Time to change the automobile fleet of the French Presidency. The garage of President Emmanuel Macron, which has been equipped with DS models since 2012, has now been occupied by the Renault Rafale as the new official car of the French president, starting from Bastille Day, July 14th.
Renault has already announced that the new vehicle for the French Head of State has undergone specific modifications to meet the demands of the presidential function.
Technological and efficient, the Renault Rafale provided to the Élysée Palace stands out for its “Nocturne Blue” body color, grille adorned with a tricolor flag in gradient, removable flagpoles, and front emblems in blue, white, and red on the front doors.
It should be noted that this is not the first time that a Renault model has been chosen as the official vehicle of the French Presidency. In 1920, the Élysée Palace used a Renault 40 CV for the first time, which remained in service until 1928. Used by Paul Deschanel, Alexandre Millerand, and Gaston Doumergue, this car marked the beginning of the era of the presidential automobile.
Since that time, no less than 12 presidents have chosen Renault for their official travels, including François Mitterrand, who used a Renault 25 Limousine and a Renault 30 TX during his time at the Élysée Palace. The latest in this long series was a Renault Espace V, which was in service for the president in 2016.
