May 1968, cobblestones are flying in Paris, students are demonstrating, and while France is burning, a guy in an office is quietly drawing on a photo of the Renault 4. His name is Michel Boué, he is 35 years old, and he doesn't imagine for a second that he is creating one of the most revolutionary cars in French automotive history. You know, that little round car that will forever change the way we see city cars: the Renault 5 .

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This story is about a car that should never have existed. Because honestly, in 1968, who could have imagined that we'd all fall for a little two-door car with plastic bumpers ? No one. And yet...

The Unlikely Beginnings of a Revolution

So, let's go back. Michel Boué , a designer at Renault, spends his lunch breaks scribbling on pictures of the Renault 4. Not because he was asked, no, just because he's bored and has ideas in his head. And I think it's crazy how the greatest revolutions often start during coffee breaks, you know what I mean?

The thing is, his superiors stumble upon his drawings by chance. And then, it's love at first sight . They see these rounded shapes, this design completely different from anything else being done at the time, and they say to themselves "damn, this thing is amazing." Pardon the expression, but that's really what happened.

Except that Michel Boué's story has a tragic side that I find hard to tell without feeling a little sad. The guy designs the car of his dreams in May '68 , it comes out in 1972, and he... he dies of cancer at the end of 1972. He barely had time to see his creation triumph. It really gets on my nerves every time.

Pierre Dreyfus and Project 122

But luckily, there's Pierre Dreyfus , the CEO of Renault at the time. This guy has a vision. He wants to create what he calls a "car for living." Not just a means of transportation, no, a real life companion. For the city, for the countryside, for young people, for women. A car that adapts to everything.

And I love this philosophy, because that's exactly what was missing back then. Cars were either big sedans for dad or spartan things for getting to work. But a fun , practical AND affordable car? It didn't exist.

The technical innovation that changed everything

So, let's talk technical stuff. The R5 was the first European car with plastic bumpers. Yes, it sounds silly, but in 1972, it was revolutionary. All the manufacturers were making chrome, metal, heavy stuff. And Renault came along with polyester plastic.

I swear, Renault had to build an entire factory just to mold these bumpers. And you know what? Every other manufacturer copied it in the years that followed. All of them . Because it was lighter, cheaper, and it didn't rust.

The design that defined the modern city car

But the true genius of the R5 is its design. Those rounded shapes, that tailgate that goes all the way down to the bumper, those integrated door handles that you can't even see... At the time, it seemed like something from the future.

And frankly, when I look at today's city cars, I tell myself that Michel Boué defined the codes that we still use today. Compact but spacious, practical but stylish, affordable but not cheap. That's exactly the recipe for the R5.

The Renault 5 was much more than just a people's car—it was a symbol of freedom and independence for an entire generation of French people. When it was launched in 1972, no one imagined it would become one of France's most iconic cars.

And you know what? This R5 reminds me why I love miniature cars. Because holding a little 1/43 scale R5 in your hands is a bit like experiencing that whole era all at once.

That's why I opened my shop BernardMiniatures.fr. I have more than 1,500 miniatures in stock, mostly 1/43 scale, specializing in vintage cars from 1950 to 1999. Well, I'm not a big site, so I often only have one or two pieces of each model, but that's also what makes it charming. I have Renault of course, but also a whole collection of cars that have marked history.

Delivery is free from 75€ in France, and I make sure to wrap everything well with bubble wrap because these little cars break easily.

Go take a look at bernardminiatures.fr if you're interested - and you'll see, I have some miniature R5s that are definitely worth a look.

Now, let's talk a little more about the story of this little revolutionary...

The "Supercar" campaign that revolutionized advertising

So, brace yourself, because the R5 advertising campaign was unprecedented. The Publicis agency had a brilliant idea: make the car talk .

"Hello, I'm the Renault 5, they also call me Supercar." With eyes instead of headlights and a smile on the bumper. It seems old-fashioned now, but in 1972, it was revolutionary.

And they saw things in a big way: 6,500 bus shelters, 1,200 billboards, two cartoons in 1,750 cinemas. Unheard of at the time. I think it's brilliant, this idea of humanizing a car, of making it endearing.

