100 vehicles of Renault’s collection up for auction

Artcurial Motorcars - Renault owns an exceptional heritage collection of historic cars, artworks and archival documents. Beginning in 2027, they will be brought together in a new museum, Les Collections, located in Flinssur-Seine just outside Paris. This new space will bring Renault’s heritage to life for the first time and will invite the public to discover the brand’s 125-year history.

As part of this major project to create a spectacular venue for all its collections, Renault is reorganising its historic car collection and will preserve 600 emblematic and unique models, dating back to 1898. The brand will therefore be offering for auction several vehicles of which it owns multiple examples of, while ensuring that at least one example of each model is retained. Partners since 2022, Renault and Artcurial Motorcars have announced this unique auction which will take place on December 7, 2025 at Renault’s historic Flins-sur-Seine site, just 40 kilometers from Paris.

The sale will present around one hundred historic vehicles from the 800 currently in the Renault collection, along with approximately one hundred Automobilia items such as scale models, racing suits and a variety of objects. More than 90% of the lots will be offered with no reserve, offering enthusiasts a rare chance to acquire exceptional pieces.

"We are honored to have been entrusted by Renault and thrilled to be organising an auction which promises to be a landmark event. We’re offering collectors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the chance to become custodians of this remarkable heritage." - Pierre Novikoff, Vice-President Artcurial Motorcars

The 100 models selected illustrate every chapter of Renault’s history: 

Origins: The collection goes back to the company’s earliest years, with highlights including a Type D from 1901, still in working condition, and a rare bus from 1933. These vehicles demonstrate the ingenuity of Louis Renault. The collection workshops will also display replicas of the 1898 Type A, produced in both ICE and electric versions in limited numbers for the brand’s centenary in 1998.  

Competition: The auction will also pay tribute to Renault’s Formula 1 and the Turbo revolution. As the pioneer of the turbocharged engines in Formula 1, Renault Sport revolutionized this discipline by taking up one of the boldest technological challenges in motorsport. As far back as 1977, the first turbocharged F1 car – the celebrated RS01 – disrupted the established order, paving the way for a decade of major innovations. After a difficult start, the perseverance of Jean-Pierre Jabouille, René Arnoux, Alain Prost and the entire Renault Sport team paid off in 1979, when Jean-Pierre Jabouille claimed the first-ever victory for a turbocharged F1 car in Dijon, marking a historic shift which influenced all major manufacturers to follow. 

The sale will also celebrate this historic period with around twenty authentic racing cars from the Turbo years (1981-1985), from the RE27B to the RE60 01B, driven by prominent figures such as René Arnoux, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Patrick Tambay, Eddie Cheever and Alain Prost. The legendary RE40, winner of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, embodies Renault’s success in this visionary decade. 

Several of these Formula 1 will be presented with their original technical logbooks, offering rare documents retracing the work of the engineers at Viry-Châtillon. Between 1977 and 1985, Renault competed in the 123 Grands Prix, claiming 15 victories and 31 pole positions – a pioneering adventure whose audacity still inspires the brand and the world of motorsport today. 

Endurance: One of the top lot of the sale is the iconic Alpine A442, symbol of the 24-Hours of Le Mans. Driven by the greatest racers of its time, it distinguished itself at Imola and the Nürburgring in 1975 and again at Le Mans in 1977. It has remained in the Renault collection ever since, it now appears in a livery close to that worn for high-speed testing at the Columbus Speed Ring in November 1977.  

Rallying: The Maxi Turbo 5 prototype B0 and the Renault 5 GT Turbo Bandama illustrate Renault's success in rally competition. The Bandama car remains in remarkably original condition, still carrying traces of the red Ivory Coast earth from Alain Oreille’s vibrant world Championship. 

Concept Cars: This sale will also offer a unique opportunity to acquire some of the prototypes and visionary creations by Renault, milestones in brand design and engineering displayed at the world’s biggest motor shows. 

Alpine: Several Alpine models will also be featured, including the exceptional A610 Evolution, the most powerful model ever built, along with the Alpine V6 Turbo and an A110 prototype. 

Alongside these vehicles, the sale will include around one hundred Automobilia items, reflecting the technological and human adventure of Renault. They include: 

Wind-tunnel and design prototypes: Around forty wind-tunnel, study and design prototypes, often produced in very limited numbers will illustrate Renault’s expertise. These will include iconic models including the R4, R5, a pearlescent Renault 5 Supercinq, and an astonishing series of Twingos featuring material variations. The selection also includes 1:5 scale concept cars, along with a few rare Formula 1 prototypes. 

Legendary Formula 1 engines and other driver memorabilia: Motorsport enthusiasts will appreciate the selection of legendary Formula 1 engines, including an exceptional Renault Elf V6 Turbo EF15, with its transport crate. This engine powered the Lotus driven by Ayrton Senna at the Detroit Grand Prix and during qualifying at Adelaide in 1986. Helmets, replica racing suits and Renault F1 promotional items will also be offered, retracing the brand’s finest hours on the racetrack. 

Original and rare items: Reflecting Renault’s boundless creativity, this sale will include a range of extraordinary objects such as railcars, clocks, boats, and prestige prototypes. Among these is one of only three known exhibition scale model, produced in partnership with Euro Disney. Symbolising a bygone era, an agency model of a Liberty Ship (c.1957) for the export of the Dauphine to the United States will also be on display, alongside a 1:20 scale panoramic railcar model. Finally, a double-sided Bodet factory clock from Flins-sur-Seine further evokes the golden age of this industrial site. 

This unique auction is designed to celebrate and transmit Renault’s heritage, offering collectors and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire an iconic model steeped in history, each selected for its exceptional character and the unique history they represent. 

To find out more about the Renault Icons Auction CLICK HERE

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.