One would expect a man from Marseilles to
be French to the core, but Patrick Le Quément is a true internationale.
Although born in the French port city, he moved to the UK with his family and
after schooling in Britain, won a degree in design from the Birmingham
Institute of Art & Design.
After he graduated he returned to France in
1965 to train with Simca; but in 1968 accepted a senior design job with Ford,
where he designed a Ford Cargo truck, and in 1982, working in the Merkanich
Design Centre in Cologne, Germany, he penned the seminal Ford Sierra.
He then went to the USA with Ford, but in
1985 was hired by VWAG Chairman Carl Hahn to set up an advanced design studio
for Volkswagen in Wolfsburg.
Over at Renault sales were falling. Since
1956 the company had used Italian Carrozzeria Ghia for a number of designs,
plus external design consultants, and in-house design staff to create its new
models.
The Chairman at the time, Raymond Lévy
decided that ‘pure French design’ would improve the product identity and boost
Renault’s image, so he lured Patrick to Boulogne-Billancourt in 1987.
Before he agreed, Le Quément demanded
structural reporting changes. He no longer wanted Design to be run by
Engineering, so Lévy agreed that Patrick and his design centre would report
direct to the Chairman.
Then began a period of unique, inspired,
original designs. Some were instantly well received, some took a while to win
acceptance and others never took off at all. However, Renault under Lévy
achieved its aim, to offer a refreshed lineup of totally-unique French cars,
with typically eccentric appeal.
1992 saw the incredibly successful
Twingo city car.
In 1994 Le Quément then created a new face for the Espace,
which in 1984 was the world’s first people-mover and a brave design move.
His second take on the cute Renault Megane,
with its ‘Bustle Back’ was more ‘out there’ and although a fabulous little car
that sold well, it was certainly controversial.
But, there was more to come which
challenged current design thinking. Again, the designs were unique and
controversial. Patrick served up the Avantime, which was a combo coupe/MPV
which sold poorly.
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Avantime |
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Vel Satis |
However, Patrick’s design team saved the day by coming up with the stylish, and
popular Laguna.
Patrick Le Quément retired from Renault in 2009, but left a legacy of striking ideas, innovative design and a reputation as a risk-taker with a great sense of personal style.
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