Now, here’s something you don’t see every day: a Frenchman called Ora Ïto taking Renault’s 1970s R17 coupe—a car that was, let’s be honest, only slightly more desirable than athlete’s foot—and turning it into a proper head-turner of the retro-futuristic variety. Yes, it’s an electric restomod, but don’t stop reading just yet. This isn’t one of those dreary Teslas that promises a thousand miles of range but gives you anxiety before you’ve even left your driveway. No, this is pure style over spreadsheets, a design statement that looks like it just drove off the set of 2001: A Space Odyssey and straight into a Parisian art gallery.
Renault’s Designer Affair
Now, Renault has been dabbling in this sort of thing for a while—partnering with designers to put a twist on their classics. It’s like they’re trying to show the world they’re cultured and sophisticated, rather than the people who gave us the Espace and the Kangoo. This time, they handed the keys to Ora Ïto, a man who seems to have a knack for making everything look like it belongs on the cover of Wallpaper magazine.
He’s taken the old R17, which looked like something a geography teacher might drive if he was feeling particularly daring, and turned it into something Austin Powers would be proud to call his shaggin’ wagon. It’s retro. It’s futuristic. It’s a little bit bonkers. And I’ll be honest—I love it.
A Cinematic Ride
The R17 restomod keeps some bits from its 1970s sibling—the cabin, the doors, the windows—but Ora Ïto’s magic is all over it. The headlights are now four round futuristic beauties. The body’s grown in size but lost its unnecessary clutter. It’s got frameless doors and windows with louvers that scream Blade Runner. And the rear lights? A single strip that looks like it came from a Tron light cycle. It’s cohesive, it’s clean, and it’s—dare I say it—elegant.
But here’s the kicker: Ora Ïto says the design isn’t directly inspired by any one thing, yet somehow it manages to conjure images of The Shining, Back to the Future, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. He even reckons Ed Sheeran could launch his next album in it. Not sure if that’s a compliment or a curse, but it’s certainly a bold statement.
>strong>Simplexity: The Ora Ïto Way
Ora Ïto has this philosophy he calls “simplexity”—making complex things simple. It’s why he avoided the Transformer-like excesses that plague modern car designs. And thank God for that. Have you seen some of these new electric cars? They look like they were designed by a child who was let loose with a ruler and a bag of Skittles.
The R17, though, is different. It’s easy on the eyes. There’s nothing shouting for attention. Everything just… works. Even the yellow headlights, which Ora Ïto admits he didn’t like at first, now seem like a stroke of genius.
A Living Room on Wheels
Now, let’s talk about the interior. Ora Ïto wanted it to feel like a living room, and he’s nailed it. It’s got fuzzy materials and a vibe straight out of the 1950s, back when people thought of the future as a place with lots of shiny surfaces and absolutely no practicality. Sit inside, and you’re not in a car—you’re in a time machine with a touch of mid-century modern chic.
And get this: it doesn’t even smell like a car. It smells like a living room. No petrol, no leather—just a comforting whiff of nostalgia. It’s weird, but I’d wager it’s also brilliant.
The Bigger Picture
Behind all this flair is Renault’s Chief Designer, Sandeep Bhambra, who worked alongside Ora Ïto to ensure the R17 isn’t just a pretty face. It’s not just a vanity project, you see. It’s a glimpse into Renault’s future—a sign that they might actually know what they’re doing with this whole electric car malarkey.
Will it influence their upcoming models? Probably. Will it sell in droves? Unlikely. But does it matter? Not one bit. The Renault R17 restomod isn’t about practicality or mass appeal. It’s about reminding us that cars can still be fun, exciting, and downright gorgeous.
So, hats off to Ora Ïto and Renault for pulling this off. It’s bold, it’s brilliant, and it’s just the kind of madness we need in the car world right now. If only they’d let us take it for a spin…
