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Junkyard Gem: 1960 Renault Dauphine

During each year of the 1950s, the incredibly cheap Volkswagen Beetle became a bigger and bigger sales success in the United States. It seemed that no import could touch the Beetle after better than 50,000 were sold here for the 1956 model year … but then another little rear-engined European car appeared, and it boasted two more doors than the VW plus a similar price tag. This was the Renault Dauphine, and for a few years it looked like a mortal threat to Beetle sales on our shores. Dauphines mostly disappeared from American streets by the dawn of the 1970s and from junkyards by the 1980s, but I found this one in a Silicon Valley car graveyard recently. As a matter of fact, there are three Dauphines at the North San Jose Pick-n-Pull as I write this. That trio had been up for sale on Craigslist for quite some time, as a package deal for $1,000. There were no takers, even in the French-car-loving Bay Area, and so all three now reside in their final parking spaces before their inevitable date with the crusher. Renault sold more than 200,000 Dauphines in the United States, mostly during the 1957-1960 period. Sales continued through 1966, but never regained their late-1950s glory. The Dauphine had a rear-engined design with swing axles, just like the Beetle, and so it proved popular in areas with icy roads. My grandfather was a Minnesota ice racer at the time, and he purchased several Dauphines to join his stable of Beetles and Corvairs (they rusted even more quickly than the VWs, which is saying something). Unlike the air-cooled Beetle, the Dauphine's engine had a traditional liquid cooling system with a radiator. This added complexity but gave the Renault a heater that worked properly and with less propensity to catch on fire. Someone yanked the head off the engine in this one long ago, judging from the rusty detritus in the cylinders. If original, it is an 845cc straight-four rated at 28 horsepower when new. The '60 Dauphine scaled in at just 1,397 pounds, so it wasn't as slow as you might think (but still pretty slow). The 1960 Beetle weighed 1,609 pounds and had a 1192cc engine with a mighty 36 horsepower, giving the two rivals similar power-to-weight ratios (49.9 lb/hp for the Dauphine, 44.7 lb/hp for the Beetle). That meant that the '60 Beetle could pull (slowly) away from the '60 Renault in a very boring drag race, and that the Dauphine had a slight edge in fuel economy.

Third-generation Dacia Duster gets more rugged while staying cheap

Released in 2010 as a cheap, no-frills off-roader, the original Dacia Duster helped launch the crossover craze in Europe. It has moved slightly upmarket since, and the third-generation model makes its debut with an outdoorsy look and more tech while staying true to its roots. The new crossover stretches about 171 inches long, 71 inches wide and 65 inches tall, so it's almost exactly the same size as the outgoing model. Dacia borrowed the CMF-B platform from parent company Renault for the third-generation Duster. It's a unibody architecture that also underpins small hatchbacks like the Renault Clio and the Dacia Logan, but the Duster remains available with four-wheel drive. While the overall proportions haven't changed much, the new Duster stands out with a more rugged-looking exterior design characterized by a tall, upright front end, a generous serving of plastic cladding, and punched-out wheel arches. Some of the trim pieces are made using a material called Starkle that Dacia developed in-house with help from chemical company LyondellBasell; these bits are intentionally left unpainted. Out back, the C-shaped lights are pushed out to the edges of each quarter panel to emphasize the crossover's sense of width. Many owners use their Duster as a pair of hiking boots on wheels, so Dacia wisely resisted the urge to pack the cabin with posh features that add cost and complexity. The third-generation model remains highly functional, but it's not nearly basic as the original. The driver sits in front of a tall, flat dashboard, a three-spoke steering wheel and an available 10.1-inch touchscreen angled to the left by 10 degrees. One of the new additions to the list of options is a Sleep Pack, which includes a big, removable bed platform that turns the Duster into a camper. At launch, buyers will have three powertrains to choose from. The entry-level engine is a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine turbocharged to 130 horsepower. Working with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, the triple spins the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission; four-wheel drive is optional on this version. Next up is a 143-horsepower hybrid system that consists of a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, two electric motors and an automatic transmission. Finally, an undetailed engine that's capable of burning either LPG or gasoline will be offered as well.

