Renault Reinastella
Encyclopedia
The Renault Reinastella is an automobile
created by the French
car maker Renault
. The original Reinastella was a luxury-class car manufactured between 1929 and 1933.
The original Reinastella was the first of Renault's Stella series, high-end luxury automobiles intended to compete with contemporary marques such as Hispano-Suiza
, Rolls-Royce
, Daimler
, Packard
, and LaSalle. The Stellas, or Grand Renaults, were marked with a star riveted to the radiator
grille above the famous Renault lozenge.
The Reinastella was, at 5.3 meters (17 feet) long and 2 meters (six feet) wide, the biggest car ever produced by Renault upon its market debut. It weighed about 2.5 ton
s and was the first Renault to be fitted with a 7.1 liter, 8-cylinder
engine
, delivering a top speed of 140 kilometre per hour. It was also the first Renault to have its radiator placed ahead of the engine, leading the way for all future Renaults.
The hood
of the Reinastella was longer than that of the later Nervastella and Vivastella
, but like those later models the Reinastella was available in different trims: a closed sedan, berline, and town car. Coachbuilding was by leading French coachwork
ers, exhibiting the luxurious fittings of the golden age of classic bodywork. These models were produced until 1931.
In 1933, a coupé
, the Reinasport, was introduced. It was a lighter and more economical car, designed to compete with British
and American models in the difficult economic environment of the Great Depression
.
In its day, the Reinastella had the same cachet of luxury and privilege in the Francophone
world that Rolls Royce had in Britain and America. As a result it may sometimes be seen in contemporary popular media as a symbol of wealth. For example, and it appears in the Tintin
series of Belgian cartoonist
Hergé
, both in "The Blue Lotus
" (1931) and "Le crabe aux pinces d'or
" (although the depictions may be of a Vivastella in taxi
configuration).
The high proportion of aluminum used in construction made all the Stellas desirable for recycling
during World War II
. Only a few hundred examples of the vehicle were produced, and most of those that survive are in museum
collections.
The name was also used for a prototype flying car in 1992. The flying car made its public debut in Circle-Vision 360°
film, Le Visionarium, an attraction at the Disneyland Park
at Disneyland Resort Paris
, which Renault sponsored from 1992 until 2002. The prototype still can be seen at some special auto fairs in Europe.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
created by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
car maker Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
. The original Reinastella was a luxury-class car manufactured between 1929 and 1933.
The original Reinastella was the first of Renault's Stella series, high-end luxury automobiles intended to compete with contemporary marques such as Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza was a Spanish automotive and engineering firm, best known for its luxury cars and aviation engines in the pre-World War II period of the twentieth century. In 1923, its French subsidiary became a semi-autonomous partnership with the parent company and is now part of the French SAFRAN...
, Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
, Daimler
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
, Packard
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
, and LaSalle. The Stellas, or Grand Renaults, were marked with a star riveted to the radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
grille above the famous Renault lozenge.
The Reinastella was, at 5.3 meters (17 feet) long and 2 meters (six feet) wide, the biggest car ever produced by Renault upon its market debut. It weighed about 2.5 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s and was the first Renault to be fitted with a 7.1 liter, 8-cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
, delivering a top speed of 140 kilometre per hour. It was also the first Renault to have its radiator placed ahead of the engine, leading the way for all future Renaults.
The hood
Hood (vehicle)
The hood or bonnet is the hinged cover over the engine of motor vehicles that allows access to the engine compartment for maintenance and repair. In British terminology, hood refers to a fabric cover over the passenger compartment of the car...
of the Reinastella was longer than that of the later Nervastella and Vivastella
Renault Vivastella
The Renault Vivastella was a full-size automobile manufactured by Renault between 1929 and 1939.-Details and evolutions:Different versions of the car were produced throughout the thirties and were differentiated by engine size but always shorter than the Renault Reinastella.The Vivastella was...
, but like those later models the Reinastella was available in different trims: a closed sedan, berline, and town car. Coachbuilding was by leading French coachwork
Coachwork
Coachwork is the body of a horse-drawn coach or carriage, a motor vehicle , a railroad car or railway carriage. Usually reserved for bodies built on a separate chassis, rather than being of unitary or monocoque construction...
ers, exhibiting the luxurious fittings of the golden age of classic bodywork. These models were produced until 1931.
In 1933, a coupé
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
, the Reinasport, was introduced. It was a lighter and more economical car, designed to compete with British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and American models in the difficult economic environment of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
In its day, the Reinastella had the same cachet of luxury and privilege in the Francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
world that Rolls Royce had in Britain and America. As a result it may sometimes be seen in contemporary popular media as a symbol of wealth. For example, and it appears in the Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin is a series of classic comic books created by Belgian artist , who wrote under the pen name of Hergé...
series of Belgian cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
Hergé
Hergé
Georges Prosper Remi , better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. His best known and most substantial work is the 23 completed comic books in The Adventures of Tintin series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, although he was also...
, both in "The Blue Lotus
The Blue Lotus
The Blue Lotus , first published in 1936, is one of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums written and illustrated by Hergé featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero. It is a sequel to Cigars of the Pharaoh, with Tintin continuing his struggle against a major gang of drug...
" (1931) and "Le crabe aux pinces d'or
The Crab with the Golden Claws
The Crab with the Golden Claws is the ninth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero...
" (although the depictions may be of a Vivastella in taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
configuration).
The high proportion of aluminum used in construction made all the Stellas desirable for recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Only a few hundred examples of the vehicle were produced, and most of those that survive are in museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
collections.
The name was also used for a prototype flying car in 1992. The flying car made its public debut in Circle-Vision 360°
Circle-Vision 360°
Circle-Vision 360° is a film technique, refined by The Walt Disney Company, that uses nine cameras for nine huge screens arranged in a circle. The cameras are usually mounted on top of an automobile for scenes through cities and highways, while films such as The Timekeeper use a static camera and...
film, Le Visionarium, an attraction at the Disneyland Park
Disneyland Park (Paris)
Disneyland Park is a theme park at Disneyland Paris, a resort complex just outside of Paris, in the new town of Marne-la-Vallée, France. The first of two parks built at the resort, it opened as Euro Disneyland on 12 April, 1992...
at Disneyland Resort Paris
Disneyland Resort Paris
Disneyland Paris is a holiday and recreation resort in Marne-la-Vallée, a new town in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. The complex is located from the centre of Paris and lies for the most part within the commune of Chessy, Seine-et-Marne....
, which Renault sponsored from 1992 until 2002. The prototype still can be seen at some special auto fairs in Europe.