The no-door streamliner was developed and tested in the wind tunnel over the course of 1954 and 1955. After that, it went to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah for speed tests equipped with a Turbomeca Turmo gas turbine good for 270 hp at no less than 28k rpm and averaged speeds of 191 mph or over 307 mph. During the middle of the 1990s, the car was restored and made operational again; it is now part of Renault's Historical Cars Collection, and a second example is owned by a private collection of Renault sports cars in Mexico.
Its second rebirth was in 2016 when Renault celebrated the 60th anniversary of the initial record run of 1956 – the car was brought back to the Bonneville Salt Flats after it was fitted with an electric motor and was driven by Nicolas Prost, son of Alain Prost. Now, we are ready for the third rebirth – a spiritual one, this time around. Renault has created the Filante Record 2025 concept as an electric demo car – a fresh take on the single-seater streamlined body design ethos, which is 5.12 meters long and 1.19 meters tall and weighs merely 1,000 kilograms or 2,205 pounds.
This 'laboratory on wheels' was developed not for speed but rather for maximum energy efficiency, and when it becomes real (we're obviously looking at CGIs at the moment), it will seek to "set a new record for power consumption and range" via a standard 87-kWh battery pack of the same capacity as the one fitted to a standard Renault Scenic E-Tech electric crossover. Aimed at "testing new technologies," the Renault Filante Record 2025 concept has bespoke friction-reducing tires, steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire technologies.
By the way, the French automaker – which is quite adept at revivals (see the latest Renault 5 E-Tech and 4 E-Tech), says their new demo electric car was inspired by two models, aka the 40 CV des Records and the Étoile Filante, built in 1925 and 1956, respectively, both with historic records for the brand. The quest for a new record for efficiency will take place during the year's first half, but the prototype will appear before that at the Rétromobile Motor Show in Paris from February 5 to 9, 2025.
"We designed this vehicle as a sculpture in motion. Inspired by fighter planes and the speed records of the nineteenth century, it reflects both performance and timeless elegance. Every inch of the surface was crafted to capture the light and showcase the body lines, which appear to melt into the air. The blue windows and color palette further underline this light and airy impression. The design as a whole seeks to convey an impression of flow and lightness," explains Sandeep Bhambra, Director of Advanced Design, Renault and Ampere.