World News: Renault revives the Gordini name

The little blue bombshells with two white stripes are back. The famous Gordini name was a symbol of French success that thrilled several generations of motorists who were thirsty for sporty sensations at the wheel of a fun car. The French blue, white stripes and front panel inset with four round headlights all contributed to an eternal identity that is an important part of Renault's sporting heritage.

In a few months, new Gordini-badged versions will strengthen Renault’s offering in the compact sports segment injecting additional joie de vivre.

The fashionable and sporty Gordini label still possesses its exclusive, sport-oriented values. The Gordini versions are derived from sports models that are already renowned for their outstanding performance.

Twingo Gordini will be unveiled on 25 November at L’Atelier Renault on the Champs Elysées in Paris as part of the ‘Christmas in Blue’ exhibition. It will be launched next spring. Clio Gordini will be launched a few months later.

Amédée Gordini, who developed almost 200,000 Renault vehicles over a 20-year period, achieved some of the brand’s greatest sporting achievements.

Born in 1899, within a year of Louis Renault building his very first vehicle, Amédée Gordini was fascinated by automobiles and motor racing from a very young age. After working as a racing mechanic in his teens, Gordini developed his own sports racing and Grand Prix cars before being engaged by Renault in the mid-1950s. The Renault 8 Gordini was one of his most successful and iconic creations, finishing 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th in the 1964 Tour of Corsica rally. In 1966, the 1300cc version heralded the Gordini Cup one-make race series, the blueprint for all single-make motorsport championships.

The R8 Gordini delighted lovers of fun driving for a whole decade and even featured in French films alongside famous stars including Romy Schneider, Alain Delon and Lino Ventura.

This small sports saloon was a big hit with the younger generation of drivers and the trend had been set. Gordini became a symbol of success for a whole generation and embodied a state of mind - the spirit of a triumphant France that shared its successes with everyone.

With its elegant finish and strong design codes, the Gordini label offers a fresh interpretation of Renault’s sporty values.

Renault naturally opted to build on the reputation of Renault Sport Technologies (RST) to transform the Gordini legend into a reality. Renault’s sports division has prolonged the Gordini heritage through its renowned expertise in motor sport and the development of sports models.

RST is the world’s leading organiser of motor sport events. Since 2005, almost 3 million fans have attended World Series by Renault meetings, the Mégane Trophy and Clio Cup races and special events for motor sport enthusiasts. RST is a leading player in the motor sports sector.

Both in competition and series production, Renault’s sports models, such as the Mégane Renaultsport, Clio Renaultsport and Twingo Renaultsport, developed by RST, are acknowledged as figuring amongst the best-performing vehicles in their sectors.

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