The Renault 8 Gordini concept is a rear-wheel drive coupe with hidden lights
Renault continues its look back to the past with the launch of the 8 Gordini coupe concept, inspired by the ‘60s original with a 2026 twist
Renault has been on a roll with its retro-inspired models, ranging from pure concepts like the jaw-dropping R17 of 2024, all the way to its current line of popular production cars in the 4, 5 and even the Twingo. It hasn’t stopped yet, either, with the new Renault 8 Gordini concept harking back to the ’60s original, giving us a glimpse at how its rear-wheel-drive coupe would look today.
Set to make an appearance for the first time at the 2026 Paris Motor Show early next month, the design process initially began with an internal design competition in which 300 sketches were submitted for review. Of all of them, just two were selected to be transformed into a 2:5 scale model, and one of those led to the striking concept we see here.
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The original car from 1964 was rear-engined, rear-wheel drive and had a modest 94bhp, but you’ll be pleased to hear that its successor has a little more. Details on its underpinnings and exact performance figures are undisclosed, but we do know that it produces 264bhp from a rear-mounted electric motor, in-keeping with the spirit of the original.
Unlike some of Renault’s recent concepts, this is designed entirely in-house as a purposefully rally-style throwback to the original. It’s low, wide and has a square overall aesthetic with proportions akin to a rear-engined car: Renault refers to its design direction as having been inspired by cafe racers, much like the 5 Turbo 3E, with unnecessary items stripped back for a cleaner look and function over form. Its designers have gone to extreme lengths to minimise shut-lines, even going as far as to make the front end a single, lift-off item as a reference to motorsport.
Alexandre Malval, VP of Design at Renault, said: ‘With the flowing cabin lines, wide track, prominent wings and wheels of 19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the rear, it appears to hug the road. The decision to make the rear wheels larger creates a visual sense of momentum: a nod to the rear layout that was the hallmark of the hugely enjoyable ride delivered by the original.'
It’s finished in a blue paint inspired by the Bleu de France shade of the original Renault 8 Gordini, and of course, it comes with the same white stripe. A bold set of four round headlights are paired by two large rally-style fog lights, and at the rear, its tail lights take a completely different approach, nestled flush behind the bodywork so they virtually disappear when turned off.
The cabin continues the cafe racer theme with clean lines, a full-width aluminium element running across the width of the cabin, and round digital dials neatly integrated into above. Leather, an Alcantara-like material and aluminium trim are the main materials chosen, with fabric door pulls chosen as a further suggestion of its motorsport routes. Stéphane Maiore, Renault interior design director, said: 'We drew inspiration from the original Renault 8 dashboard, taking its iconic design cues and reinterpreting them for today. The traditional metal panel with its circular dials has been repositioned horizontally to support and showcase a series of perfectly aligned round screens. The result is a design that feels both more modern and more elegant, while maintaining a clear link to the past.’
Whether or not the Renault 8 Gordini concept will make it onto the road in any form is not yet known, but we do know that it will make its first appearance at the 2026 Paris Motor Show next month before featuring at the future Renault Collections museum in Flins, France, when it opens to the public in 2028.
