In 1899, Louis Renault built his first car. He weighed 350 kilos and had a De Dion engine 1.75 hp. The young talent, led his company to be one of the most important in the automotive industry, but after the War II was arrested on charges of “collaboration” of the Germans and lodged in the prison of Fresnes. He died in 1944 and the factory passed to the French state under the regime of General De Gaulle. Thus was born on January 16, 1945 the Regie Nationale des Usines Renault, which still retains that name. The workshop, which Louis Renault installed in the garden of the family home, as preserved in Billancourt outside the offices of management. 1st part Beginnings Renault, like many other car manufacturers, owes its existence to the genius and perseverance of its creator, in this case Louis Renault.Born in Paris in 1877 was the fourth son of a wealthy industrialist button manufacturer and marketer of fabrics, Alfred Renault, who lived in a comfortable villa in Billancourt, a few miles from Paris. In the large garden of the house was a cabin that Louis became the workshop and began performing laboratory experiments. I never was attracted to the study and school attendance was not very normal, but instead a passion for mechanics led him to develop his invention, to the point that gave an electric lighting system to his workshop and then throughout the house. His curiosity prompted him to attend Serpollet, who produced vehicles powered by steam and with whom he formed a close friendship despite the age difference. Shortly after a dynamo perfected invention whose patent sold Delaunay Belleville home, but a minor could not sign the contract and was his older brother, Fernand who took over following the death of his father. In 1897 he joined the military service and during that period design plans for a removable bridge implemented proved to be a success. Marcel, who built a quad I ride De Dion engine 1 and 3 / 4 HP that came from the De Dion Bouton tricycle that his father had given him when he made the wiring of the house. It was also his invention three-speed box, which directly transmitting the third major axis rotation to the rear wheels through bevel gears, which is to say that Renault was the inventor of the direct engagement. The aim of Louis Renault was none other than the simple use your invention for entertainment during walks along the banks of the Seine, but soon there were many interested in buying the vehicle.Both he and Marcel convinced Ferdinand, who had taken over the father’s business would be a good investment to build cars and founded on February 25, 1899 the Societe Renault Freres with a capital of 60,000 gold francs. The place was in Billancourt, Seine and six months later had gone on sale more than sixty cars. Own motor car and It was very light vehicles (weighing no more than 350 Kg) two-seater equipped with engines of 273 cm3 De Dion who developed 1.75 hp air-cooled and installed in the front of a tubular frame. The leaf spring suspension and the whole transmission system were manufactured by Renault. Simultaneously with this marketing vehicle start driving the first car within the history. His body was very curious by Labourdette and his height was 1.90 meters, while the wheelbase was only 1.45 meters.
Louis Renault
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