Renault 8 Gordini gets modern revival
One of the most striking Renaults ever made was the R8 Gordini, and now it’s returned as an electric concept car – unlikely to reach production.
Renault is on a retro warpath, reviving a number of classic nameplates as EVs, with its most recent car being a modern version of the Renault 8 Gordini.
Following on from the success of the reborn Renault 4 and Renault 5, the French has leaned further into its history with the new R8 Gordini, though don’t go rushing to your local dealer just yet.
Designed as a concept car, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see it enter production, but that can’t stop us from adoring Renault’s dedication to the cause with the concept.
Paying tribute to the hotter version of the original Renault 8 sedan which was in production from 1964 to 1970, the R8 Gordini Concept leans heavily on the design of the original, albeit with a very 21st century twist.
From its quad headlights and dual foglights, sharp lines, V-shaped bonnet crest, and boxy wheel-arches, it’s mostly a faithful recreation, however Renault has added some modern touches, such as an angled rear-end, big wheels and a tidy little roof spoiler.
While the original Renault 8 Gordini was a sedan, the new concept is a two-door coupe with just two seats, with its cabin pared back to lean into the racing connections of its spiritual successor.
Inside there’s a basic three-spoke steering wheel, three main digital gauges in front of the driver, racing bucket seats with harnesses, and a simple black, blue and silver colour scheme.
Renault’s 8 Gordini was first powered by a rear-mounted 1.1-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 66kW, while later examples upgraded to a 1.3-litre engine with 74kW.
According to Renault, the new concept’s electric powertrain produces 201kW, though no additional details about its performance capabilities have been shared.
Like the car it pays tribute to, the Gordini concept is blue with white stripes, in this case carrying across to the dashboard where they turn blue, while continuing to stretch all the way over the car to the rear bumper.
“With Renault 8 Gordini Concept, we wanted to spark emotion by drawing on both our heritage and modern times, bringing together the icons of yesterday and the future,” said Renault vice president of design, Alexandre Malval.
“This exercise in style sets out to reinvent the Renault 8 Gordini for the modern day. The aim of this coupé is to inspire emotion and capture the imagination of all car enthusiasts. And when I talk about emotion, I’m not talking about nostalgia, but real passion for cars.”
