uberizing the horse-drawn carriage!

Type AG1 taxi

1909

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HORSEPOWER,
UNDER
THE BONNET

With 250 vehicles in 1905, rising to 1,000 in 1906 then 1,500 in 1908, the Renault Type AG1 Taxi took command of the Parisian taxi market, gradually replacing the horse-drawn carriages that had dominated in the French capital until then.

1909

spirit

TAXI, BY
RENAULT

Renault Type AG1 Taxi was designed specifically for taxi drivers: it was a robust vehicle (which was necessary for driving along cobbled streets and unpaved tracks) and, just as importantly, easy to drive and maintain. It was a success for Renault, which also supplied 1,100 taxis for the London market from 1907 onwards.

interior

PERSONAL
USE

At the time, taxi drivers shared a car. A big advantage for them was that the petrol tank (which was more like a jerry can) was removable, so each driver could manage their own fuel consumption according to their driving style.

Click on the car to start exploring

360°

original soundtrack

LISTEN TO
THIS PLAYLIST

The sounds of History: listen to the sounds of the Renault Type AG1 Taxi and you’ll be taken back to Verdun and the “Sacred Way”.

exploits

FOREVER
IN THE
HISTORY BOOKS

Renault Type AG1 went down in history for its role as the “Taxi de la Marne”. A short history lesson: during the First World War, 1,300 Renault taxis were requisitioned to take 6,000 French soldiers to the front and block the German army’s advance on Paris. Renault Type AG1 thus contributed to the war effort and the terrible Battle of the Marne, to become a symbol of national solidarity during this dark period of history.