History Loves Company

An argument could be made that I am somewhat of a fan of the little-known car manufacturer Renault. Still, I would argue that beyond their quirky and innovative car history, I have a profound appreciation for their celebration of the past. I even wrote about it when they launched its online ‘Originals’ website. Well, they’ve done it again, except this time, you and I will be able to interact with it.

Just outside Paris sits Renault’s Flins factory, a place which gave birth to over 18 million cars, including not only my very own Twingo but the Clio, R5, Dauphine, and, in more modern times, the Zoe. Now, the Flins site will play host to Renault’s new Heritage Centre.

Planned to open in 2027, the new Heritage Centre, whose final name has not yet been decided, is designed to be more than just a museum. It will feature a 2,800-square-metre event space and play home to Renault’s surprisingly large art collection, which it has been curating since the 1930s.

Along with all this, there is, of course, the bit we all want to see: its extensive historic car collection, which not only contains the regular production models but also the very first car Louis Renault built in 1898 and the Renault version of the Espace F1, the real one living with Matra. The vehicles are set to be displayed on racks, giving the idea that they are stored on shelves, along with a floor display which will be rotated. 

Beyond all this, the building itself is quite a looker. It would be easy to build just another large, modern, and soulless warehouse or repurpose one of the existing halls from the factory, which ceased production in 2024. However, the concise design rises in a sleek, tiered format, with the conceptual drawings showing a fair amount of greenery on the exterior as well.

The whole idea is not just to come and look at cars, although there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s no shortage either, with over 650 units in the collection, but Renault wants to celebrate its history, which spans 125 years. It’s littered with artefacts, medals, cups, pedal cars, literature, drawings —you name it —and all of it will not only be housed but also displayed in the new building. 

Have I a countdown on for the opening in two years’ time? Slightly. Will I be taking my Twingo back to the place it rolled off the assembly line some 32 years ago? Absolutely. And I will drag all of my Francophile friends with me because while many automakers have museums, Renault is on quite a fun streak at the moment, and there’s no doubt it will carry over into this new endeavour.

Now lose yourself looking through our gallery of images showing what to expect.