1982 Renault Piccola Prototype by Marcello Gandini

The Renault Piccola was a striking 1982 city car prototype created by legendary designer Marcello Gandini, shortly after his departure from Bertone. Brought into Renault by Robert Opron to contribute to the second-generation Renault 5 (Supercinq), Gandini also took the opportunity to present his own independent idea for a low-cost urban vehicle. The Piccola—Italian for "small"—was a lightweight, plastic-bodied city car that arrived at Renault’s design offices in pieces, crated up, showcasing a modular approach to vehicle construction.

In a demonstration that captivated Renault's leadership, the Piccola was assembled in just 30 minutes using only basic tools, proving the concept’s simplicity and practicality. Renault immediately purchased the rights to the concept, recognising its potential to influence the stalled Véhicules Bas de Gamme (VBG) program—an internal project aimed at replacing the aging Renault 4 with a truly affordable, easy-to-build car.

Though the Piccola itself never entered production, it played a part in shaping Renault's thinking around ultra-affordable vehicles, and is an early example of flat-pack-inspired automotive design, a concept that would resurface decades later in various forms.