Renault 5 hollow rhombus
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The story of the forgotten Renault logo: the hollow rhombus

In 1925, Renault presented a new diamond-shaped emblem, which has evolved to the present day. However, there is a version of said logo, introduced in 1971, that is never talked about, the hollow rhombus.

Renault is one of the brands that has remained most faithful to its identity for a long time. Your rhombus or diamond, appeared no less than in 1925, has been changing its forms, but it has been preserved as a different signature element.

Before, the brand, founded in 1898, had a medallion as an emblem, with the initials of the three brothers Renault (Louis, Marcel and Fernand), with two interlocking “Rs”. In any case, it was never put on street cars, but on official documents.

The cars bore the inscription “Renault-Freres” (Renault brothers) on the running boards and the initials LR (for Louis Renault) on the wheels. In 1906, the medallion gave way to the image of the Renault that won the first Grand Prix of France that year inside a wheel. In addition, in 1910 the name of the company was changed to "Société des Automobiles Renault", which in 1922 would become "Société Anonyme des Usines Renault". During the World War I, a tank occupied the logo of the brand.

THE RENAULT RHOMBUS

Since 1923, a circle with a grid and the Renault inscription, became the logo fleetingly. Inside was hidden the horn! In 1925, that is, almost a century ago, the emblem of the rhombus appeared, almost plus a diamond, on a model of the brand. Let's briefly review his career before reaching the almost unknown hollow diamond.

To find the first diamond logo on a Renault model we have to go to the 40CV. The enormous and luxurious saloon was responsible for opening the new brand emblem. At first, it was only used in the most luxurious models and it changed slightly to adapt to the front of each car. After the Second World War, when the brand became the "Regie Nationale des Usines Renault", was used to redesign the rhombus, with better defined and simplified lines. The inscription “Regie Nationale” was included.

It would stay that way until 1959, when font was changed from Renault, also gaining in size, while the words “Regie Nationale” were dropped. Thus we come to our protagonist, the known among fans as hollow rhombus and that was introduced in October 1971. With respect to the one in use, the content of the interior is eliminated, while the rhombus is formed with two lateral mirror shapes. These barely touch each other above and below.

MODELS WITH HOLLOW RHOMBUS

The new emblem debuted in the Renault 15 and 17, the coupes that the brand presented at the 1971 Paris Salon held in October. Shortly after, on December 10, the first images of the Renault 5, which would be launched at the end of January of the following year, specifically on the 28th. Although the R5 would arrive on the market with the hollow diamond on its front, in those first photos it still showed the diamond. Therefore, he came to wear up to three different Renault logos.

The problem arose when the Kent group, specialized in car care products, denounced that the new hollow diamond was almost identical to your logo, but turning 90º. In the image that accompanies these lines we can see that Kent did not lack a certain reason in his protest. Renault had no choice but to find a solution to the problem.

And said solution was the iconic design by Victor Vasarely, appeared that same year 1972. The rhombus gained presence, with parallel lines inside to give it personality. It was introduced in March and the logo was even changed to the cars put on the street. The new emblem was kept unchanged until 1992, becoming one of the most successful and remembered Renault logos. The new corporate identity released then included a cleaner diamond, which was updated in 2004, 2007 and 2015, but maintaining the essence.

NOWADAYS

The latest evolution of the Renault emblem was known in 2021, when a most modern and groundbreaking image of the rhombus. It is inspired by the Vasarely logo, but betting on simpler and more refined lines. In addition, complex textures in three dimensions are dispensed with, as many brands are doing.

In any case, and if we review the Renault logo stories which are often done they forget the hollow rhombus, something that even the French brand itself does, which never includes it in its compilations. Given the short time it was in force, today it is almost impossible to find units with the hollow diamond, although there are some even in our country.

Photographs: Renault and catalogs Old Car Manual Project.

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Written by Ivan Vicario Martin

I am lucky to have turned my passion into my way of earning a living. Since I left the Faculty of Information Sciences in 2004, I have been professionally dedicated to motor journalism. I started in the magazine Coches Clásicos in its beginnings, going on to direct it in 2012, the year in which I also took charge of Clásicos Populares. Throughout these almost two decades of my professional career, I have worked in all types of media, including magazines, radio, the web and television, always in formats and programs related to the engine. I am crazy about the classics, Formula 1 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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