A success that exceeds all expectations

The result? The R5 became the best-selling car in France from 1972 to 1986. More than 5.5 million units in 14 years. That's huge! To give you an idea, it's the sixth best-selling car in French history.

And the price? 10,800 francs for the L version, 12,000 for the TL. At the time, it was affordable for the middle class. Not cheap, but not out of reach either.

But wait, because the story gets even crazier when the R5 crosses the Atlantic...

The conquest of North America

In 1976, Renault thought, "What if we tried America?" So they renamed the R5 " Le Car ." Yes, "Le Car," with the French article. Pretty cute name, right?

But it's in Quebec that things get really tasty. There, they call it " La Cinq ," and guess who becomes the brand ambassador? Robert Charlebois ! The Quebec singer who extols the virtues of the little French girl.

The Quebec slogan? "The Camel," for its low fuel consumption. And it works like a charm: the R5 reaches 50% of the small car market in Quebec. Unprecedented for a European car in North America.

Influence on competition

Obviously, Peugeot couldn't let Renault have a monopoly. In 1972, the Lion released the 104. More classic, less revolutionary, but with one advantage: four doors. It was the smallest four-door in the world at the time.

But I find it funny, this tacit agreement between Renault and Peugeot. As if they had said to each other "well, you make the fun two-doors, I make the practical four-doors." Until 1974 when Peugeot released a two-door coupé from its 104. Then the gloves were thrown.

It wasn't until 1980 that a four-door Renault 5 appeared. Eight years! Renault was so sure of its success that they didn't feel it necessary to react immediately.

The legacy of a revolution

The R5 created what is now called the B segment of small city cars. Along with the Fiat 127, it defined the codes for all small cars that followed. And I mean it carefully: ALL OF THEM.

The tailgate, the plastic bumpers, the rounded shapes, the optimized interior... All these innovations have become the norm. And when you look at a Peugeot 205, you see the R5's DNA. It's only natural, since it wrote the specifications for the modern city car.

But what strikes me most is that the R5 also changed our relationship with cars . Before it, a car was a tool. With it, it became an object of pleasure, a fashion accessory, a life companion.

The versions that have marked history

Over the years, the range has expanded. The entry-level L version, the better-equipped TL, the even more luxurious GTL, and the legendary TS for those who wanted a little more punch.

And then there were the legendary sports versions, but that's another story that I might tell you in a future video.

Michel Boué: the unsung genius

You know, every time I see an R5, I think of Michel Boué. This guy who drew during his breaks, who revolutionized the French automobile industry, and who never got to enjoy his success.

He was 35 when he designed the R5. 39 when he died. A short life, but an immense legacy. And frankly, I think it's unfair that we don't know his name better.

Because you see, the R5 isn't just a car. It's the vision of a man who understood before anyone else what people really wanted: a car that reflects them.

The impact on global industry

And this impact was felt around the world. Japanese, German, and Italian manufacturers all copied the R5's innovations. The plastic, the design, the very philosophy of the modern city car.

I often say that the R5 is a bit like the iPhone of the automobile . Not necessarily the first in its field, but the one that did everything better than the others and imposed its vision.

Epilogue: When a car changes an era

So there you have it, 14 years of production, 5.5 million units, dozens of countries conquered. The Renault 5 wasn't just the car of the 70s , it was the spirit of the 70s.

This decade when everything was changing, when young people wanted their independence, when women were taking the wheel en masse, when people were starting to worry about consumption... The R5 was perfectly in tune with its time.

And you know what? Fifty years later, Renault has relaunched the R5 in an electric version. Because some ideas are timeless. Because Michel Boué's genius continues to inspire.

Every time I see an R5 in the street (and yes, there are still some!), I tell myself that this little round car has written a page of history. The story of a revolution that began on a drawing board in May 1968 and which continues today.

And that's the beauty of vintage cars: behind every model, there are men, dreams, revolutions. The Renault 5 was all of that at once. A small car that changed the world .