Dacia went dark for Black Friday

Black Friday? Feh. That pretty much sums up the attitude about the hyped-up “holiday” from the marketing folks at Dacia, the Renault-owned budget brand sold in the UK. To anti-celebrate the shopping chaos for a day, Dacia last Friday shut down its online sales site in Britain and its car configurator and posted this explainer, “because at Dacia we offer value all year round.” To emphasize the point, the note adds, “ItÂ’s no big deal!” Overseas, Dacia sells budget branded vehicles such as the Sandero supermini and the Duster SUV. “At Dacia, Black Friday is just a normal Friday,” said Luke Broad, DaciaÂ’s director in the UK, as reported in CarScoops. “Shutting down our online sales for the day is a bold move but it does show our commitment to being the UKÂ’s number one car manufacturer for value. This is a way to put our money where our mouth is." The company has also placed radio ads that just play "relaxing" sounds so that consumers can “tune out of the Black Friday noise.” The concept of Black Friday attracts a mixed reception in Britain, where Thanksgiving is usually only celebrated by expatriate Americans living there. In fact, the automaker said that research it commissioned indicated that 70 percent of Britons believed that Black Friday was a gimmick, even though more than half of those surveyed said that they still use it as an excuse to shop for Christmas gifts. “Black Friday can easily lead consumers to overspend on products they donÂ’t need – which isnÂ’t what Dacia is about,” said Broad. He pointed out that retailers will often use tricks like raising the price of an item for a few weeks before they cut prices on Black Friday, or theyÂ’ll offer deals on items limited in stock to then upsell consumers to different products with a greater profit margin. Marketing/Advertising Car Buying Renault SUV

Authorities believe this Renault Clio Campus was struck by a meteorite

Imagine calling your car's insurance company to declare potential meteorite damage. It's unlikely to happen, but that's exactly the phone call that the owner of a Renault Clio Campus in Strasbourg, France, had to make after finding a giant hole in the little hatchback's roof panel. The incident took place on November 20, 2023, according to French newspaper Le Figaro, and the impact left a roughly 20-inch hole in the Clio's roof. What happened wasn't initially clear: Firefighters were dispatched to the scene to investigate "a smoking car." They quickly ruled out a fire and vandalism and after a great deal of head scratching decided the hole was probably caused by an "astronomical body." It's not just the roof panel that was damaged. Whatever caused the hole was traveling fast enough to also go through the hatchback's floor and fuel tank. Radioactivity tests came back negative, luckily, but part of what's stumping investigators is that the object wasn't in the car. "Either it's so small that we can't find it, or the impact was so strong that the object disintegrated and turned to dust," Matthieu Colobert, the captain of the firefighting team dispatched to the scene, told Le Figaro. There may be one promising lead: A representative for the local police department told the publication that his team found a "chestnut-sized rock that's light and that looks like burnt wood" near the car. The rock was sent to a lab in Paris, where researchers will try to determine whether it punctured the Clio and, crucially, whether it came from space. While this might initially sound far-fetched, the officer pointed out that "even a marble traveling very quickly can cause damage." As you'd expect, the news spurred a diverse selection of reactions on various social media platforms. Some users claim to have seen or heard the object traveling through the sky, while one guessed that someone accidentally dropped a Nokia 3310 from a nearby balcony. Meteorite strikes thankfully aren't common but they're not unheard of. One of the most famous incidents happened in 1992, when a 27-pound, football-shaped rock hit a 1980 Chevrolet Malibu at about 164 mph in New York. The owner bought the car for $400 and sold it for $25,000 shortly after the impact, and she later sold the meteorite for $50,000. The sedan has been displayed in several museums since. There's no word yet on whether the Clio Campus (a model lurking at the bottom of its depreciation curve) will skyrocket in value as well.

Renault Twingo EV concept is here to soothe your 1990s nostalgia

Renault has revealed what's next for the Twingo nameplate: a return to its roots. Previewed by a concept, the fourth generation of the city car will make its debut in the not-too-distant future with a heritage-laced design, an electric drivetrain, and a relatively affordable price. In a way, the Twingo concept is a wake-up call for 30-somethings like your author: You know you're not all that young anymore when a car you remember from your childhood spawns a retro-styled offshoot. The original Twingo made its debut at the 1992 edition of the Paris auto show, and it clearly influenced the concept created to preview the fourth-generation car. The LED headlights echo the ones found on the original model, though they're far more futuristic-looking, and the three hood vents have been turned into a display that shows the battery's state of charge. The wheelbase looks much longer than the original's, a concession made to carve out space for four doors and a battery. Out back, it's a mixed bag. The overall shape, with a kink near the middle, is almost more reminiscent of the second-generation Twingo built from 2007 to 2014 than of the first-generation car. The lights are vaguely first-generation-like, while the inspiration for the window seemingly came from the world of ski goggles. Alloy wheels styled like the 13-inch hubcaps fitted to early examples of the first Twingo wrap up the look. Renault focused on the concept's exterior design and had little to say about the interior or the powertrain. All we know at this stage is that the production model, like the concept, will be entirely electric. The brand hopes to launch the car with a base price of under ˆ20,000 (about $21,700 at the current conversion rate) so we're expecting the model will go on sale with a small battery and a corresponding short range. An interesting detail is that the fourth-generation Twingo is being developed to take on a growing list of cheap, Chinese-built EVs. Renault pledged to slash the development time (and, consequently, the development budget) in half to keep costs in check. It plans to undercut its western rivals, too. Ironically, one of the more common Chinese-built EVs on French roads is the Spring sold by Renault-owned Dacia. More details about the fourth-generation Renault Twingo will emerge in the coming months, and the model could land in showrooms across Europe in late 2025 or early 2026.

