Renault VBG

The Renault VBG Prototype was the first major assignment Robert Opron tackled after joining Renault from Citroën, where he had shaped icons like the GS, CX, and SM.

Conceived as the Véhicule Bas de Gamme (VBG), the project aimed to create a new entry-level model that would eventually replace both the Renault 4 and Renault 6, sitting below the Renault 5 in the range.

1975 prototype

The VBG went through several design phases, it never reached production.

Even so, its core ideas of simplicity, versatility, and easy manufacturing helped shape Renault’s later thinking on affordable mobility, paving the way for concepts such as the Renault EVE and the Twingo.

1976 prototype

The 1976 prototype introduced several unusually forward-thinking ideas. Most striking were its sliding semi-circular side windows—an inventive, low-cost alternative to conventional glazing.

It also used a front-hinged clamshell bonnet that incorporated the front wings, a solution likely chosen to simplify manufacturing and servicing.

Though Opron left Renault before the VBG could move forward, the concept lived on into the 1980s.

Under Patrick Le Quément, many of its principles evolved into the first-generation Renault Twingo, launched in 1992 and celebrated for its clever packaging, charm, and affordability.

In this way, the 1976 VBG prototype became the conceptual ancestor of one of Renault’s most beloved small cars.