Fellow head of Renault Design, Patrick le Quément, pays tribute to a French automotive design legend.

Simca Fulgur (photo © LIGNES/auto)

Simca Fulgur (photo © LIGNES/auto)

Farewell, Robert Opron!

You inspired me so much as a child, when I discovered your extraordinarily futuristic Simca Fulgur, which had been unveiled at the New York Motor Show in 1958. Atomic-powered, of course, radar-guided and using a gyroscope to assure equilibrium over its two wheels. So that was what cars of the year 2000 would look like - and, gosh, did I believe it!

Robert Opron began working for an appliance manufacturer, Arthur Martin, before joining Simca in 1958. He then made the switch over to Citroën in 1962 and became Flaminio Bertoni’s assistant two years later, at what was but a tiny Styling Department. This bureau d’études was under the technical leadership of André Lefebvre, of Avions Voisin fame, who was, of course, the father of the exceptional DS. In 1964, when Bertoni left this world after having suffered from fulminating hepatitis, Opron was made responsible for the Styling Department, which continued to produce highly-acclaimed models - starting with the most beautiful facelift on the DS, which now sported directional headlamps. Then came the ontological SM, in 1970 - the very same year as the GS. This was indeed a very good year for modernists. Finally, the CX was launched in 1974, to fully deserved acclaim. This car would prove to change Robert Opron’s destiny, albeit not for the better. He was approached by Renault as a result and offered to jump ship - his accepting the offer not only the consequence of the generous financial package he was offered, but mostly because of the engaging  personality of Renault president, Bernard Hanon. 

Not at the centre of attention: the head of design (photo © LIGNES/auto)

Not at the centre of attention: the head of design (photo © LIGNES/auto)

Whereas his relationship with the Technical Director of Citroën, Albert Grosseau, had been a difficult one, he had had the ear of its president, Pierre Bercot. But that was not to be the case at Renault. Indeed, he developed an equally difficult relationship with Renault’s Technical Director, Georges Vian, and soon discovered that President Hanon listened first and foremost to the man responsible for market tests, a certain Daniel Leconte. This is evident when viewing a photograph taken during a model selection session, where the market research man stands close to the president, whereas the head of the styling department is so far away that he would have been completely out of ear range of Monsieur le Président. Hence the reason why the Opron-era at Renault was mostly filled with nondescript, vacuous designs, that were as likely to stir one’s emotions as a glass of tepid water. 

After it had been suggested to him to depart from Renault in 1984, he went on to hold various non-strategic positions at Fiat and Alfa Romeo, where he co-created the Alfa Romeo SZ/RZ, aptly named Il Mostro Rosso, before establishing his own, one-man consultancy, to work on Ligier’s licence-free cars. However, right into his old age, Opron continued to draw aerodynamic cars that looked nothing like a Renault 9 at all, but were closer to a constantly refreshed Citroën DS 21.

Robert Opron passed away at the age of 89 on the 29th of March 2021. Au revoir, Monsieur Opron.

(photo © LIGNES/auto)

(photo © LIGNES/auto)

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Patrick le Quément

Naval & car designer, author. Formerly Senior Vice President of Design at Renault.

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Tributes To Robert Opron

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