Renault keeps 15% stake in Nissan, transfers majority of shares to French trust

Renault and Nissan completed a landmark deal to rebalance their 24-year-long alliance, paving the way for a new relationship after years of acrimony between the two partners. The automakers on Wednesday announced the creation of a French trust to which Renault transferred 28.4% of Nissan shares. The companies first disclosed plans for the trust in January. Renault Group and Nissan now have a cross-shareholding of 15% with lock-up and standstill obligations, the companies and junior alliance partner Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said in a statement. Renault managers in recent weeks have reiterated that staff should no longer share information with their Nissan counterparts, according to people familiar with the situation, after the French carmaker announced in September that aspects of the alliance would be unwound by year-end.  Taken together with the deal to equalize their cross-shareholdings at 15%, the developments are the clearest indications yet that members of one of the world’s biggest automotive tie-ups are increasingly going their separate ways. Renault told employees in September it was moving away from common structures with Nissan in favor of a new, project-by-project approach to working together. The dissolution of the companiesÂ’ joint purchasing organization means the two will no longer pool information on a regular basis due to antitrust concerns. The sell-down of shares held by the trustee will be coordinated with Nissan, which will have the right of first offer to purchase the stock. The trust will have no obligation to sell the shares within a specific or pre-determined period of time. The new alliance deal presented to investors in London in February followed months of tense negotiations that nearly collapsed late last year due to sticking points on intellectual property and disagreement over the valuation of RenaultÂ’s electric-vehicle and software arm Ampere, in which Nissan has agreed to invest. The alliance dates back to 1999, when Renault rescued Nissan with a cash injection and the two formed one of the biggest auto partnerships in the industry. Rivalries and mutual suspicion mounted over the years and came to a head when former leader Carlos Ghosn openly contemplated merging the two companies, contributing to his downfall.

Renault Niagara Concept revealed as an electrified off-road pickup with lots of tires

Renault just revealed a concept pickup truck, so of course, it has America’s attention. This is the Renault Niagara Concept, and itÂ’s meant to be a “glimpse into the style of the future Renault range to be built on the new Renault Group modular platform.” At the NiagaraÂ’s scale and size of its bed, itÂ’s barely a pickup. However, Renault found space for a pair of full-size spare wheels and tires back there since this concept is designed to take you off-road. A third spare is found atop the roof, so itÂ’s safe to say you wonÂ’t be running out of tires anytime soon.  Renault says the grille is meant to project a 3-D effect and carved it “like a mineral body.” The “Renault” text splashed across the front is done in a pixel format and was “inspired by pop culture.” Meanwhile, the headlight array is meant to remind of an eyebrow. All the colors chosen for the chiseled bodywork are themed around the Renault logo, and the camo aesthetic is meant to be an extension of the logoÂ’s lines and patterns. This truck is meant for some serious off-roading, as it features tons of ground clearance, big front and rear breakover angles, a long-travel suspension and chunky skid plates for protection. The powertrain itself is a combination of a combustion engine to power the front wheels and an electric motor to power the rear, giving you a hybrid four-wheel-drive vehicle. Renault says the engine features 48-volt mild-hybrid tech, as well, but claims with the electric motor, you can do about half of your everyday driving under electric power. Ultimately, Renault says the Niagara Concept is meant to provide a look into the future of what Renault will be sending to international markets through 2027, so look out for a rugged pickup to launch this decade with similar technology and styling elements. Featured Gallery Renault Niagara Concept Green Renault Truck Concept Cars Hybrid Off-Road Vehicles

