Renault record-breaker back at Bonneville

Renault’s famous ‘shooting star’ gas turbine-powered car has returned to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah – 60 years on.

The Renault Etoile Filante (“shooting star” in French) established four new world land speed records – two of which still stand to this day.

On September 5, 1956, the whistle of the slippery blue car’s powerful turbine ricocheted around Bonneville’s salt lake. A few moments later the world speed record for gas turbine cars had been broken.

The Étoile Filante had reached 308.9kph (192mph) over a kilometre (0.6 miles) and 308.85kph (192mph) over 5km (3.1 miles) – records that still stand today.

Back in 1956, the speed tests also helped promote sales for Renault’s newest car in the States, the Dauphine.

To celebrate the anniversary, Renault Classic dispatched a Dauphine to Bonneville where Nicolas Prost, driver for Renault e.dams in the FIA Formula E Championship, established a new class record 76.5mph (123.1kph).

The 956cc-engined car beat the exist ing CGC (Classic Gas Coupé) record for cars made between 1928 and 1981 with an engine capacity of between 754cc and 1,015cc.