The weirdest Renault is about to become an American star!

The Renault Avantime will finally be legally imported to the United States starting in 2026, thanks to a strange rule.

This is news that no one really expected, and perhaps that’s why it brings a smile. The Renault Avantime will officially be importable to the United States in a few days. Not because Renault suddenly decided to conquer America with a UFO from the early 2000s, but simply because time has worked its magic.

In the United States, a federal law prevents the importation of non-homologated vehicles until they reach the fateful age of 25 years. The Avantime, launched in 2001, will thus surpass this symbolic threshold in 2026, becoming importable without heavy modifications or administrative headaches. A little sweetness for American enthusiasts of atypical European cars.

The ugly duckling with a diamond

For atypical it is, our national Avantime! A strange contraption imagined by Matra that never really succeeded in pleasing the masses. Coupe? MPV? Concept car escaped from a show? Better yet, a Coupéspace according to the communication of the time! Admit it, it took some thought. With its massive doors, absence of a central pillar, and bewildering silhouette, it embodied a typically French audacity. And that boldness didn’t pay off with just under 8,600 units produced. A brief career, but a machine that has become cult over time.

Today, it is precisely these radical choices that attract. In the United States, the Avantime will soon join the very select circle of European “weird cars” that American collectors are fond of. In a country accustomed to V8s and giant pickups, the arrival of a large French coupe with an improbable architecture and asthmatic engine promises much success on social media.

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So of course, the importation of the Renault Avantime in 2026 will not change the American automotive landscape. There aren’t even enough in good condition to create a club. But this anecdote reminds us of one essential thing: some cars are not made for immediate success, but to become endearing curiosities over time. And sometimes, it just takes 25 years for a commercial failure to transform into a passport for America.

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