This Slippery Renault Concept Is Out To Break Records

This is the Renault Filante Record 2025, and it’s a concept designed to hint at what the next-generation Clio might look like. Only kidding. It is a fully functional prototype, though, built with the express purpose of breaking records.

Those retrofuturistic looks draw inspiration from three cars from Renault’s history, also all built with records of some sort in mind – 1925’s 40 CV des Records, 1934’s Nervasport des Records, and 1956’s Etoile de Filante. While they were all built with speed in mind, though, the car that for brevity’s sake we’ll just call the Filante from now on has a different goal: efficiency.

We know it’s electric, but that’s about all we know with regard to the powertrain – and that’s not really the point. Everything about the Filante has been designed to be as light, slippery and friction-free as possible.

Its open-wheeled body has been designed to reduce drag as much as possible, from the faired-in wheels to the bubble canopy, which Renault is inevitably comparing to a fighter jet’s.

Naturally, lightness is a big deal too. Much of the body is carbon fibre, while the chassis is a blend of carbon, aluminium and steel alloys. Some components are made from Scalmalloy, a lightweight but high-strength 3D-printed aluminium alloy. On the inside, the single seat is made from stretched canvas and supported by thin carbon pieces, and the display screen is a thin flexible piece.

Renault’s also worked hard with topology optimisation. Don’t worry, we didn’t know what this is, either. Apparently, though, it’s ensuring that all materials are only used where they’re absolutely necessary, and getting rid of them where they’re not going to compromise strength.

Both the brakes and steering are by-wire systems, eliminating those pesky heavy mechanical connections between the controls and the wheels. Overall, the Filante is said to weigh below 1000kg, around 600kg of which is the battery pack.

It’s not all streamlining and lightweight-ing, though – the Filante also wears specially designed Michelin rubber designed to slash rolling resistance, cutting that figure by around 40 per cent compared to a conventional tyre.

Renault’s going to be using the Filante to try and claim a new record for efficiency during the first half of 2025, although what specific record it hasn’t said. While you’re definitely never going to see it sitting alongside Capturs on a showroom floor, some of the tech featured on it could filter down into future production Renaults.