One of the most intriguing concept cars at this year’s Paris Motor Show is courtesy of none other than the French brand Renault. The Renault ‘Trezor’ concept is an all-electric concept car with impressive design lines.

Renault Trezor Concept  (3)

The all-electric powertrain was developed in harmony with Renault’s comprehensive Formula E program and has an output of 260 kW – which roughly translates to 350 hp – and 380 Nm of torque. The electric powertrain ensures the Trezor will reach 100 km/h in under four seconds with great ease.

It’s this concept car that offers a peek inside Renault’s future when it comes to connectivity and the French brand’s take on alternative powertrains and autonomous technologies. Its futuristic design has been drawing crowds all day at the exposition hall in Paris and for good reason. Most impressive design feature is arguably the massive one-piece clamshell roof that opens ‘like the lid of a jewelry box’ – hence the name ‘Trezor’ (Treasure).

The two-seat electric coupe follows in the footsteps of the in 2010 revealed ‘DeZir’ concept car. The latter has set a perfect example of how Renault actually uses features from its concept cars in future models. The 2012 Renault Clio design was clearly inspired by the DeZir, so now it’s a matter of waiting until we see a new Renault model in two years with a fully functional clamshell roof, or?

Laurens van den Acker, responsible for Renault’s latest design language had the following to say: “The Renault range has now been completely renewed and upgraded with a spectrum of complementary models, each one of which has its own assertive identity. With the Trezor, we have pursued this renewal by introducing a new lifecycle sequence. This concept car is the fruit of a freedom of expression and prepares the way for the trends we are likely to see in our upcoming vehicles. These trends fall into two categories: French Design and Easy Life.”

The Trezor’s bodywork is made out of carbon fiber and an interesting touch is the analogue gauge that indicates the car’s charging level on the side of the car, where one usually finds the fuel cap. As impressive the long front-end is, the rear strikes quite an image too. The Trezor is equipped with ‘resolutely modern fiber-optic lighting’ integrating a red laser.

Paving the way for future electric sports cars, that is what the Renault Trezor concept car stands for. It underlines the French brand’s capabilities in electric mobility, currently being Europe’s best-selling EV manufacturer. The Trezor’s motor is derived from the Renault e.dams, two-time winner of the Formula E Teams’ world title. The electric coupe has two batteries, each of which has its own cooling system assisted through the variable geometric air intakes that are visible on the front bonnet.

In order to get the optimal weight distribution, the batteries of the Renault Trezor are neatly divided over the vehicle’s length. One is located in the front, one is located in the back of the car, with power being diverted to the vehicle’s rear wheels.

As becomes evident from studying the car’s sleek exterior, the Trezor’s drag coefficient (Cd) is set at a very low 0.22. Other measures that were taken to increase the coupe’s range include a weight reduction scheme. The chassis incorporates a central carbon cell and both the Monocoque and access hatch also entirely consist of the lightweight material, bringing the car’s weight to a total of just 1,600 kg.

As you’d expect from most concept cars, the Trezor comes with a funky interior of its own. The unique ‘L-shaped’ display is the center of attention and incorporates the dashboard controls and multimedia system. The curved display consists of a combination of OLED technology and Corning ‘Gorilla Glass’ and does not require any backlighting.

The touch-screen’s interface can be fully personalized. It can copy your smartphone screen and the driver can decide which widgets he wants on display on the screen behind the steering wheel. Renault’s ‘Multi-Sense system’ offers three different driving modes: neutral, sport and autonomous. When the Trezor is driving in autonomous mode, the exterior lighting signature changes to inform other drivers of the fact that the car is driving autonomously. This is something that we have seen earlier with the presentation of Mercedes-Benz’ ‘Bus of the future’.

This autonomous driving capability, without revealing too many details, hints at Renault’s plans for the near future. Beyond 2020 it’s Renault’s target to make ‘hands-off / eyes-off’ technology available in its mainstream line up – at an affordable price. What are your thoughts on this insane looking concept model from Renault? Does it have the best looks or do you prefer the Maybach Concept?

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