Introduction

Followers of the French motoring industry will be accustomed to the daring and abstract design cues often showcased. To draw parallels with the artistic world, Italian supercars are beautiful, much like Da Vinci's Virgin of the Rocks whereas French car design often echoes shades of more abstract works, such as cubist creations by Pablo Picasso.

Similarly to the more abstract artists, failure comes ten-a-penny as public opinion rejects daring new ideas, some of which inspire similar horrors to Picasso's Guernica. Admittedly, many were for justifiable reasons; however, the motoring world should admire PSA and Renault for their constant design innovations over the years. Here is a top five list of France's most spectacular abstract failures.

5 - Citroen C3 Pluriel

A rather spectacular cross-genre failure, because who wouldn't want a supermini-come-cabriolet-come-pick-up truck? Apparently not that many people were too keen due to woeful reliability and poor build quality. Problems and slight niggles aside, the C3 Pluriel was certainly interesting. In one form, the C3 Pluriel was a basic four-seater supermini. Should the sun decide to come out, the roof could be retracted like that of a Fiat 500C. Really confident sunbathers could opt to remove the roof-bars entirely, morphing into full cabriolet mode. And finally, trips to the local garden centre could be made easier with the ability to fold the seats into a pick-up arrangement. Certainly interesting, but when required to find storage for the roof-bars in cabriolet mode, perspective buyers were largely discouraged.

4 - Renault Vel Satis

Not content with the blandness of the previous Safrane model, Renault decided to spruce things up with the 2002 Vel Satis. With an optimistic name formed through the combination of 'Velocity' and 'Satisfaction', and the competition from the superior German brands, the Vel Satis was doomed to be a dead duck. At a time of popular German saloons, the Vel Satis opted to challenge the conventional dimensions. Basically, selecting a Vel Satis over the equivalent Audi was akin to purchasing a holiday home in Calais over Nice. The inferior ride and handling combination was the final nail in the coffin for the ugly duckling.

3 - Peugeot 1007

Whoever was responsible for this creation certainly had an acquired taste. When Peugeot revealed this obscure model in 2004, some questioned whether PSA should introduce in-house drug testing for their design staff. The intention was to combine the practicality of an MPV with the compact dimensions of a city car. This roughly translated to bodge-fitting the electric rear doors from a Peugeot 807 to a sorry-looking city car, hence resulting in a creation that would cause Frankenstein to attend therapy. Furthermore, the underpowered engines struggled with the immense weight from the electric doors, which rendered acceleration fictional. Besides a few disabled buyers, who found the electric doors superb for cabin access, the 1007 bombed with poor new car sales.

2 - Renault Avantime

Practically speaking, no one in the history of humanity would ever yearn to buy a coupé-MPV, especially when only available with five seats. The fact is, those unable to accept their family obligations either purchased a Scenic or filed for divorce. Furthermore, those who could often bought the Espace. Practicality aside, the design of the Avantime was certainly interesting. The front was largely similar to the Espace, the B-pillars were eradicated and incorporated into a coupé design, the boot-lid previewed the later Mégane and the interior was rather spacious and luxurious. Originally conceived as a concept car, strong interest led to the car's launch; however the obscure cross-genre mixture and daring design could not compensate for the lack of practicality and obscene running costs. Hence, the Avantime was a disaster, with only 8,557 units produced.

1 - Renault Twizy

Renault's launch of its Z.E. range produced four models, the cheapest and most obscure of which was the infamous Twizy. Technically an electric powered quadricycle, the Twizy certainly captures the imagination and turns numerous heads. Despite the cool appeal and environmental benefits, the Twizy is certainly more deserving of the name 'Avantime' (Avant time). Furthermore, the battery rental and shockingly harsh ride made it an unrealistic choice for most average commuters, who had to pay a premium for the luxury of doors and windows. Whilst fun, the Twizy is weird and impractical. Sales are low but surprisingly not non-existent.

Paul McShane - 20 Mar 2014