Automakers can, and do, use your private information however they want

The first paragraph of Mozilla’s *Privacy Not Included" buyerÂ’s guide about car privacy issues is worth repeating here: “Ah, the wind in your hair, the open road ahead, and not a care in the world Â… except all the trackers, cameras, microphones, and sensors capturing your every move. Ugh. Modern cars are a privacy nightmare.” “Ugh” may be an understatement. The crux of the matter is control: The nonprofit Mozilla Foundation has found that vehicle manufacturers have collected tons of “private” data from vehicle operators, thanks to the proliferation of sensors and cameras and smartphones connected in and to cars. In its report, Mozilla found that 25 car brands all failed the consumer privacy tests it carried out. Its research found that 84 percent of car companies review, share or sell data collected from car owners, and that the information was used for reasons unrelated to the operation of a vehicle or to a car brandÂ’s relationship with its owners. And beyond that, the report says that many companies — more than half — “say they can share your information with the government or law enforcement in response to a 'request.' Not a high bar court order, but something as easy as an 'informal request.'” Some other points made by the foundation: — Six car companies can collect intimate information, including a driverÂ’s medical information and genetic information. Plus info about how fast a person drives and the songs he listens to in the car. — Nissan earned its second-to-last spot (Tesla, not surprisingly, was worst) “for collecting some of the creepiest categories of data we have ever seen": In an apparent attack of full disclosure, Nissan said that it can share “inferences” drawn from the data to create profiles “reflecting the consumerÂ’s preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes.” It also collects information about “sexual activity.” It's not clear how they can do that, but in their privacy notice they say they could. Not to be outdone, the report says, “Kia also mentions they can collect information about your 'sex life' in their privacy policy.” — Only two of the 25 brands reviewed, Renault and Dacia, stated that drivers had the right to delete their personal data. The brands are headquartered in Europe, where consumers are protected by General Data Protection Regulation privacy laws.

Carlos Ghosn's rise and fall — and dramatic flight — streams in August

It turned out that Carlos Ghosn was not the perfect CEO after all.  On the run for nearly five years and living in exile in Lebanon for part of that time, Ghosn’s story — he was the former global chief of Nissan and Renault — and his subsequent dramatic escape from Japan is the stuff that Â… well, documentaries are made of. On August 25, Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn, a series in four parts, will begin streaming on Apple TV+. This new screen story (there have been others previously) hones in on his rise to fame, his multiple arrests for financial misdeeds and his made-for-Hollywood escape from Japan. Ghost had contacted a former Green Beret and was hustled out of the country by private jet in December, 2019, hidden in a musical instrument box. originally designed to hold a trombone. Ghosn has lived in Lebanon, where he has citizenship, ever since. To this point Lebanon has refused requests to extradite him. The Apple TV+ documentary will cover all of this, with never-before-seen footage and interviews. Mike Taylor, the former Green Beret who helped Ghosn escape, will tell his side of the story alongside Ghosn and others. The film has been executive produced by James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin from Formula 1: Drive to Survive. GhosnÂ’s background puts perspective on the story. He worked for 18 years with Michelin North America, where he was ultimately appointed as chief executive in 1990. In 1996, he joined Renault, and played a pivotal role in the alliance formed between Renault and Nissan. In mid-2001, he was appointed as NissanÂ’s new chief executive, and by 2005 he was running both Nissan and Renault. But in 2018 he was arrested at the Tokyo International Airport on allegations of under-reporting his salary and misusing company assets. He was subsequently arrested three more times on similar charges. He was held in and out of Japanese prison through much of 2019 before he was released on bail that April, eight months before his escape. Ghosn recently filed a lawsuit against Nissan, seeking more than $1 billion from the company. He accuses the automaker and others of defamation and fabricating evidence. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ghosn: Nissan, Renault going for 'mini alliance' with 'reduced scope'

TOKYO — Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn said on Tuesday during a news conference at the Foreign CorrespondentsÂ’ Club of Japan in Tokyo that the Japanese automaker and Renault are trying to go for less cooperation between them with a deal to overhaul their long-standing alliance. "With the latest agreement, they're trying to go for a mini alliance with a very reduced scope of cooperation," Ghosn told reporters in Tokyo via video stream. Nissan and Renault are holding discussions about a final agreement to overhaul their alliance, after announcing in January that the deal will see Renault bring down its stake in Nissan to 15% from about 43% to put them on an equal level. Earlier this year, Ghosn filed a lawsuit against Nissan and a handful of individuals seeking $588 million in lost remuneration, and a further $500 million in moral damages. “Nissan will have to pay for what they did to me and my family,” Ghosn said. “Nissan created a lot of damage Â… damage that can not be repaired.” “What IÂ’m looking for is not revenge,” Ghosn added. “I just want to make sure that all the criminals and the plotters cannot sleep quietly in their beds after what they have committed.” Material from Reuters was used in this report. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.