THURSDAY 4TH JULY 2013
[Editor’s Note: this release has been edited to focus on Renault’s electric vehicles]
This year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed sees Renault following its substantial 2012 appearance with a celebration of its highly successful, 36-year long commitment to Formula 1, a tribute to the Alpine’s successful motorsport record and the showcasing of an exciting array of new road cars, including two new concept models. The event will be held from 12th to 14th July in the grounds of Goodwood House, 60 miles south of London.
- Renault’s pioneer spirit is amply demonstrated by landmark vehicles from its sporting 115-year history, including the 1978 RS01 that was the first turbo F1 car, the sensational 1978 Le Mans-winning Alpine A442B, the 1977 Groupe 5 Alpine A310 rally car that is running for the first time since 1977, the enormous and extraordinary-looking 1926 Renault 40CV ‘des records’, a 1902 Renault Type K that was one of the world’s earliest racing cars, and the dramatic Renault 5 Maxi Turbo of 1984.
- Making their UK debut at Goodwood, and guaranteed to draw crowds, will be two new sports concept cars, Twin’Run and the 100% electric, Twizy Renaultsport F1.
- In 36 years of Formula 1, Renault engines have won 11 constructor’s championships. At Goodwood, Renault will showcase the four examples of Renault RS27-powered F1 cars from the 2013 championship, including the race-winning Lotus E21, the Red Bull RB9, the Caterham CT03 and the Williams FW35, as well as an array of exciting new road cars. These include the much-anticipated Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC, the handsome new Renault Captur crossover and the stylish 100% electric Renault ZOE.
- Senior executives and famous drivers will be at Goodwood and available for interview, including Stephen Norman (Senior Vice President, Global Marketing), Axel Breun (Head of Concept Car Design), Patrice Ratti (Managing Director, Renaultsport Technologies), Bernard Ollivier (CEO, Alpine Caterham), Jean-Pascal Dauce (Engineering Director, Alpine Caterham), Rob White (Deputy Managing Director Renaultsport F1), Jean-Michel Jalinier (President, Renaultsport F1), legendary four times F1-championship winner Alain Prost and Monte Carlo rally winner Jean Ragnotti.
Goodwood: Racing through time and a country house garden
Renault has long been an enthusiastic participant in the Goodwood Festival of Speed, appearing on six consecutive occasions from 2001 to 2006, before making a comeback in 2012 after a five-year break. The company’s 2013 appearance coincides with the 20th anniversary of this now world-famous and much-loved event, and promises to be one of the most eye-catching yet.
Held in the grounds of Goodwood House, an elegant and historic country residence nestling amid England’s picturesque South Downs, the Festival provides the startling sight of racing cars charging through its bucolic grounds, the house’s driveway turned into a dramatic, challenging and rather beautiful hillclimb venue.
Racing cars and Goodwood have been synonymous for decades, the first motorsport event occurring in 1936 when the ninth Duke of Richmond organised a hillclimb through the house’s grounds. World War 2 brought this pursuit to a close, but also saw the construction of a nearby airfield whose perimeter road would eventually be turned into the famous Goodwood circuit. The first race was held in 1948 and the last in 1966, and when the Charles Gordon-Lennox, the current Earl of March and a major car enthusiast was prevented from reviving races at the circuit, he decided to stage his own Festival of speed in the grounds of Goodwood House. The first event attracted 30,000 visitors, and it now draws 180,000, many considering it the finest motoring event in Britain.
Besides the hillclimb there is also a concours d’elegance, a pavilion of concept cars and technical exhibits of the future, an air display, events for younger visitors and much more. A highlight of the event remains the paddock, where fans can stand mere inches from some of the most famous racing cars in history and better still, meet their drivers.
Two exciting Renault concepts make their UK debut at Goodwood
Renault Twin’Run
Twin’Run previews Renault’s next city car and, with a mid-mounted 320hp V6, pays homage to the legendary mid-engined R5 Turbo and Clio V6. “Twin’Run is a cocktail of energy, passion and athleticism, rekindling the memory of emblematic Renault racing cars,” says Laurens van den Acker, Senior Vice President, Corporate Design at the Renault group. “Following its twin, Twin’Z, a stylish urban concept car, Twin’Run shows that personalisation is a core strategy at Renault.”
Renault Twizy Renaultsport F1
An entertaining blend of the cute, tandem two-seat electric Twizy – Europe’s best-selling EV – and Formula 1 hardware, the Twizy Renaultsport F1 not only looks the part but has the technology to go with it. Besides a spectacular, track-inspired look that includes slick tyres, a front splitter, sidepods, a rear wing and an F1-style red rain light, this Twizy features a complete Formula 1 Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) capable of an instant, six-fold energy boost to produce almost 100hp. And with the Twizy’s low weight, that is enough to propel it to 62mph in the same time as a Mégane Renaultsport 265.
This technological gem is the inspired product of a collaboration between Renaultsport engineers and their colleagues at Renaultsport F1 and besides producing a smile, showcases Renault’s expertise in Formula I electric technology, particularly in the KERS field. The system is designed to recapture some of the kinetic energy lost under braking. Rather being lost in the form of heat, this energy is stored before being used to momentarily boost the total available power, exactly as it does for a Grand Prix car. This boost is available for up to 13 seconds, at which point the Twizy’s electric motor will be revving at 10,000rpm, while the KERS unit can rev as high as 36,000rpm. The challenge of connecting the two units is achieved via 1:3.6 reducer gear which uses the same drive gear as the Renault V8 F1 engine. And to prevent the KERS battery from overheating, it’s equipped with water cooling. Other eye-catching features of the Twizy Renaultsport F1 include an adapted F1 steering wheel, a data-logging system and the KERS hardware itself, which is visible through a transparent panel.
