It was only a matter of time until the restomod wave hit the Renault 5, after all, the little hatchback is not only one of the brand’s most successful cars in history, it’s also a bonafide style icon. Now Renault and Pierre Gonalons have combined forces to create possibly the most outlandish show-car of the century, the jewel-like Renault 5 Diamant. 

Personal design highlights have to begin with the spec - a surprisingly effective combination of two-tone satin pink and gold, offset beautifully with some Renault 5 Alpine wheels. Every inch of the car seems to have been redesigned, including the free-floating headlights, which sit proud of the front bumper, and the gem-like taillights which continue the jewellery theme round the back of the car. 

Inside, Gonalons really went to town, removing as much as possible while retaining only the essential elements such as the door handles, the window winders and the shift lever, which have all been redesigned in the form of spheres. Which brings us to the steering… pretzel. Constructed of fine Grand Antique d'Aubert marble on carbon, Renault claim that despite it’s unconventional shape, it’s “characterized by its great user-friendliness”. We’re assuming this doesn’t apply to any form of collision involving the car. 

While the design is as well-executed as some of the interior elements are experimental, above all the focus with the Renault 5 Diamant was on the materials. The seat covers were produced by the textile specialists Métaphores and the horsehair fabric over the instrument panel by Le Crin, a centuries-old company that weaves exclusively by hand. The mohair wool rug comes from Pinton, one of the last tapestry craftsmen in France, while the gilding, including the monogram on the bonnet, was carried out by the renowned Parisian Atelier Bertin-Aubert. 

All in all, we’re obsessed with this outlandish little showcar. It possesses the fashion-forward approach and disregard for passenger safety that defined the concept cars of the latter half of the 20th century, and we’re here for it. While the unavoidable NFT tie-in that will launch alongside this car already seems a bit passé, Renault and Gonalons have struck diamond with this redesigned Renault 5.