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Rich history

Inspired by the legendary 40 CV des Records (1925-1926), Nervasport des Records (1934) and the Étoile Filante (1956), this Renault Filante Record 2025 appears to have been shaped by the wind. The Renault Filante Record 2025 will debut at the Rétromobile motor show in Paris from February 5 to 9, 2025, before attempting to set a new record for efficiency in the first half of this year.

Aviation

The Renault Filante Record 2025 is a feat of engineering and design, developed to push the boundaries of aerodynamics and energy efficiency. Its bold exterior is inspired by elements of aviation and the brand’s history.

Sandeep Bhambra, Director of Advanced Design at Renault and Ampere: “We designed this car as a sculpture in motion. Inspired by fighter planes and the speed records of the nineteenth century, this model reflects both performance and timeless elegance. Every inch of the surface is designed to catch the light and highlight the body lines, which seem to merge into the sky. The blue windows and color palette reinforce this light and airy impression. The design as a whole strives to convey a sense of flow and lightness.”

Historical influences

The Renault Filante Record 2025 has bodywork in Ultraviolet Blue, a new hue that appears blue or violet depending on light and viewing angle. This color, inspired by the 40 CV des Records, was developed specifically for the Filante Record 2025. Other details refer to iconic models that influenced the design of this study model: the round headlights, the wheels separated from the body (40 CV des Records and Nervasport des Records) and the fenders (Étoile Filante), along with the pointed grille, the cabin position and the cord for seat adjustment (40 CV des Records). These shapes and components connect the past with the contemporary look of the Filante Record 2025, creating a natural dialogue between tradition and future.

Unique fenders

The main design inspiration, however, is aviation. With a protective aerodynamic dome, the cabin evokes associations with fighter jets. Every detail of the body is optimized to reduce drag. The front and rear fenders not only add to the style, but also play a fundamental role for aerodynamic performance. They enhance the monolithic appearance while improving airflow around the car.

Reduce weight

Minimizing weight was crucial in the design of the Renault Filante Record 2025. This is reflected in every detail. The visible screws on the body are inspired by aeronautical techniques, contributing not only to weight reduction but also to a contemporary high-tech look. Among the other design features inspired by the world of aviation, these visible screws highlight Renault’s commitment to innovative and more sustainable vehicle designs.

Interior Renault Filante Record 2025

The interior design of the Filante Record 2025 takes the same approach as the exterior, with a cockpit inspired by aviation and space travel. Every detail is designed to maximize performance, comfort and efficiency. In this minimalist environment, every component or system (safety and opening functions, cruise control, accelerator pedal, brakes, etc.) is within easy reach of the driver. The choice of materials reflects this philosophy. The driver’s seat, for example, is made of stretched canvas, similar to a hammock, for a lightweight design with optimal support.

The seat adapts to the driver’s body shape, making them feel at one with the car. The seat is supported by thin carbon fiber sheets covered in a technical textile, a choice also inspired by the aerospace industry, where every gram counts to maximize performance.

The integration of controls and instruments stems from a minimalist approach. Each function is displayed on an ultra-thin digital screen.

The steering wheel matches the innovative control architecture: the handles operate the acceleration, braking and steering functions via fully electronic steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire technologies, subtly integrated into a 3D-printed Scalmolloy structure. Again, we looked to technologies from aviation , where controls must be both ergonomic and quickly accessible.

In the center of the steering wheel, a panoramic screen wrapped around a cylinder provides a clear and direct display of essential data such as speed, range and driving parameters. The steering wheel is attached to the protective dome of the cockpit and moves upward when opened, making it easier for the driver to get in and out.

An air circulation system allows ventilation without additional technical components, again with weight and energy savings in mind. The driving position, inspired by Formula 1, is designed with ergonomics and visibility in mind. The driver’s legs are positioned above the batteries.

Wind Tunnel

The project required close collaboration between the design and aerodynamics teams to strike a balance between performance and appearance. While some choices required compromises, it was considered a priority to stay true to the design goal: to achieve exceptional aerodynamic performance.

Although the aerodynamic development process so far has been guided by advanced numerical simulations, the plan is to conduct wind tunnel tests in the spring of 2025. These tests will serve to confirm the simulation results and make any adjustments necessary to further perfect the car’s design for the lowest possible drag.

