Renault Group and the Paris Motor Show: two stories, one shared history (#1)

Published on 24.09.2026

Article summary

In June 1898, to earn the right to be exhibited at what was then called the “International Automobile Exhibition”, a car first had to prove that it could actually drive. The Automobile Club de France (ACF), which was behind the new event, required candidate vehicles to complete the Paris–Versailles–Paris route: around 40 kilometres under their own power. No horse, no trailer. The Paris Motor Show was born as a test of roadworthiness.

Under large tents set up in the Tuileries Garden, more than 250 exhibitors showcased 232 models, including electric vehicles already! The exhibition attracted nearly 150,000 visitors, a figure that took everyone by surprise. Benz, Daimler and Peugeot were there… but not Renault.

Six months later, on December 24, 1898, a 21-year-old man drove up the Rue Lepic in Montmartre at the wheel of a small car he had built himself. He came back down with twelve firm orders. Renault Frères was incorporated a few weeks later, and in June 1899, at the second edition of the show, the brand made its first appearance: the beginning of a Parisian event that it has never missed since.

In 2026, the Paris Motor Show celebrates its 128th anniversary and holds its 91st edition. The difference between these two figures is not a mathematical error: the missing editions are mainly explained by the two World Wars, the Covid-19 pandemic and, since the 1970s, the switch to a biennial schedule.

This is the two-sided story we invite you to explore: that of a show that has changed location three times and name several times, and that of a carmaker that, edition after edition, has unveiled its models and its bold new bets there.

Here is the first chapter of this saga, tracing this shared history from both perspectives.

1898–1961

The age of glass roofs: when a Motor Show and a carmaker grew together

Key takeaways

1899: Renault takes part in the Paris Motor Show for the first time, with the Type A, already showcasing a technical innovation: its direct-drive gearbox.
1946: After the Second World War, the Renault 4CV becomes the star of the show, generating exceptional enthusiasm among visitors.
1959: Renault puts the Estafette in the spotlight, with professionals invited to put its qualities to the test directly on the stand.
1961: The Renault 4 takes over the Grand Palais and becomes the centrepiece of a major test-drive operation across Paris, with more than 60,000 people reportedly taking the wheel.
1962: As the Grand Palais becomes too small, the show moves to Porte de Versailles, which becomes its new home.

1899–1913: The Motor Show as a test bed

After being held at the Tuileries, the show moved under the glass roof of the Grand Palais in 1901, which had just been built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle. It would remain there for sixty years.

The 1899 show marked the first public appearance of the Renault brand, which exhibited the Type A, or Voiturette, whose elegance was praised by the press. But the real star was the mechanism itself. In February of that same year, Louis Renault had filed a patent for a direct-drive gearbox, replacing chains and belts with a propeller shaft. And on the stand, he did not simply display the car: he also showcased the mechanism in full view, allowing visitors to operate it themselves. Around sixty firm orders were placed during the event.

Renault Type A, bare chassis

1901 Paris Motor Show

In 1905, the brand reached a new scale. The Type AG, a robust and economical twin-cylinder model, caught the eye of the “Compagnie française des fiacres automobiles”, which ordered 250 vehicles to create Paris’s first large taxi fleet. Nine years later, these same cars would go down in history as the “Taxis de la Marne”.

Did you know?

Until the First World War, the carmaker sold only a rolling chassis: engine, transmission, steering and wheels. The customer would then take the chassis to a coachbuilder, who designed and built the bodywork to order. These coachbuilders were not subcontractors, but creative workshops in their own right, heirs to the craftsmen who had built horse-drawn carriages. They had their own trade association, separate from that of the carmakers. The rise of unibody construction and mass production would gradually drive them out of business.

1914–1918. The Motor Show closes. The Billancourt plant switches to producing trucks, ambulances and the FT tank to meet the needs of the First World War.

1919–1938: The Grand Palais in the Roaring Twenties

The motor show reopened in 1919 and became the must-attend social event of the season. Cars were luxury objects to be admired and dream about. Visitor numbers grew year after year; in 1928, 1,200 exhibitors took part.

At the Renault stand in October 1928, the carmaker marked a turning point with the unveiling of the Reinastella and Vivastella. This marked the birth of the Stella name, used to designate the brand’s high-end models. To accommodate the brand’s first straight-eight engine, engineers abandoned the sloping bonnet in favour of a vertical radiator grille topped with a chrome-plated star.

« Stella » advertisement, 1932

« Stella » star logo, 1935

Did you know?

The 1929 Wall Street Crash reaches Europe and hits the French automotive industry hard: production falls from 230,000 to 179,000 vehicles between 1930 and 1935. Yet the motor show has never looked so spectacular: French coachbuilding is experiencing its golden age at precisely the time when carmakers are struggling.