‘When Renaultsport F1 asked us to work on the project, our engineers didn’t hesitate,’ says Renault Sport General Manager Patrice Ratti. ‘Renault Sport Technologies had already made a significant contribution to the design and development of the highly innovative Renault Twizy which meant that our input was perfectly natural. Thanks to our experience of race car engineering, we were able to take elements from our Formula Renault 2.0 and 3.5 race cars and also check that the rigidity of Twizy’s chassis and suspension was capable of handling the additional 60kW. We enjoy a very close working relationship with Renaultsport F1 and we were able to combine the ‘fun’ side of the project with some very advanced technology. We are very proud of the result.’
And this rapid and highly entertaining electric Twizy will be seen startling onlookers with its sci-fi sound enthusiasm on the Goodwood hill.
On static display
1993 Williams Renault FW15C ex-Prost
1993 Renault Clio Williams
2013 Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC
2013 Renault Mégane Renaultsport Red Bull Racing RB8
2012 Red Bull RB8
2013 Renault ZOE
The elegantly stylish ZOE is unusual for being a purpose-built electric car, allowing it to be perfectly optimised for practical zero-emission performance. This five-door, five-seat car delivers effortlessly restful, near silent performance, excellent acceleration, a very convenient range and a clever charging system allowing rapid recharges of the battery pack. It also comes with a sophisticated navigation system and Bluetooth as standard. Zero emissions and ultra-low running costs are just some of the advantages of this charming and highly sophisticated car.
2013 Renault Captur
1924 Renault Type MH ‘Pioneer Spirit’ 6-wheeler
In the Cartier Style et Luxe
1933 Reinastella
On the cricket pitch (land record cars)
1956 Renault Etoile Filante
Excitement on the track means excitement on the road
Renault will showcase no less than three major new models at Goodwood this summer, including the much-anticipated Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC, the stylish new Captur compact crossover and the revolutionary electric ZOE. Not only that, but there will also be two previously unseen, performance-oriented concepts on show, one of which will be 100% electric.
Capturing eyes
Just as eye-catching is the Renault Captur, a new and particularly stylish supermini crossover that combines the high-set seating of an off-roader with the space and versatility of a small MPV, and the handy manoeuvrability of a small hatchback besides. An athletic stance that positions the wheels sportily close to the bodywork, doors shaped to prevent shoes and clothes from getting muddy when you step in and a colourful, high quality interior finish underline the attention to detail that characterizes this car. Handy features include optional unzippable seat covers, a sliding rear seat, a multi-position boot floor, and Renault’s new R-link infotainment system.
Like the new Clio and the ZOE, the Captur is a striking car, and Renault’s chief designer Laurens Van Den Acker will be appearing at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed to explain his already widely admired design strategy for the marque.
Electric Style
Just as distinctive as the Captur is Renault’s stylish new ZOE, an electric car that promises to attract new buyers to this growing segment. With prices starting at only £13,650 after the government’s subsidy, the ZOE is the most affordable, purpose-designed electric car on the market. It also has the biggest range, which is officially homologated at 130 miles, and has also been awarded the full NCAP five stars for occupant protection. A five-door hatchback of particularly appealing lines, the ZOE debuts no less than six ‘world premiere’ features and carries 60 patents, all of them aimed at enhancing its range, user-friendliness and connectivity.
A 65kW (88hp) electric engine provides the ZOE with particularly strong low-speed acceleration thanks to its instant 220Nm of torque, while its top speed is limited to 84mph. Recharging takes between 30 minutes and nine hours using Renault’s patented Chameleon charger, which is compatible with both the fast-charging stations that provide a fast 30 minute charge, and a domestic overnight supply.
ZOE is available in three trims levels called Expression, Dynamique Zen and Dynamique Intens, all three including the Range OptimiZEr package that provides regenerative braking, a heat pump and Michelin Energy E-V tyres, all three features contributing to the 130 mile NEDC range that, in real world use, would be typically around 90 miles in temperate conditions. Battery pack rental costs from just £70 a month, and in combination with the low cost of the energy required to charge, makes the ZOE very cheap to run. Renault has become the first car manufacturer to offer a free domestic charging point with a new electric car purchase. The free Single Wall-box, supplied and installed by Renault’s preferred electric vehicle charging partner, British Gas, is supplied and installed free of charge to ZOE customers.
R-Link super-connectivity
Apart from their style, a common feature to the Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC, the Captur and the ZOE is Renault’s innovative and hugely useful new R-Link infotainment system, which provides an impressive level of connectivity for the drivers of these cars. This multi-media tablet is also available in the new Clio hatchback and the new Kangoo van range too. Either fitted as standard or available for a very reasonable £450, this impressive and attractive tool is designed to appeal to those with an interest in new technologies, and equally, to be useful and easily understood for those that aren’t.
A key aim behind its design has been to avoid the need to use a small pile of portable devices to make phone calls or listen to music while on the move. So R-Link provides Bluetooth telephony, navigation, a radio, music streaming and connectivity to music devices, as well as connection to a series of vehicle-related services. Customers can tailor R-Link to suit their particular needs by subscribing to a variety of services – including TomTomLive – and downloading as many as 50 apps. The system itself is controlled by a clear and intuitive touchscreen, a set of steering wheel-mounted controls and a series of voice commands to ensure that the driver’s eyes remain on the road. R-Link is one of the most advanced and attractive infotainment systems on the market, and one of the most affordable too.
Some of its more unusual features include an app allowing you to compare the prices of the nearest 10 fuel stations, an Eco-coaching programme, a Yellow Pages search and when the car is stationary, the ability to tweet or play Sudoku. And for drivers of electrically-propelled Renaults, it helps you optimize your range, route and battery charge, and can guide you to the nearest charging station using TomTom Z.E. Live navigation.