29/11/2009 : This picture was taken this afternoon on the Champs-Elysees. The Renault Etoile Filante (“shooting star”) was built by Renault with a Turbomeca turbine engines and was intended to beat speed records on straights. It was sent to Bonneville salt flats (UTAH) and reached 308 kph in september 1956, which was fast but a bit disappointing. Never mind, the performance was widely advertised, and for kids such as me who grew in France during the 60 and 70’s, its Napoleonic glory was still there. And it’s still there : Renault made it the star of its Champs-Elysees show room for christmas 2009 !
