Concept cars are oddballs. Strange shapes and fantastical proportions rarely maintain their figure when it comes time to go into production. The Renault 5 Diamant is an oddball amongst oddballs with quirky design choices curtailed by the familiar Renault 5 skeleton.
Renault France partnered with celebrated French designer and interior architect Pierre Gonalons to bring to life a one-off concept car to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the beloved Renault 5. Oh, and it’s an EV… The original petrol-guzzling Renault 5 sold over 5 million units from 1972 to 1984 across several countries and in the 80s saw derivatives of the 3-door hatchback such as the Renault 5 Alpine and fabled Renault 5 Turbo.
The Diamant’s (French for diamond) is a captivating rendition of the Renault 5 design with a frosted pink paint coupled with three layers of golden pigment visible on the car’s lower half. Squared up with the pink and gold hatchback and its diamond-esque headlamps surrounding the custom badge.
Moving to the flank we’re met by unconventional spherical door handles and wheels adopted from the Alpine varient featuring sounds in the centre. Rounding the smooth corner to the Diamant’s rear showcases a set of pale gold panels above the rear headlamps. The boot handle is presented in the same fashion as the door handles.
The interior of the car falls in line with the design language Ganolans is famous for. From a swirling pretzel-lied steering wheel made of marble to three digital gauges, the blend of modern touches and abstract designs elevate the almost mythical aura of the Diamant.
In place of a centre console is a space designated for your phone, which will double as your infotainment system. Although an electric powertrain seems a bit out of the place of this classic, it also features a fingerprint scanner to unlock the doors.
“As I see it, the Renault 5 embodies a pop, upbeat and categorically contemporary lifestyle. What I wanted to do with Renault 5 Diamant was pay tribute to its revolutionary design and at the same time transfer the shapes and colours in my universe to the automotive world.” — Pierre Gonalons