Materials

One of the main objectives in the development of the Filante Record 2025 was weight reduction to maximize energy efficiency and therefore driving range. To this end, an innovative combination of ultra-light materials and advanced manufacturing techniques was employed. Every part of the car was studied, analyzed and optimized to reduce weight while maintaining the necessary strength to set new records.

By maximizing the use of carbon fiber, it succeeded in keeping the weight of the Filante Record 2025 below 1,000 kilograms, while ensuring rigidity and safety. For the chassis, detailed calculations and studies were done on possible combinations of materials. Aluminum, carbon fiber and steel alloys were thus combined to reduce component cross-sections to the minimum necessary to withstand mechanical stress.

This approach reduced weight without sacrificing chassis strength, which is essential to ensure stability on the track. To further reduce the vehicle’s weight, the Scalmalloy engineering team used an aluminum alloy made via 3D printing. This allowed engineers to manufacture complex parts with extreme precision while lowering the overall weight of the car. The 3D printing process also minimized material waste by optimizing the structure of the parts to be produced. The components produced are light, strong and perfectly matched to performance requirements.

Driving laboratory

The Renault Filante Record 2025 previews a range of technologies that will be studied for use in production cars.

In the Renault Filante Record 2025, the conventional mechanical steering and braking system have been replaced by electronic steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire technologies. Steer-by-wire is a major step forward in steering control. Unlike conventional systems that use a mechanical steering column to connect the steering wheel to the wheels, steer-by-wire technology uses an electronic connection between the steering wheel and the steering housing motors. When the driver turns the wheel, the system sends electrical signals to a central ECU that determines the best way to steer the car, not only with the front wheels, but also with other components such as the engine, brakes and suspension system. The entire platform can be used. This technology also offers greater flexibility in that the steering components – including the steering wheel – can be positioned in any location.

Brake-by-wire technology works on a similar principle. When the driver brakes, an electrical signal goes to the braking system that distributes the force applied to the wheels for optimal effect. Again, this technology opens up new possibilities in platform and cockpit architecture.

Special tires for Renault Filante Record 2025

The Filante Record 2025 uses cell-to-pack battery technology, provided by Ampere, which contributes to lower weight and compact construction with a carbon fiber battery casing. With a total weight of only 1,000 kg, including a 600 kg battery, this technology maximizes performance.

The Renault Filante Record 2025 is further equipped with 19-inch Michelin tires specially designed to deliver pure performance while maximizing the driving range. Tires affect the driving range by about 20% and therefore play a crucial role for the range. The engineers at Michelin’s technology center worked on several parameters:

Materials to reduce energy losses through tires;

• Architecture to better level the contact surface;
• Tire design: a slim shape, that is, high and narrow, reduces energy loss with each revolution of the wheel while contributing positively to the car’s aerodynamics.
• The tires once again push the limits of rolling resistance. Their coefficient is almost 40% lower, about 4 kg/ton in use conditions, compared with about 6.5 kg/ton for a conventional car tire.

Historical models

Renault Filante Record 2025: a name inspired by the brand’s DNA and heritage for a new take on the future of electric cars The name Filante Record 2025 refers directly to two iconic historic models of the brand:

Filante: this reference goes back to the Étoile Filante, a single-seater inspired by aviation, built in 1956 with the aim of setting new speed records. On September 5, 1956, the Étoile Filante broke several speed records on the Bonneville salt flats in the United States, including the records for 1 kilometer (306.9 km/h) and 5 kilometers (308.85 km/h).

Record: this refers to the 40 CV des Records, a single-seater with a streamlined body that was narrower than the Renault 40 CV. This vehicle set a series of speed and endurance records beginning in 1925. The first records were set in 1925 by engineers Garfield and Plessier: the 3-hour world record, the 500-km record and the 500-mile record. In 1926, the 24-hour record was also broken with 4,167.578 km traveled at an average speed of 173.649 km/h. The name FILANTE RECORD 2025  includes the year 2025, which marks the centenary of these 1925 records.

Other lesser-known Renault models that were involved in setting records include the Nervasport des Records. On April 4 and 5, 1934, this car set no less than nine international records and three world records, including the 48-hour record with 8,037 km at an average speed of 167.445 km/h.