Click on the thumbnails for a bigger image. Then click on an image to close it again. Click on the text links to open the Specs page of that model. Note: Not every model or event has a bigger image or a text link.   1900: In the first real production year 179 cars are built. 1902: His brother Marcel Renault wins the Paris-Vienna road race in a 14CV voiturette. 1911: A Farman airplane with a Renault engine wins the Coup Michelin for a non-stop flight from Paris to Clermont-Ferrand. 1913: Renault has got 4.000 emplo-yees and builds 10.000 cars a year.     1930: De Nervastella is introduced. 1938: The Viva Cabriolet and the Viva Grand Sport are introduced. 1946: The 4CV is introduced.     1965: The R16 is introduced. 1965: The R16 becomes "Car of the Year". 1970: The R12 sedan, R12 break and R12 Gordini are introduced.   1972: The R5 is introduced. 1975: The R30 with Renault's first six-cilinder engine is introduced. 1978: The R5 Turbo is introduced. 1981: The new R5 is introduced. 1981: The R9 is introduced.   1984: The Espace is introduced. 1984: The R25 is introduced. 1984: The new R5 is introduced. 1991: The Clio is introduced and becomes "Car of the Year". 1991: The Alpine A610 is introduced. 1996: The Mégane Scénic and the Spider are introduced. 1996: The Renault Mégane Scénic is introduced and becomes "Car of the Year". 2000: The new Laguna en Laguna Grand Tour are introduced. Clio 2002: The new Clio Renault Sport V6 is introduced. 2003: After less than two years the production of the Avantime stops, due to bad sales. more to come... 1898: Louis Renault builds his first car: Le Voiturette. 1899: L. Renault en his brother start their own firm "Renault Frères" in Billancourt. Paris-Vienna 1906: The firm wins the very first Grand Prix. 1906: The logo is replaced. It becomes a car inside a gear. 1907: Renault begins building airplane engines. 1918: The company has 22.500 employees. 1919: The logo is replaced. It becomes a tank, a vehicle of victory. 1921: De Torpedo Grand Sport is introduced. 1923: The logo is replaced. It becomes an image of the brand name on a radiator grille.     1939-45: Bombings during the second world war destroy a big part of the factory in Billancourt.     1960: The logo is replaced. 1961: The production of the 4CV is stopped and the R4 is introduced.   1971: De Alpine A310 is introduced. 1978: The R18 is introduced and replaces the R12. 1981: The R5 and R18 with turbo engine are introduced. 1987: The R21 Nevada is introduced. 1988: The R19 is introduced. 1988: The R5 GT Turbo (phase ll) is introduced. 1993: The Twingo is introduced. 1994: The Laguna en Laguna Break are introduced.   2001: The new Clio is introduced. 2002: The new Espace is introduced. Clio Sport V6 2003: The Kangoo gets a facelift. 2003: The Mégane Sport Saloon (Sedan) is introduced. 1898 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 1899: Louis Renault already wins a race from Paris to Trouville. 1900: The first logo is made. It illustrates two R's which refer to the two brothers. Marcel Renault 1907: By 1907 the company was selling thousands of cars each year. 1908: Fernand Renault dies and after that the company was renamed the "Societe Anonyme des Usines Renaults".   1925: The logo is replaced. It becomes a diamond-shaped one, wich would always be maintained, despite of minor changes. 1928: The Reinastella replaces the 40 CV.   1937: The Juvaquatre is introduced. 1946: Louis was arrested and imprisoned because of collaboration with Germans. He died during the investigations on October 24th 1944.     1962: The R8 is introduced. 1969: The R6 is introduced. 1972: The R15 en R17 are introduced. 1972: The logo is replaced. 1976: The R5 Alpine (Gordini) is introduced. 1976: The R5 Alpine Turbo is introduced. 1979: The R18 Break is introduced. 1982: The R9 becomes "Car of the Year". 1983: The 11 wordt geïntroduceerd. 1982?: The 5 Turbo 2 is introduced. 1989: The R19 Chamade is introduced. 1989: The new R21 is introduced. 1994: After over 8.000.000 are produced, the production of the R4 is stopped 1995: The Mégane Hatchback and Coupé are introduced.   Clio Sport V6 2002: The new Mégane is introduced. 2003: The Mégane Sport Tourer (Grand Tour) is introduced. 2003: The new Kangoo 4x4 is introduced. Scroll this way >> You can also use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate the timeline slowly. 1903: Marcel Renault dies during the Paris-Madrid race. Louis stopped participating races for a while. 1905: More than 2.000 cars are built.   1914 - 1918: In the fist world war the company is significantly expanded and there are mostly military vehicles and aircraft engines built. To send troops to the frontline 600 taxis are demanded.         Rumours that he was poisoned started to appear immediately after his death. Louis Renault 1945: The Renault company is nationalized. The name was changed to "Regie Nationale des Usines Renault". 1952: The 11CV (La Frégate) is introduced.       1976: The R14 is introduced. 1976: The R20 TS is introduced. The only difference with the R30 is a 4 cilinder engine from the R16 instead of 6 cilinders in the R30.   1981: The Fuego is introduced. 1985: The R5 GT Turbo is introduced. 1986: The R21 is introduced. 1986: The Alpine GTA V6 Turbo is introduced. 1992: The Safrane is introduced. 1992: The logo is replaced. 1997: The Kangoo is introduced. 1998-1999: The new Clio, Twingo, Mégane-series and Safrane are introduced. 2000: The Clio Renault Sport V6 is introduced. 2001: The Vel Satis is introduced. 2003: The Mégane Coupé Cabriolet is introduced. 2003: The new Scénic is introduced.