1985 Renault X-45 by Marcello Gandini

The Renault X-45 was a prototype developed as part of the company’s Véhicule Bas de Gamme (VBG) project, which aimed to create a modern, low-cost replacement for the long-running Renault 4. Styled by Marcello Gandini, who had been brought into Renault by Robert Opron, the X-45 was conceived as a practical city car with innovative packaging.

To showcase multiple production possibilities, the prototype was asymmetrical: it featured two doors on one side (to simulate a 5-door layout) and one door on the other (to suggest a 3-door configuration). Compact and boxy in shape, it was Renault’s answer to the popular Fiat Panda, combining simplicity with clever design.

Despite showing promise, the project was abruptly halted following a shift in Renault management. With the arrival of Patrick Le Quément as head of design, the X-45 was dropped in favour of new strategic directions, and it never progressed beyond the prototype stage.