Renault Dezir concept (2010) first official pictures

These are the first pictures of the Renault Dezir, a sporty Clio-sized electric concept set to be unveiled at the Paris motor show in September 2010.

This is the first car produced under the watch of new design director Laurens van den Acker, who's charged with reinvigorating the Renault range after Patrick le Quement's departure.

The Dezir concept car heralds a new design language for Renault, which has seen the small car market become increasingly chic (think Citroen DS3) yet it's soldiered on with just the Clio and, now, the Wind Roadster.

The Dezir aims to get people talking about Renault again as a maker of seductive, beautiful cars. Looking beyond the blood-red concept's typical car-stand flashes such as the assymetric scissor doors, slimline LED headlights and a paint-splattered interior, Renault's designers have produced a truly breathtaking piece of automotive art. Expect details such as the full-width grille and 'eyelids' to appear on future models.

We're just gutted this particular concept car is not destined for production.

Powering the concept is a 24kWh lithium-ion battery, providing the car with a 100 mile range. This may be fully charged in eight hours or under an hour using a three-phase fast charger. The motor is the same basic unit as Renault's future production EVs, however the motor has been uprated to 110kW and 167 lb ft of torque, giving a 0-62 time of 5 seconds.

Renault will use the 2010 Paris show to display not only the Dezir but a whole host of new models; the production Fluence EV, Kangoo and Twizy will all be there, along with a 95%-production-ready Zoe, which will be shown in final form at the spring 2011 Geneva show.    

By Mark Passer