1907 Renault Model AI 35/45

Louis Renault had a passion for engineering which led him to experiment with various mechanical components including old Panhard engines. He built his first car in 1898 which he called his Voiturette. Realizing the potential business implications the motorcar offered, he teamed up with his two older brothers, Marcel and Fernand, who had business experience from working in the family's button and textiles firm. Together they formed the Renault Freres company in 1899. Louis handed the design and manufacturing while the brothers handled the administration and business aspects. In 1909, Louis Renault took control of the company after Fernand retired due to health concerns and Marcel perished in a race in 1903.

From the beginning, Louis Renault's designs were advanced and innovative. His 1898 cars were powered by a DeDion Bouton engine installed in a primitive tubular chassis. The suspension used a sprung live rear axle, a feature that was soon replicated by his contemporaries. Production of 1.75 HP and 3 HP cars were followed by the popular Type C 3.5 hp cars of 1900. A 4.5 hp model appeared soon after, with larger and more sophisticated vehicles quickly emerging.

The Renault brothers understood the benefits of motorsports as a way to test, develop, and promote the product. Although the Renault voiturettes were smaller and less powerful than some of the cars, they were often contenders for class victories. In 1901, a team of four Renaults was led to victory in the Paris-Bordeaux Race by Louis Renault, taking first place himself in the voiturette class. His brother, Marcel, took second place just eight minutes behind, with Oury and Grus in similar Type E cars following in third and fourth places. In 1902, Marcel Renault drove a 16hp model to an outright victory in the Paris-Vienna Race, covering the distance at an average speed of 39.2 mph.

The racing success brought similar results in the salesroom. The years that followed saw dramatic advances in motoring technology and Renault was often at the forefront. The list of advanced technology includes hydraulic shock absorbers in 1906, tumbler box transmission, quick detachable rims, and racing chassis that had a near-perfect mid-engine layout. The transmission and engines were placed far back in the engine bay, with the radiator placed at the firewall, giving it near-perfect weight distribution.

Marcel Renault drove a 12.3-liter racer in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup race, and although the car failed to finish, it went on to win the Eagle Rock Hill Climb in New York later in the year. In June of 1906, the first Grand Prix event, the Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France, took place on a 60-mile course near Le Mans, France. Ferenc Szisz won in a 13-liter Renault Type AK.

Renaults were popular with privateers including American Willie K. Vanderbilt. He organized his own race in Newport, Rhode Island in 1900, which later moved to Long Island and became the Vanderbilt Cup, the most important motor race in America at the time. Vanderbilt competed in these races, achieving a world speed record and numerous victories.

The cars competing in these early races were either modified passenger cars used by privateers or factory-backed teams using purpose-built machines that were powerful but often highly temperamental. Vanderbilt recognized an opportunity for a small batch of purpose-built machines for sale to privateers. He commissioned Renault to build approximately 10 (as many as 12, each selling for $8,500 when new) examples of their 35/45 hp racing cars for the sum of $150,000 for the entire batch. The cars were identical mechanically but the coachwork slightly varied, with unique features that were tailor-made to fit the physical proportions of its owner.

The 35/45 were based around the Type AI four-cylinder, 7.4-liter engine but with a dramatically different chassis layout. The engine and four-speed alloy gearbox were placed two feet farther back in the frame helping to achieve optimal weight distribution. Along with speed, this gave the 35/45 racers better handling than most other cars of its era. The transmission was connected to a miniature drive shaft that was attached to the Renault trademark drive axle that had a 2:1 drive ratio allowing for a higher top-end speed.

These high-performance road/racing cars, commonly known as the Vanderbilt Renault, were driven by amateur racing drivers to numerous victories. Louis Raffolovitch won the 24-hour race at Morris Park in Brighton Beach, and another example won the same race in 1909.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2020