"There are many cars you can respect, but very few that you can love"

Car Design News: What does Renault's new strategy mean for design going forward? 

Laurens van den Acker: The goal is to deliver a strong second generation. “Future Ready” is based on growth, with as many products coming out as we had under “Renaulution”. It is also grounded in technology and excellence, because we have built a foundation that we can now develop further. Of course, we want to grow the team and continue with the people we have. So, in many ways, this is “Renaulution 2.0”.

CDN: What has been really interesting to observe from the outside is how these brands are finding their feet, particularly Alpine and Dacia. Dacia, I think, is a very compelling proposition. What will this mean going forward in terms of the role of design within this “Renaulution 2.0”?

Right now, you can have all of the fun and none of the guilt

LvdA: I think you are absolutely right. We are quite happy to have just three brands, if you like, three children. The more children you have, the more mouths you have to feed. For us, the line-up is very clear. Dacia is the entry brand, Renault is the mainstream brand, and Alpine stands for technology and premium sportiness. It is a very logical staircase of brands.

Now we are up and running and we need to keep moving. I think we have everything in place, including a very strong team that has not changed much. If anything, the world has changed. With a new CEO who has deep experience in China, where much of the competition is coming from, and a strong understanding of technology from a purchasing background, I believe we have the right assets in place for a successful next generation.

CDN: There are obviously trade-offs. You have to move quickly and efficiency is key. So what are the trade-offs, and where are the opportunities for design?

If you look at the Renault 5, people buy it despite the fact that it is electric

LvdA: That is an interesting question, because design has always worked with trade-offs. I have friends at Rolls-Royce who still complain, so constraints are nothing new. But honestly, I think this is something of a golden age for design.

If you asked me when the golden age was, I would say the 1950s and 1960s, when car design was pure art, sculpture and beauty. Today, it is a golden age for a different reason. Look at a Twingo. It costs €20,000, was developed in two years, and has 18-inch wheels and a fully electric powertrain. Look at the Renault 5. These cars are created with relatively modest means, yet from a design perspective they are at a very high level. Right now, you can have all of the fun and none of the guilt.

CDN: That is quite a compelling mix. One thing you have been very successful at is reinjecting emotion into design. We see that with the Renault 5, the 4, and most recently the Twingo. From my perspective, that emotional pull has really been missing.

LvdA: I agree. With EVs, there are many cars you can respect, but very few you can truly love. If you look at the Renault 5, people buy it despite the fact that it is electric. With the Twingo, you might fall in love with it first and only then realise it is electric.

For a long time, the reasons for buying electric were mainly rational, or perhaps ideological to some extent.

The world does not need more large electric SUVs with 100kWh batteries weighing two tonnes

CDN: In terms of the relationship between design leadership and industrial constraints, we are all working within tighter parameters than we would ideally like. Could you unpack that a little?

LvdA: We have learned a lot. Take Dacia as an example. You get a lot of car for the money, and from a design perspective it is impressive what the team has achieved.

What has really changed is that the walls have come down between design and product planning, and between design and engineering. When I started out, engineering was the “enemy”. They would give us impossible packages with small wheels, and we had to find ways to make them look good.

Today, design has a seat at the table. Many design leaders report directly to the CEO. We no longer have to justify the importance of design, as it accounts for around 50% of the purchase decision.

Of course, design still depends on a good package, the right proportions, and the right technology. That is a given. It has made our lives easier in some ways, although the pressure to deliver at the right cost remains.

Interestingly, China is both a challenge and part of the solution. Take the Twingo. We were able to develop it in just two years thanks to our connections in China, including an advanced engineering centre and the broader ecosystem there. So while Chinese competitors are pushing us harder, we can also learn from them, and that may help us survive.

CDN: One thing many of us have been calling for is Europe becoming strong in small, affordable cars again. That feels like a potential key to long-term success for established OEMs.

LvdA: I agree. If EVs are to support sustainability goals, they need to become mainstream, and that means affordable. The world does not need more large electric SUVs with 100kWh batteries weighing two tonnes. What we need are small electric cars that everyone can drive.

We also need price parity, so that choosing between an internal combustion engine, a hybrid, or an EV does not come down to cost. We are not there yet, but we are getting closer, and I believe we will reach that point within a few years.

CDN: That really could be the game changer, and the key to a sustainable future.

LvdA: And that is just the beginning with EVs. After that comes decarbonisation more broadly, and then it becomes a whole new ballgame.