Renault

In 1899 brothers Fernand, Marcel and Louis Renault set up Renault as motor car manufacturers. Marcel was killed in the 1903 Paris-Madrid race. A plethora of early models led to buses, lorries and even tanks and aeroplanes for the Allied effort in the Great War. Famous cars produced in the 1920s and 1930s included the KZ, the NN, the 45hp NM, and the Viva, Mona, Nerva, Prima, Celta and Reina ranges. In the Second World War Renault's industrial might was exploited by the occupying Germans, leading to accusations of collaboration with the enemy. With the Liberation of France, his enemies got their chance; Louis Renault was imprisoned, his factory was confiscated and nationalised, and he died from his treatment in prison. The factory and its products were taken out of the hands of the Renault family and nationalised. In the postwar years Pierre Lefaucheux produced the 4CV (750), Dauphine, and Floride. From the 1950s Pierre Dreyfus oversaw the development of a range of world-beating designs, the 'R' range: R3, R4, R8, R6, R10, R12, R14, R16, R18, R20, and R30. In the 1970s the odd numbers appeared; R5, R7, R9, R19, R21, R25, and the Fuego. From the 1980s onwards there were the Espace, Clio, Twingo, Safrane, Laguna, Megane, Scenic and Kangoo. Renault made buses and trucks alongside the car ranges. Well-known models included Trafic, Master, Mascott, Maxity, Kerax, Magnum and Midliner. Finally, the 21st century saw Renault and Nissan joined in an international Alliance led by Louis Schweitzer, and then by Carlos Ghosn.