Louis Renault converted his motor-tricycle to a 4-wheeler and bet he could drive it up the steep slope of the Rue Lepic in Montmartre, Paris. He won - and got a dozen orders for what he called his A-type voiturette.
Louis also developed the first "direct drive", a gearbox which eliminated chains, and patented the first design for a turbocharger, as well as designing the first Renault engine itself. Mass production was started in 1905 when a Renault taxi design was ordered in large quantities for cities throughout Europe and the US. After the first World War the brand made progress in 49 countries and its products were breaking records on the road, at sea and in the skies. A massive factory at Billancourt was completed in 1937, but arch-enemy Citroën was already beginning to overtake Renault.
With the advent of war again, Louis declined to immediately transfer production to military needs. The company was taken from him by the government. The Germans took over after France surrendered and, since Louis continued to manage the operation under their regime, he was arrested after the war and jailed for "trading with the enemy". He died within a month.
The state took over the business, and to this day still holds a majority interest in a thriving concern that this year so far is the second largest European brand and which saved Nissan from bankruptcy.
In Ireland, Bill Cullen bought the debt-striken franchise for £1 in 1986, and has since built it up to be worth an awful lot more than a couple of gross of penny apples.
BEST CAR: The original Megane Scenic (left), the first compact MPV concept and remains segment leader.
WORST CAR: The Renault 14, sold with the slogan "the car they borrowed from tomorrow". Ironically, today's Nissan Primera has similar style cues, so they borrowed it before it
had the technology to work well.
WACKIEST CAR: The Avantime luxury "coupé" (left) . . . it just never found a market and Renault has just killed it. They should never have pushed it off the concept catwalk.