Image: Louis Renault's first workshop
Louis Renault was a French Industrialist who was born in Paris on February 15th, 1877. Renault was foremost an engineer and mechanic and built his first car at the age of 21, and formed the company Renault Freres (Renault Brothers) in 1899 with his two elder brothers, Marcel and Fernand. We know the company today purely as Renault. They have a range of hugely successful cars, as well as a number of racing teams, including a Formula one team which currently showcases the talents of former world champion, Spaniard, Fernando Alonso.
Louis was interested in cars and engines from an early age, and was one of the first pioneers of the automotive industry. In 1898, after building his first vehicle, he staged a bet: to climb a tough slope with his invention. He succeeded and received 13 orders for his car; this ultimated lead to the company being formed one year later. Unfortunately, Louis' brother Marcel was killed in a race in 1903 and his brother was suffering health problems and passed away in 1909. Louis Renault was given control of the company in 1908, prior to the death of his second brother.
He was in control of the company until 1942 and was in charge when the company released many inventions which are common place today. These include: hydrolic shock absorbers, drum brakes, compressed gas ignition, the turbo-charger and the taximeter. The company underwent rapid expansion during this period and became famous nationally and internationally.
During World War One, Louis Renault received the legion of Honour for his successfull military designs, including the first ever tank with a fully rotating turret, the Renault FT-17. The layout with the engine at the back and the driver at the front and turret on top is one which is used pretty much universally with every tank designed since.
As World War Two beaconed, Renault was again an important supplier to the French army, and following the Nazi occupation, Renault refused to help out German forces by building them tanks. Instead, the Nazis put people from Daimler-Benz in charge of Renault ,but its contribution was very small, one third of what it produced when it was suppling the French.
In 1944, France was Liberated and Louis Renault was arrested under suspicion of collaborating with Nazi forces; he died one month later. Not a fitting end to a man who brought forth many changes in technology and engineering and pushed the Industry forward as he did.
A matter of months later Renault was nationalised and stabilised after a number of remarkable courtcases on very thin evidence. Nevertheless, Renault lives on to this day as the key car manufacturer within the French borders, taking 40 billion Euros in 2007 alone, and a large range of successful cars on the market including the popular Clio, Megane and Scenic Rangers.
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