renault and ora ïto electrify 1970s R17 with retro-futuristic concept

electric restomod unveiled by renault x ora ïto

Renault continues to breathe new life into its ever-evolving legacy by teaming up with contemporary French designer Ora Ïto for a design-minded restomod. This latest collaboration has resulted in the R17 sports coupé, an electric concept which made its debut on September 4th, 2024 at Maison5 in Paris and will be featured at the Paris Motor Show from October 14th to 20th. Since 2021, Renault has embarked on a series of creative projects aimed at reinterpreting its classic vehicles. The brand has partnered with several designers, allowing them to infuse Renault’s iconic models with their unique styles. These collaborative concepts showcase the brand’s ability to merge its heritage with forward-thinking innovations.

images © Lionel Koretzky

a classic car streamlined in the spirit of ‘simplexity’

With this latest collaboration, designer Ora Ïto reimagines the Renault 17, a vehicle originally launched in 1971 as a symbol of 1970s design. At the time, the car embodied the era’s spirit of boldness and optimism. Available as both a coupé and convertible, the vehicle combined a sporty attitude with practical features like front-wheel drive and advanced safety systems. Ora Ïto’s restomod stays true to the car’s avant-garde roots while integrating a modern spirit and electric technology.

For Ora Ïto, redesigning the Renault 17 was an opportunity to combine his ‘simplexity’ design philosophy with the classic car’s original elements. His goal was to simplify the complex aspects of the design while enhancing its streamlined flow. Working closely with Renault‘s design team — led by Sandeep Bhambra (Chief Designer, Concept Cars, Renault) and Gilles Vidal (Design Director, Renault) — Ora Ïto developed a retro-futuristic interpretation of the R17, lending an image that’s sleek and modern without compromising its sense of nostalgia.

‘With Sandeep (Bhambra) and Gilles (Vidal), we worked on a theme that was retro-futuristic, almost cinematic,’ says Ora Ïto. ‘I wanted to drape Renault 17 in a second skin, showcasing the design while giving it a more contemporary look in terms of flow, dynamics and rationality through my own approach to design and my own signature: simplexity. I wanted to simplify the more complex aspects.’

Renault teams with designer Ora Ïto to create a restomod of the classic Renault 17 sports coupé

new and retained details of the r17

The Renault R17 electric restomod x Ora Ïto retains key features of the original model, such as the cabin structure, frameless doors, and distinctive angular lines. However, the car is now seventeen centimeters wider for improved stability, and the wings and wheels have been reworked to be sleeker and more contemporary. The electric powertrain, delivering 270 horsepower, brings the model into the 21st century, while the use of lightweight carbon fiber reduces the vehicle’s weight to 1.5 tons.

Inside, the R17 electric restomod maintains the elegance and comfort of the original, but with updates that reflect modern interior design trends. The redesigned seats feature petal-shaped structures with new upholstery in fine Merino wool and wool bouclé, while the dashboard and center console have been modernized, incorporating a central screen with Renault’s current interface and four geometric displays inspired by the original model’s dials.

the electric R17 blends the original 1971 model with a modern design language and an electric powertrain

Ora Ïto continues: ‘We kept the most distinctive design features of Renault 17, starting with the front end. My aim was to add stye and flow, but without altering the character of R17.’

‘You can still see the original Renault 17 and its sports coupé looks. I wanted to add my own design codes, accentuating some of the characteristics with a futuristic touch to give them a more timeless look. This is what I did with the wheels, for example. My signature is also visible inside the car. We teleported Renault 17 into the future, making a few subtle changes that give it a whole new look.

‘Our key phrase was: ‘a detail is not a detail’. There is a certain ambivalence in that it is not intended to be taken entirely at face value. We were also aiming for a lighthearted touch. Renault has a strong identity and I like that. You recognise a Renault when you see one, and this restomod is no exception to the rule.’

the restomod features a wider body, carbon fiber construction, and a powerful 270-horsepower electric motor