Among all the automakers that have supplied engines to Formula One teams over the years, Renault is likely considered the most successful. While the French car manufacturer has seen world champion status with its own team in 2005 and 2006, a significant amount of its achievements have come from its success supplying independent teams.

Renault’s most powerful partnership to date has come from its collaboration with Red Bull Racing. The team is the current world champion in both the drivers’ and constructors’ categories and this is expected to continue with the recent renewed partnership agreement for five more years.

Renault Sport F1 will continue to supply Red Bull Racing with V8 engines and KERS Motor Generator Units for 2012 and 2013 and will then develop innovative technical solutions for the V6-based power unit that will be introduced from 2014.

Bernard Rey, President of Renault Sport F1, stated that “Red Bull Racing and Renault share the views that stability is a fundamental condition to perform at the top levels of competition. As well as being a unique opportunity to showcase the performance of the Renault engines at the highest possible level, it is also a fantastic arena to develop the technology and expertise within the Renault-Nissan Alliance.”

Renault has packed the hatch with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four producing 246 horsepower and 251 lb/ft of torque. Other features include  a panoramic glass roof, 19-inch alloys, red Brembo brake calipers and bi-xenon headlights. The interior shows off a black-and-white leather trim with white accents on the center console, dash-strip, and door handles.  The Pearlescent White paint, in which the car is currently only available, reflects its exclusive status.

Unfortunately the limited edition hatch is only available for the Australian market.

Justin Hocevar, Managing Director Renault Australia has stated that “this incredibly luxurious version of the Mégane R.S. 250 will appeal to lovers of hot hatches who don’t want to compromise on their everyday creature comforts.”

First pictures of this next-generation hatchback were released by the French automaker. Going by the images, we think the car will bring in a new design paradigm.

On the front facade of the new Twingo, the automaker has added an enlarged Renault badge – a little above an open mouth grill. The mouth grill is curvier than what the previous model had sported. We expect more revolutionary changes in the face-lifted Twingo in the interior.

Renault will present the latest Twingo to the world at the Frankfurt Motor Show, on September 13. We can expect the car to hit the road later this year.

A video demo of the car just left us exhilarated. Yet another EV from the house of Renault is something we are waiting for now.

The Frendzy design seems as highly sophisticated as the recent Renault Dezir concept that debuted in Paris Motor Show. The new concept comes with marvelous exterior features, including a canvas roof and a sliding rear passenger-side door.

Basically a two-seater, it also has a vast rear space. The “magnetic fixings” provide enough cargo space. Renault has not compromised on the inside either. Chic looking cabin interior sports leather latticework seats, wood floors and – interestingly-  a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet are included.

The lithium-ion battery range will send power to an electric motor that develops 60 PS (44 kW / 59 hp) and 226 Nm (167 lb-ft) of torque. Frendzy seems to be in for a top notch position when it finally arrives.

The model is based on the Expression trim package. It comes featured with many remarkable features such as a panoramic sunroof, dark metal exterior accents and tinted rear windows (premium pack).

It has also got 16-inch surround alloy wheels. The interior has got dark charcoal ‘Pleven’ upholstery. The steering has got leather wraps. It is also equipped with electronic parking brake and Carminat TomTom navigation along with real-time traffic information.

Under the hood, the model can come with the same engines as the regular version does. Diesel engines are the only options, with power output ranging from 95 to 130 horsepower.

The special edition Scénic is now available for order. The vehicle comes at a starting price of €25,550, the same price as the regular version.

It has also got a gloss black roof in addition as well as Glacier white accents. The vehicle rides on 17-inch diamond alloy wheels.

When we consider the interior, we could see that the vehicle has been equipped with additional two-tone leather seats.

The interior has attained exceptional beauty with blue and white door straps, a sport steering wheel, and a Gordini gear knob.

Under the hood, there is something unfortunate waiting for you. The engine options the same as that of the standard model- turbocharged 1.2-liter petrol with 100 PS (74 kW / 99 hp) and 152 Nm (112 lb-ft) of torque as well as a naturally-aspirated 1.6-liter petrol with 133 PS (98 kW/ 131 hp) and 160 Nm (118 lb-ft) of torque.

The instrument console, strip and door handles in the cabin also has pearlescent white finish. Then there is “Monaco GP” stitching on seats, numbered plate and exclusive protective mats.

Adding to the safety aspects are the ESP, dual-chamber airbags and Bi-xenon directional headlights. There’s also rear parking assist and power-folding side mirrors

There are 5 engine options available: – dCi 110 EDC, dCi 130, dCi 160, Tce 130 and Tce 180.  Renault brings the Mégane Renault Sport Monaco GP with 2.0 L 16 valve turbo engine making 250 hp, 18-inch Keza gloss black rims, leather upholstery with an electrically-controlled heated driver’s seat with Monaco GP stitching, gray overstitching on the steering wheel and gear-knob.

You can opt for a Bose sound system, Cup Chassis with limited slip differential and 19-inch diamond-effect STEEV rims on this model.

Pricing details are yet to be revealed, but we get to know that the car will be on sale, starting this March.

It will most probably be powered by standard Wind’s 1.2 Liter Turbocharged engine making an adequate 100 PS (74 kW/ 99 hp) and a naturally breathing 1.6 Liter engine developing 133 PS (98 kW / 131 hp).

The new Wind Gordini features sport suspension and a classic blue and white paint job just like Twingo and Clio RS. Renault Wind Gordini comes with 17-inch black diamond alloy wheels, glacier white door mirrors, grille trim, rear wing and glossy black roof.

Interior-wise, Wind Gordini features black and blue leather upholstery, blue and white door straps and steering wheel, and a gear lever with a leather gaiter and metal knob with the Gordini name.

Renault Wind only takes 12 seconds to open/close its roof, two times faster than the set standards for its class. By cleverly stowing the roof panel below the boot lid, the purity of the exterior design can be maintained and the amount of useful boot space is unchanged, whether the roof is up or down. A boot cover protects the roof from dust and water when in the open position.

Overall Wind Gordini uses the best equipment available and as a unit will be one of the best in the convertible segment.

All these information have been derived from a spy photo of a 1:4 clay model, so nothing’s for granted guys.

Although redesigned with new front, grille and narrower headlights it does retain some exclusivity like the contrasting Tridon safety cell.

The new Smart Fortwo will be launched from the beginning of 2012 and only after that will the Fortwo+2 will go on sale. The next generation Fortwo will be the first to be developed by Daimler alongside Renault-Nissan combination with 3 and 4 cylinder petrol and diesel engines. As far as functional concepts are concerned, new Fortwo will have the same rear-engine rear-wheel drive system of the original car.

The jagged automatic transmission was the main problems with the current model and might be swapped in for a Renault-Nissan built unit.

The fresh Smart Fortwo will be unveiled in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and will go on sale shortly afterwards for something like €10,000 while the Fortwo+2 will cost around €12,000.

(Via WCF)

Officials at Renault have stated that there are technological innovations and that the competition is completely open.

The new formula is aimed at bringing car manufactures back into the F1 field, and the sources have said that they have been mindful that there are precise rules for the costs, the materials, the number of engines per season and the speed limit.

Renault has officially withdrawn from the position of being team owner of the Renault team, based in Enstone, but has affirmed that they will continue to supply engines for the coming three years.

During this period, the V8 engine formula will be transcended and the new four-cylinder turbos will debut in 2013.

Although the new formula was aimed at enticing car manufacturers back into the racing game, BMW will not be joining soon, and Volkswagen is not committed either.

Sources say that that Japanese have been expressing interest in the F1, and that Honda is seriously considering making a comeback.