7 reasons Renault's Trezor concept could be the star of Paris

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Bob Murray
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Star of the Paris motor show which opens today (29 September)? Among the concept-car candidates is the Renault Trezor, an extravagant 4.7m-long two-seater grand tourer with fighter jet-style cockpit canopy, fitted luggage, a wooden dashboard and a “Passion Red” paint job that even extends to the windows. But forget all that. Here’s what’s really interesting about it…

1. It looks smashing.

Concept cars need wow factor and, aside from the headline gimmicks like the lift-up canopy, the voluptuous Trezor has it in spades. There’s nothing jarring about the lines or fussy about the smooth surfaces, and the proportions are certainly spectacular: this is a long, low (42 inches) and wide motor car. Despite that, and the red glazing redolent of a 1970s French disco, it’s clearly a Renault, with a strong family face and trademark lighting signature. There are all sorts of design bits and bobs here destined to crop up in future Renault production models, like the mix of smooth and textured finishes. But probably not the red windows and lift-up clamshell canopy.

2. It’s all electric.

That’s no surprise from Europe’s number one seller of electric vehicles and the company behind the front-running team in the electric Formula E championship. The Trezor uses a motor derived from that in the racing Renault, delivering 350hp and 258 lb ft of torque from zero revs. There are battery packs both fore and aft as well as an energy recovery system, also from Formula E. No word on range but with Renault also premiering the latest Zoe in Paris – a car it says banishes “range anxiety” with an official 250 miles and “real-world” range of 186 miles – Renault does seem to be on top of this particular hot potato. Incidentally this new FE 40 version of the Zoe is on sale in UK Renault showrooms from November.

3. It’s sporty.

Renault says the Trezor “paves the way for the electric sports car”. Which is a very welcome way for the company to say life is not all about Scenics and SUVs. There is evidence the company has paid more than lip service to sporting essentials, too. The Trezor is rear-wheel-drive. A carbon chassis cell saves weight (all up it’s 1,600kg). The hefty battery packs are mounted low down in the chassis of this already very low car (just 2ins taller than a Ford GT40!). Having the powerpacks front and rear evens out the weight distribution. Acceleration? Renault says 0-62mph in under 4 seconds. It also says its on-road manner is “engaging”; with such a low centre of gravity, 6ft-plus front and rear tracks, and special 21/22-inch Continental tyres it sounds to us like it would handle like a very large, very fast go-kart.

4. The air intake is really cool.

Best air intake since the NACA duct? The honeycomb-like hexagonal shapes set into the bonnet open and close automatically as required, to provide a variable geometry intake. Renault says it creates an impression the car is breathing. The reality is all those batteries need an awful lot of cooling air. But what a neat way to achieve it.

5. A plush and connected interior.

Forget the overwhelming redness inside for a moment – that and the rather awkward entry and exit are all a bit of a distraction. The important clues are in the detailing and technology as Renault moves to give its interiors more luxury-goods type appeal. Premium materials – including thin strips of ash wood for the dashboard; don’t expect that in your next Clio – predominate, there’s lot of leather and big rounded seats that borrow from furniture design. The dashboard is an L-shaped and curved ultra high definition display with touch-screen controls. Your mobile sits in a special slot below the armrest and connects automatically with the car, showing selected apps and widgets on the dashboard. And connectivity like that will find its way into your Clio…

6. It’s a concept, but…

Since 2010, and under design boss Laurens van den Acker, Renault has a good record of putting its concepts to good use. Six years ago the DeZir concept set a path for Clio and Kadjar production models; then the Captur morphed into the eponymous showroom version; the R Space influenced the Scenic; elements of the Twin Run turned up in the Twingo and three years ago the Initiale concept was reprised for the new Espace (and what a shame we don’t get that in the UK). So while Renault concept cars do not make production as-is, they do have a lot of influence. It’s paid off too for the brand has reinvented its design self in the past few years, it now boasts Europe’s youngest model range (at an average three years two months), andsince 2014 the number one reason for buying a Renault has been design. The Trezor – for both its design cues and concept – promises to be just as influential.

7. And you get a wide-screen cinema!

The rectangular steering wheel comes apart, extending at the sides so the display at the centre goes from normal to wide screen, all the better to watch that movie. But only when you are in the last of the three driving modes: normal, sport and – you guessed – autonomous. And how do other road users know you are in autonomous mode? If they haven’t seen you with your feet up on the dash and a bucket of popcorn in your lap, then the car will helpfully signal it’s in self-drive mode by illuminating the front and rear Renault logos.