Renault History

French manufacturer Renault started life in 1898, when the Renault brothers began making a name for themselves winning a string of races with their earliest models. After adopting mass production techniques in 1905, the Renault factory geared up production, producing everything from ambulances and trucks to the famous FT17 tank that had a decisive contribution to the outcome of World War One.

After the war, Renault fought to keep costs under control, streamlining its activities and production methods, and politics entered into the mix with Renault considering the advent of the war with Nazi Germany as a mistake. The company was nationalised in 1945, and spend the next few years modernising. It was this that made the difference - Renault realised that production methods and designs were antiquated and put their resources into innovation. Success came with the 4CV, marketed as the 'first small car for everyone', followed by the Renault 4 and 5. They then went upmarket, launching the Renault 16, whilst still managing to achieve impressive results in rallying.

During the 1980s, the company continued to grow, but concerns also arose about the rate of the expansion. Towards the end of the decade, Renault underwent a major restructuring and survived. Just.

In 1999, Renault took a stake in Japanese manufacturer Nissan and focused on innovation and developing new vehicles including the Megane and Laguna. These were huge successes for the company, and with the acquisition of Samsung Motors and Dacia, Renault went truly international. Today, the company enjoys huge popularity, and its eye-catching designs, quirky features and superb build quality make this French manufacturer one of the most popular names in the market. They are now working with energy company EDF and presenting a prototype fuel cell Scenic and the Z.E. Concept car, proving that innovation still lies at the heart of Renault.