1933 Paris Motor Show, Renault stand

1933 Paris Motor Show, Renault véhicules industriels stand

1933 Paris Motor Show, demonstration cars on the Champs-Élysées

1933 Paris Motor Show, presidential visit, Renault Reinastella

1939–1945. The Second World War breaks out. The Motor Show closes once again.

1946–1961: the post-war shows and iconic models

The Grand Palais reopened on October 3, 1946, in a France still under rationing. This edition attracted 810,000 visitors in ten days, twice the pre-war attendance, with queues stretching from the main entrance all the way to the banks of the Seine. And all this for cars that no one could actually buy: the industry was short of raw materials, and purchasing a new vehicle required government authorization.
Renault unveiled the 4CV , developed in secret during the war. The brand’s first rear-engined vehicle, lightweight and economical, it became the first French production car to exceed one million units. It was, without a doubt, the star of the show.

Nicknamed the “lump of butter” by visitors who discovered its rounded shape and pale yellow colour, the 4CV sparked an enthusiasm that the carmaker had not anticipated. Visitors waited for hours in line to sit inside, with queues spilling over onto neighbouring stands. The Grand Palais security service called for police reinforcements, while the press of the time reported that it was impossible to get within ten metres of the car without elbowing your way through the crowd.

1946 Paris Motor Show, presentation of the Renault 4CV

1947 Paris Motor Show, Renault 4CV

1949 Paris Motor Show, Renault stand

1954 Paris Motor Show, Renault 4CV

In 1959, the Estafette: putting the vehicle to the test. The Estafette, unveiled during the summer, made its motor show debut ahead of its commercial launch. The stakes were high: with its forward-control cab, flat floor and very low loading sill, Renault was breaking with the rear-engine architecture that had defined the brand since the 4CV. It was the first front-wheel-drive vehicle in Renault’s history.

The challenge was to convince professional users themselves. Rather than relying on lengthy explanations, Renault organised a French championship for delivery drivers on its stand. Real professionals performed timed loading and unloading manoeuvres in front of the public. The vehicle’s tight turning circle and low loading sill were immediately apparent. The winner would drive away in a brand-new Estafette.

The operation was a threefold success: it demonstrated the vehicle’s qualities through real-world use rather than words; it turned end users into product influencers and ambassadors while showcasing their profession; and it brought the stand to life while generating extensive media coverage.

In October 1961, the Renault 4 arrived at the Grand Palais following an unprecedented promotional operation. Presented to the press at the end of August, it had met with scepticism from some members of the Renault network, with some dealers finding its styling unattractive. Renault chose to put the car directly into the hands of users. This was the “Take the Wheel” operation. Two hundred Renault 4s were stationed at meeting points across Paris throughout the motor show. Curious visitors could sign up with the hostesses and set off on a test drive through the heart of the capital. More than 60,000 Parisians reportedly took the car for a test drive!

On the stand, the same approach prevailed: demonstrations and interactive activities were used to showcase the first hatchback on a popular family car, a flat floor made possible by front-wheel drive, and maintenance-free operation, thanks to a sealed cooling system and the elimination of lubrication points.

Paris Motor Show, Renault Estafette

1961 Paris Motor Show, Renault 4

1961 Paris Motor Show, general view of the Renault stand

The street campaign and the stand worked hand in hand, each reinforcing the other: what we would now call a 360° campaign, with every touchpoint delivering the same message.

1962: The move. Having become too small to accommodate millions of visitors and increasingly larger stands, the motor show left the Grand Palais for good and moved to the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre, bringing cars, motorcycles, bicycles and commercial vehicles together on a single site. The name, duration and concept would continue to evolve, but the venue itself would never change again.

Next episode: 1962–2024! Coming soon!

Many thanks to Renault Histoire for its contribution to this series of articles!

FAQ

When did Renault first take part in the Paris Motor Show?

Where was the Paris Motor Show held in its early days?

Which Renault model made its mark at the 1946 Paris Motor Show?

How did Renault introduce the Estafette to the public in 1959?

When did the Paris Motor Show leave the Grand Palais?

Renault first took part in the show in June 1899, during the event’s second edition. The brand notably exhibited the Type A, or Voiturette.

The first edition took place in 1898 in the Tuileries Garden. From 1901 onwards, the show moved under the glass roof of the Grand Palais, where it remained for sixty years.

The Renault 4CV, developed in secret during the war, was unveiled when the show reopened in 1946. It enjoyed tremendous popularity among visitors.

To demonstrate the qualities of its new commercial vehicle in practical terms, Renault organised a French championship for delivery drivers on its stand. Professionals took part in timed loading and unloading manoeuvres.

In 1962, the show permanently left the Grand Palais, which had become too small to cope with growing visitor numbers and increasingly larger stands. It moved to the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre.