Renault Frendzy Concept



Ahead of the 64th Frankfurt Motor Show, Renault is pleased to reveal details of the Frendzy concept car. After the notion of 'love at first sight' expressed by DeZir, discovering the world with Captur and the establishment of a family with R-Space, Frendzy presents the world of work. It is the fourth step in Renault's design strategy based on the different stages of the human life cycle.



Renault Frendzy Concept has a dual personality. These days, professional and personal lives are so intricately interwoven that drivers find themselves permanently channel-hopping between one world and the other. The role of Frendzy is to be a partner that takes the strain out of this lifestyle.

On the passenger's side, there's no glazing and no centre pillar, just one conventional door and one sliding side door which incorporates a 37-inch widescreen display. This is the world of work. The driver's side, complete with side windows, still no centre pillar, but with centre opening doors represents the world of the family. Ease of loading and ease of entry go without saying in both worlds!

On weekdays, Renault Frendzy Concept is a vehicle that adapts to the requirements of the business user, with a large external screen that can display useful messages or information (such as "making deliveries" or "back in five minutes", the battery-charging method or the remaining charge) or advertising messages, either whilst parked or on the move. Come the weekend, the vehicle transforms itself into a family vehicle, with a comfortable passenger seat and, in the rear, a big bench seat. Depending on their mood of the moment, children can watch a film or play games on the touch-sensitive pad which slides out from the back of the driver's seat. They can even draw on a special slate integrated into the sliding door.


The driver, likewise, can adapt the vehicle to his or her needs. In 'work' mode, the rear-view mirrors sit upright and the interior lighting is green; in 'family' mode, the mirrors swivel round to the horizontal position and the interior is bathed in a radiant orange ambience. Coloured repeater lights in the headlamps and tail lights provide an external indication of the mode in which Frendzy is operating.

The driver's side cockpit is designed along the theme of a futuristic 'work bench' featuring a structure which appears to be made from molten metal. Green light emanating from the dashboard brings this smooth and organic architecture to life. These lights signify the 'work' mode and tie in with the colour displayed on the exterior of the vehicle.

In the 'family' mode, the atmosphere becomes warmer as the green lights turn orange - a subtle reference to the colour of the previous concept car, the family-oriented R-Space.

The user-friendly layout of the driver's environment and tablet turn Renault Frendzy Concept into a truly interactive and communicative tool. The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet recently launched by Research In Motion (RIM), plugged into the dashboard, has enabled the concept of an office on wheels to become reality. BlackBerry PlayBook is ultra-portable, yet it delivers advanced performance, uncompromised web browsing with support for Adobe Flash, HD multimedia, advanced security features and out-of-the-box enterprise support.


Like DeZir, which was unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, Frendzy is an electric vehicle. As for Frendzy's powertrain, it is the same as that of Kangoo Z.E., although the charging point - located under the Renault logo at the front of the vehicle - is identical to that on ZOE Preview.

The chief new feature of Renault Frendzy Concept as an electric vehicle is the extensive work that has gone into the sounds it produces. This work was carried out in conjunction with IRCAM (Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique / Musique). Electric vehicles are silent, so one of the big challenges facing Renault is customizing the sound they produce for safety reasons, notably at slow speeds.

The collaboration between Renault and IRCAM began with the creation of a sporty sound for DeZir which conveys the driving enjoyment associated with the car. In the case of Frendzy, the aim was to produce a custom sound which corresponds with the new concept car's calling as an "office on wheels".

Renault Frendzy Concept's dual personality prompted Renault and IRCAM to develop a broad range of sounds. The programme has led to a variety of sounds that are emitted both inside and outside of the vehicle to ensure that everyone can tell whether it is in business or passenger car mode, thanks simply to its sound signature.