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Concept

Renault's new concept honours an old architect and is quite bonkers

‘Coupe Corbusier’ proves there's still crazy in Renault's design department

Published: 22 Oct 2015

May we present to you a first look at Renault’s new concept coupe. It’s called the Corbusier, honours the legendary architect Le Corbusier, and is quite, quite mad.

Le Corbusier, who died 50 years ago, is widely recognised as one of the founding fathers of modern architecture. Renault tells us this long, chamfered concept was "inspired by the architect’s modernist principles and theories", and references the "golden era of the automobile of the 1930s". Top Gear is no historical expert, but does not remember seeing anything like the Corbusier concept in photos from the Thirties.

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No word on what might lurk under that long bonnet, likely because the Coupe Corbusier is outside the normal cycle of ‘range renewals’, and, um, outside the normal cycle of what we consider ‘cars’. Renault wishes to make clear the Corbusier does not preview any upcoming production model, and instead helps the firm explore 'a new way forward'.

There are suicide doors, a long, centrally hinged bonnet, a unique, 'geometrically elegant' side profile, super slim LED front lights and that gargantuan front grille. Impressive.

“The ideas of simplicity, a visually and aesthetically pleasing structure, geometric elegance and mastery of light guided the designers,” explains Renault. That's all clear, then.

We'll let you know more as soon as we do. Good to know Renault hasn't lost its weird side though, right?

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