1902 Renault TYPE K

The brand's first international victory

Behind the steering wheel, Marcel Renault

City-to-city car races were all the rage at the start of the century. The Type K brought Renault its 1st major all-category win in the 1922 Paris-Vienna competition.

The Renault brothers immediately saw that racing brought car brands unhoped-for publicity. They started out in the small car category and quickly made a name for themselves in city-to-city races in the first years of the century.

Renault moved up a category for the 1902 Paris-Vienna event, entering 3 Type K 'light cars' alongside 4 small cars. The going was tough, with competitors crossing the Alps via the Arlberg Pass 1,500 m above sea level. Hunkering down in their leather coats, the intrepid drivers braved the elements, the biting wind and the mountainside roads.

Nobody gave the Type K much of a chance alongside large and powerful vehicles like Count Zborowksi's Mercedes and Henry Farman's Panhard. But the Type K's light weight worked wonders on the steep roads and Marcel Renault crossed the finish line 1st, having covered 1,300 km at an incredible average speed of 62.5 kph!

Renault cars were now serious contenders in all categories.

Source - Renault

Considered to be a true supercar before it's time, the Renault Type K was the first offering by the Renault brothers powered by the first 4-cylinder Renault engine. During a time when the best way to advertise your vehicle was to race it, the Renault brother's were even talented enough to climb behind the wheel themselves.

With an impressive average speed of 38.5 mph, the Type K brought Renault its first major all-category win in the Paris-Vienna competition of 1902. This was a time when city-to-city car races were incredibly en vogue and the precursor to the Grand Prix. The Renault brothers entered three Type K cars with Marcel Renault driving one himself.

The Type K models were lightweight and proved quite capable of holding their own even against the more powerful competition. The Type K was competing with impressive competitors like Henry Farman's Panhard and Count Zborowksi's Mercedes which broke down during the race. After three grueling days of close racing on steep roads though the Arlberg Pass, crossing the Alps 1,500 m above sea level, Marcel and his mechanic were the first to enter the Vienna city gates. The valiant drivers had braved the fierce elements, frigid temperatures and treacherous mountain roads for 807 miles. Henry Farman's 70hp, 13-liter Panhard crossed the finish line 45 minutes after the Renault Type K.

The Renault Type K racecar was powered by a 4-cylinder engine with a displacement of 3,770 cc and produced 24 hp at 1,100 rpm. The Type K was 11 inches long and almost 5 feet wide. It was styled in typical 1902 fashion with large artillery wheels and coffin-nose styling. Inside the Type K was a buttoned leather bucket seat and the wheel was right-hand drive. The gearshift was mounted to the right, beside a handbrake the operated the rear wheels.

Today the Type K racecar can be found in restored running condition at the Renault Historic Collection.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_K-Type_engine
www.media.renault.com/download/media/specialfile/43006_1_5.aspx
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2716421/A-supercar-before-its-time.html
http://www.speeddoctor.net/2013/renault-type-k-1902/
http://classiccarmag.net/renault-115-years-of-history-with-a-passion-for-motor-sport/

By Jessica Donaldson