeZir and cloaked in intense red body paint.
“DeZir expresses movement, sensuality and emotion through its ideal proportions, like an object designed by nature. A warm and tonic design – very Renault”, says Axel Breun, Head of Concept Car Design.
“Every day, our design teams work on shapes, materials and colors to lend each Group brand a strong and instantly recognizable personality”, says Laurens van den Acker (Renault Senior Vice President Corporate Design).
At the 2016 Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris, Renault presents Trezor: As the worthy successor to the DeZir, the electric GT marks the beginning of a brand new design cycle. This two-seater electric coupé, embodies the new design philosophy Renault introduced on its DeZir concept in 2010 before inspiring the lines of new Clio in 2012. With its powerful styling and Passion Red coachwork, the DeZir heralded the first stage of a design strategy founded on the cycle of life: falling in love. The Trezor goes further, by symbolising feelings of maturity and commitment.
Trezor features the new Renault styling cues that are to be found across the range, namely warm, simple, sensual lines; a clearly defined family face and C-shaped signature lighting. “This concept car is the fruit of a freedom of expression and prepares the way for the trends we are likely to see in our upcoming vehicles”, explains Laurens van den Acker.
The Trezor marks the beginning of a new cycle of concept cars and explores the design thinking and technologies in the pipeline for upcoming models. The warm styling and comfort-focused features of this all-electric GT embody both a vision of how mobility might be in the future and the vibrant passion that is associated with the automobile.
“In our organization system, the team of designers that develops the concept car also develops the production vehicle it previews. Concept cars may be exercises in style aimed more at the heart than the head, but their primary goal is to inform thinking on future production models. So having the same team work on both creates a link between design dream and industrial reality”, says Laurens van den Acker.
“The Renault range has now been completely renewed and upgraded with a spectrum of complementary models, each one of which has its own assertive identity. With the Trezor, we have pursued this renewal by introducing a new lifecycle sequence. This concept car is the fruit of a freedom of expression and prepares the way for the trends we are likely to see in our upcoming vehicles. These trends fall into two categories: French Design and Easy Life”, explains.
