Beginning. The Louis brothers, Marcel and Ferdinand, established Renault (the Société Renault Frères, to be more precise) in 1899. One of the brothers dealt with car design and production while the other dealt with sales. The first car—the 1CV—was bought by a friend of the company founder's father's.
Development. The Renault brothers placed an emphasis on sports. They thought it was a great promotion for their products. One of the brothers died during a race, but the company continued its involvement in sports. After World War II, Renault was nationalised. This was due to the fact that Louis Renault wanted to manufacture tanks for Nazi Germany. In 1946, the 4CV model was launched. The car was equipped with a two-litre four-cylinder engine. The car competed effectively with the Volkswagen Beetle, and half a million cars had been manufactured by 1961. In 1972, the 5 model was presented. This small car was very popular amongst drivers. Next, the Renault 9 appeared (1981) and the executive car 25 (1984). Subsequent models with excellent sales were: 19, Clio (1990), Laguna (1994), Megane (1995) and Scenic (1996).
Present. The Renault company is one of the best-selling brands in Europe. The Dacia brand, in which Renault holds 99.3% of shares, enjoys great popularity. The French also hold 44.3% of shares in Nissan and 70% of shares in Renault Samsung Motors. At present, the Renault-Nissan group (together with Dacia and Samsung brands) is the fourth largest automotive company, according to annual production and sales.
Contribution to the automotive industry. The company has been regarded as innovative since its beginning. In 1899, Renault presented its first sedan. In 1965, the world saw the Renault 16, which was the precursor of family cars. Fans of the automotive industry emphasize that it was the first hatchback in the world. The car won the company's first Car of the Year title. Renault launched the first MPV in Europe — the Espace model (1984).
Trivia.
At the beginning of the manufacturing process (at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries), the price of Renault cars was very high. To earn enough money to buy a car, a worker on average wages would have to work ten years. After World War I, the Renault company was distinguished with a medal for "contribution to the victory".
Popular Renault models: Renault Clio, Renault Espace, Renault Kangoo, Renault Laguna, Renault Mégane, Renault Safrane, Renault Scénic, Renault Twingo, Renault Twingo II, Renault Vel Satis, Renault Thalia.
Tyres. Renault offers many car models. Tyre sizes used in its cars include a whole range of the most popular ones. Here are a few sample sizes: 145/70 R13, 155/80 R13, 175/70 R13, 175/65 R14, 185/65 R14, 195/65 R15, 205/60 R15, 205/55 R16, 215/55 R16, 215/70 R15. Renault, as a French car manufacturer, cooperates most closely with the French Michelin company.