The Renault 8 Gordini Concept takes a car that was only ever sold as a four-door sedan and turns it into a two-seat electric coupe. Its motor makes about 270 hp, nearly three times the output of the 1964 original. Renault built just one, and the car is headed for a museum, not a showroom.
Renault first showed it in late September at its Champs-Élysées showroom in Paris. Then it put the car on its stand at the Paris Motor Show, which opened to the public on October 12, 2026.
Here is what changed, what stayed, and why the company keeps saying this one is for fun.
A one-off from an in-house contest
Renault unveiled the car on September 24, 2026, at the Renault Carwalk, according to Automotive World. It is the latest in a series of one-off reworks of past Renault models. This time, however, Renault designed it entirely in-house. A staff competition drew more than 300 sketches.
From there, two designs went on to scale models, and the team merged them into the final car, German EV site electrive reports. By comparison, the earlier R17 show car was co-developed with outside designer Ora Ïto.
How the Renault 8 Gordini Concept changes the shape
The concept is 4.12 meters long, 1.88 meters wide and 1.27 meters tall. According to CarExpert, that makes it 390 mm wider than the original 8 and 105 mm lower. It also has two doors and two seats instead of four doors and a back bench.
Renault design chief Alexandre Malval explained the thinking. The original, he said, was “virtually symmetrical from front to rear,” and the team wanted “to give it a more dynamic look.” So the new car runs 19-inch wheels at the front and 20-inch wheels at the rear. According to electrive, Malval also said the bigger rear wheels are a nod to the rear-wheel drive of the original.
Meanwhile, the old cues are still there. There is a V-shaped crease in the hood, six round lights at the front and vent slats on the trunk lid. The taillights hide behind the bodywork and virtually disappear when they’re off, evo reports.
Bleu de France and the white stripes
Its paint is Bleu de France, the color of the original Gordini, Automotive World says. In addition, the famous double white stripe returns. Now, though, it works as a structural line that ties together the windscreen, the grille and the rear light graphics.
Inside, the dashboard is a wide band of brushed aluminum holding six round dials. Each dial contains a small screen instead of an analog gauge. There is no touchscreen, either. According to CarExpert, the goal was to keep the focus “clearly on driving.” The seats are trimmed in corduroy, and the dash and doors carry faux suede with racetrack-style stitching.
What powers it, and what Renault won’t say
Automotive World puts output at 270 hp. CarExpert lists the same motor at 201 kW, while electrive gives 200 kW. Evo says the motor sits at the rear. Beyond that, Renault has not released battery size, range, top speed or the platform underneath.
That silence is deliberate. As quoted by CarExpert, Malval said the car is “just a concept car” meant to “celebrate Gordini.” In addition, evo calls the car and name “a one-and-done.” It is not a preview of a retro Renault coupe or a return of the Gordini badge.
The 1960s car behind the name
The Renault 8 was built from 1962 to 1976 and sold only as a four-door sedan, CarExpert says. Like the concept, it carried its power at the back, since the engine sat behind the rear axle line and drove the rear wheels. The Gordini version arrived in 1964 with a rear-mounted engine rated at 95 hp, according to Automotive World.
That car brought affordable performance to buyers about a decade before the GTI era. Electrive adds that it served as a training car for a generation of drivers, including Jean Ragnotti. CarExpert lists two Gordini engines over the years, a 1.1-liter and a 1.3-liter four-cylinder.
Where the concept goes next
After Paris, the car will join the Renault Collections museum at Flins, France. Automotive World said in September that the museum was due to open in about 15 months. Evo, for its part, says it opens to the public in 2028. Either way, the only Renault 8 Gordini Concept ever built will end up on display there.
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