Renault Type A Voiturette
A tiny one-cylinder machine helped Renault begin—and carried a surprisingly modern shaft drive beneath its two seats.
1899 Renault Type A at Laganland Motor Museum · Herranderssvensson · CC BY-SA 3.0
More than a set of wheels.
Louis Renault built a prototype in 1898, then founded Renault Frères with Marcel and Fernand. The production Type A grew to 273 cc for 1899. It was small enough to look like a horseless cart, but its three-speed direct-drive gearbox, reverse gear and propeller shaft pointed toward the layout millions of later cars would use.
Look a little closer.
Renault says Louis and Marcel finished first and second in the amateur Paris–Trouville race in 1899 with Type A voiturettes.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
The hill that started a company
On Christmas Eve 1898, Louis drove his prototype up steep rue Lepic in Montmartre and won twelve orders. Renault Frères followed two months later. The production car profiled here is the enlarged 273 cc Type A offered in 1899, not that first 198 cc prototype.
Source: Renault The Originals · Type A ↗A modern idea under a very early body
Most early light cars relied on belts or chains. Louis Renault's patented gearbox included three forward ratios, direct drive and reverse, feeding a propeller shaft and rear differential. The National Motor Museum calls this one of the layouts that would dominate twentieth-century car design.
Source: National Motor Museum · 1899 Renault 1¾hp ↗Where these facts come from
- Renault The Originals · Type A
- National Motor Museum · 1899 Renault 1¾hp
- Château de Compiègne · Renault Type A voiturette
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.