Renault’s Latest Retro EV Is a Gordini-Reviving RWD Coupe ConceptRoad & TrackFred SmithThu, September 24, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleRenault's Latest Retro EV Is a RWD Coupe ConceptRenaultAlpine may be known now as the most famous performance car and racing operation ever aligned with Renault, but it shared that honor through the 1960s and 1970s with a division called Gordini. The former in-house tuner named for racing innovator Amedee Gordini loaned its name to all sorts of higher-output Renaults, but the most beloved was a version of the Renault 8 sedan. On Thursday, Renault surprised the world with a new two-door concept car that revives both the 8 name and the Gordini badge that graced its most famous variant.Like other retro revivals at Renault, the design evokes the shape of the Gordini 8s of the Sixties with surprising accuracy. The four-door shape is cut down to a sportier coupe, but elements like round headlamps and a V-shaped sharknose indentation on the front fascia are preserved.RenaultEven the interior is something of a 1960s throwback, or at least as much of a throwback as a new EV's cabin can be. A series of small, circular screens on the dashboard represent the analog gauges of the original car, while chunky physical switches and buttons on the center console provide some semblance of analog appeal in place of the original car's gear knob.AdvertisementAdvertisementMost importantly, this is a rear-wheel drive coupe with a respectable, but relatively modest, 270 horsepower. That makes this a relatively simple two-door with performance not defined by absurd horsepower—all standards of the 1960s but rarer traits for any car conceived for the 2020s.RenaultWhile Renault is just calling this "an exercise in style," a production 8 Gordini coupe would fit naturally with the brand's lineup of retro-styled EVs. In addition to high-profile revivals of the 5 hatchback and Twingo city car, the company's EV offerings include a crossover wearing the historic 4 name, an 5-based, Alpine-badged hot hatch called the A290, and a rear-wheel drive performance model that directly succeeds the mid-enginged 5 Turbo Group B homologation special.Unfortunately for anyone hoping to see the 8 Gordini join those ranks any time soon, this seems more like a museum piece than a hint at a new production car. Renault says that it, along with two other previously-shown concepts, will be showcased at the company's Renault Collections museum when it opens in 15 months.You Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State