Posts Tagged ‘renault’

Joy is a mad little Renault. Who knew?

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

By: Ciro De Siena

Joy. It’s an odd concept. Sometimes just the word itself conjures outdated images, like a Swiss lady twirling around on a green hillside, singing. I think joy comes in smaller doses these days. Like emptying the pockets of your jeans before throwing them in the wash, only to find a scrunched-up R50 note.

I am, weirdly, one of those people that derives joy from driving a car. I know, what a delightfully strange concept, but I swear its possible if you have the right machinery, the right space and the right time. Luckily I was to spend a week with the right machinery, which came in the surprising form of the Renault Twingo Gordini RS.

Let’s quickly break that down for those of you who couldn’t care less about cars. (more…)

Renault Ballet advert: simply marvellous

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

I caught this advert a little while back on the old television, something I haven’t owned for about five years now, so I was probably in a bar or at my uncle’s house. It made such an impression on me but for whatever reason I immediately forgot to Youtube it, until yesterday. It’s jaw-dropping the first time you watch it; the entire Renault range is ceremoniously crashed into itself.

It’s called the Renault Ballet, and goodness me did the French manufacturer go all out with this one. They even commissioned the Polish National Orchestra to recreate the composition for the film. Polish no less! Even better though is the fact that after a little research, I confirmed my suspicions that the advert was shot in SA. It was. More details and a hilarious “making of” video when you click “Read the rest of this entry”.

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Just a quick one: Renault F1 holding crisis meeting in Paris

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

After I posted the news about Toyota pulling out of F1, I discovered that Renault F1 is holding a crisis meeting in Paris to discuss their future involvement in the black of hole of money that is Formula 1. I’m not a history buff but whenever anyone holds a crisis meeting in Paris the result is Germany rebuilding itself to take over the world. I mean, figuratively speaking of course. We’ll keep you posted.

And it all started so positively this year.

And it all started so positively this year.

Driven: Renault Logan (Josh)

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

You know what, I like communists. I’d never actually met one unless you count communes in Observatory where “free spirits” argue over who bought the milk. However,  I met a self-described “Marxist” the other night and she said – among other trivial things – that she couldn’t watch F1 because of the “monotonous droning sound” of the (most fabulous) engines on earth going by.

A rather upset Logan, yesterday.

A rather upset Logan, yesterday.

Well, maybe she should buy a Renault Logan I thought. Perennial kapitilists BMW’s headquarters in Munich resemble some sort of futuristic production line, designed by the top architect of our day who happens to be an Iraqi woman. Factories in the Old East – and specifically Romania where the Logan is ill-concieved and built – were actual Dickensonian factories.

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Where’s everybody going? Renault left to clean up as Alonso packs for Ferrari

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

renault team

Oh dear. It hasn’t been an easy couple of weeks for Renault. After title sponsors ING and Mutua Federale peeled their stickers off the side of the car, the BBC is reporting that Ferrari are set to announce Fernando Alonso’s signing with the Italian team. Alonso is to race alongside the injured Felipe Massa in 2010, replacing Kimi Raikonnen who is tipped to move to McLaren. In the ensuing driver shuffle, Robert Kubica is expected to replace Alonso at Renault. Crikey, if only the on-track antics of the sport were this exciting.

Scene: Ballistic Renault Clio V6 RenaultSport

Monday, September 21st, 2009

renault_clio_v6

There is absolutely no reason for a Clio needing a V6 engine. There is even less good sense in putting said V6 it in the back, where the rear seats should be.  It’s the sort of thing a car company run by 16 year olds would do. Which is why we love it.

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Groot kak on the horizon for Renault F1 as Briatore quits

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

flav

F1 mogul Flavio Braitore has quit the Renault F1 team amid startling allegations of cheating at 2008’s Singapore Grand Prix. Pat Symonds, the team’s director of engineering, has also resigned.

Renault said in a short statement that Briatore and Pat Symonds, the director of engineering, had both left the team ahead of a meeting Monday with the sport’s world ruling body the FIA to explain recent allegations of race-fixing.

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