Born today, on February 15, 1877, Louis Renault's life oscillated from honour to despair. The founder of France's largest automobile maker - which in 2017 also became the world's largest automobile manufacturer as part of its tripartite alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi, with 10.61 million vehicles sold - is also the man credited with the invention of the drum brakes, which are standard for the automobile industry even today.
Known as the Henry Ford of France, for his adaptation of Ford's production techniques for Renault cars, Louis Renault started his company along with his two brothers, Marcel and Fernand, under the name Renault Frres.Last year, Renault alone sold 3.76 million cars, making it the world's largest selling French automaker.
Renault was also a prolific inventor and had 174 patents credited to him - among them the three-speed gear box with direct drive system, which was copied by other car manufacturers. By the time the patent expired in 1914, Louis had earned 3.5 million francs as royalty.He also invented the world's first light armoured tank, the FT17.
To popularise his cars, Louis Renault and his brothers participated in road races, which unfortunately claimed the life of Marcel. After Fernand retired due to ill-health, Louis took complete charge of the company, expanding it into domains such as tank manufacturing during World War 1 and even aircraft manufacturing. By the end of the first world war, Renault was France's largest industrial conglomerate.
Feted as a hero for his role in helping France and the allies in the First World War, Louis Renault was honoured with the Grand Cross of the Lgion d'honneur, France's highest award for civil and military achievement.However, his seeming capitulation to the Germans, who invaded France during World War 2, earned him the ire of the nationalists after the war, resulting in the nationalisation of his company. Renault, once the darling of his country, was now a pariah - and died a lonely man in prison before facing trial.