- "Renault's rebellious minivan carries an F1 engine."
- ―In-game catch text for the car, from GT7's car collection
The Renault Espace F1 '95 is a concept car manufactured by Renault, based on the second generation model of the Renault Espace. It appears in Gran Turismo 2, and after a long absence from the series, it returned in Gran Turismo 7 as part of Update 1.65.
In-game description[]
- "It's been said that the European minivan boom of the 1980s was sparked by the Renault Espace. The series had a powerful Formula 1 variant known as the Espace F1. This car was proposed to Renault by Matra, the company that had initially constructed the Espace's fiberglass body. At the time, Renault was hailed as the reigning champion of Formula 1.[1] Transplanting a RS4 unit from its winning F1 machine of 1992, the FW14B, Matra sought to pay homage to Renault's Formula 1 success and, at the same time, mark ten years of the Espace. Clothed in an almost entirely carbon-fiber and aluminum body, this car swapped out its third row seats for an F1 engine mounted amidships. And its test run was piloted by none other than F1 driver Alain Prost! This is one unorthodox minivan that can really zip around a track."
- ―In-game description of the car, from GT7's Legend Car Dealership
The Renault Espace made its debut in 1984 as Europe's first minivan. Ten years later, in 1994, an extraordinary version of the Espace was revealed at the Paris Motor Show. This machine carried an F1 engine at its core and was christened the Espace F1.
The original concept came from Matra, which had first pitched the Espace to Renault and had crafted its fiberglass body panels. At the time, Renault was partnered with Williams, fresh from its triumph in Formula 1. Matra proposed installing the 3.5-liter V-10 RS4 engine from the 1992 championship-winning FW14B into the Espace, both as a tribute to the model's tenth anniversary and as a statement of Renault's success.
Built at Matra's Romorantin plant in France, the Espace F1 stood as an entirely unconventional minivan. It shared part of its chassis with the second-generation model, yet most of the body was refashioned in aluminum and carbon fiber. The body's width was expanded to house massive tires, while a giant rear wing adorned the roof, pressing the body downward.
The engine, the very heart of the beast, was mounted amidships between the front and rear axles. Inside, the three rows of seats gave way to four carbon-fiber buckets, while the engine's intake funnels stood proudly on display between the rear seats. The Espace F1 produced 788 HP, accelerating from 0-100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds and reaching a top speed of 316 km/h.
Legends like Alain Prost took the wheel of the Espace F1 on circuit, releasing the piercing whine of its race engine as it roared past enthralled crowds.
Acquisition[]
| Game | Purchase location | Credits | Other methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Turismo 2 | Renault Special Dealership | 2,000,000 | --- |
| Gran Turismo 7 (  v1.65+) |
Legend Cars | 2,000,000[2] | --- |
Pictures[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- The Espace F1 currently holds the record for the longest gap between appearances in the series, at 25 years, 11 months and 358 days, beating out the NISMO 400R '95. Additionally, it is the very first vehicle to return after its long absence to not be a Nissan Skyline.
- Renault is known to have built two Espace F1 units. The car in GT2 appears to be based on the non-functional static display model, whilst the GT7 car is the fully functional prototype.
- The Espace seen in GT7 also appears to have the demo run rear wing installed; the display model's rear wing is not available in GT Auto.
- The static display model featured in GT2 has functional headlights, but the running prototype featured in GT7 only has dummy ones.
- In GT7, there is a lack of shifting animation when driving this car, even though there are two yellow buttons from the steering wheel that indicates gear shifting.
- The same issue also occurs on the GT by Citroën Road Car, Gr.4 and Race Car (Gr.3).