The Renault 17 of the 1970s was a kind of crossover between a coupé and an estate car. It is one of the brand's classics. Now the French manufacturer is presenting an Electromod version: the 1.6-litre petrol engine that drove the front wheels in the original is replaced by a 200 kW (272 PS) electric motor on the rear axle.
The engine could be closely related to the "e-PT-200kW" engine that Renault plans to use in its electric cars from 2027, writes Autocar. This motor, which was developed together with Valeo, was announced in autumn 2023 and, like the motors used to date, is designed to work without permanent magnets and therefore without rare earth materials. Unlike the brand's previous electrically excited synchronous motors (EESM), however, the motor is designed for 800 volts.
With its 200 kW drive, the R17 Electric Restomod x Ora Ito (the official name of the concept car) is designed to sprint significantly faster than the original combustion engine with a maximum output of 107 PS, which, however, also took almost 10 seconds to sprint - in the combustion world of the 1970s that was fast, today it is rather slow.
Of course, the original didn't weigh much more than a tonne. In the electric Renault 17, a carbon chassis is said to reduce the kerb weight to 1.4 tonnes - while a Renault Megane E-Tech Electric weighs around 1.7 tonnes.
The new study is apparently a four-seater three-door model like the original. The rear louvre grille is a characteristic feature.
The design was developed together with the French designer Ora Ito (Wikipedia). It is as angular as the combustion model, and many body features have also been adopted. For example, the car does not appear to have a roof pillar behind the front window - probably not ideal in terms of crash safety.
The yellow headlights of French models from this period were also adopted. However, here they are rectangular and slit-like instead of round as on the original. Ito also chose angular wheel cut-outs.
At the rear of the electric R17 there is a continuous light strip instead of rectangular tail lights
The car will have the same doors, windows and underbody as the original, but will be significantly lower and 17 cm wider. The R7 of the 1970s was 4.26 metres long, 1.65 metres wide and only 1.31 metres high.
The cockpit is designed in the style of the 1970s; this includes not only the extravagant shapes of the steering wheel and instruments, but also the brown and beige colour scheme.
Funny: screen design in rodent look
The seats in the rear are probably only emergency seats
The Electromod study will be on show at the Paris Motor Show in October. Renault also plans to unveil its electric R4 as a production car there - with which the manufacturer is continuing the retro series that began with the electric R5, which will also include an electric Twingo. However, no production version is planned for the R17.
More about the retro models from Renault:
The bottom line
Well-made retro models such as the Fiat 500 Electric, the Renault 5 Electric or this reprise of the R17 are popular. They may remind the (demographically ageing) clientele of their youth and thus provide security in a time characterised by many changes. But perhaps you'd be better off asking a sociologist or cultural philosopher.
Sources: Autocar, Renault (neuer Motor)