DeZir: Simple. Sensuous. Warm.

Can a concept car be sexy? Really sexy? And even be environmentally responsible at the same time? Well, leave it to the French. Specifically, leave it to Renault Design, which is now under the direction of Laurens van den Acker. He and his team created the DeZir for unveiling at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.

“DeZir is a statement of our new formal design language which conveys notions such as movement, sensuality, and emotion through ideal proportions, in much the same way as an object whose forms have been honed by nature,” said Axel Breun, Renault’s Director of Concept Car and Show Car Design.

Exterior styling was done by Yann Jarsalle, who explained, “My early source of inspiration stemmed from the liquid sensation, wave-like movement and contrasts in light associated with certain rippled surfaces.” He added, “By directly laying out volumes and not just joining together a number of surfaces by lines, I felt more in tune with the world of sculpture than with that of architecture.”

The interior of the two-seat coupe was under the direction of Stéphane Maïore, who speaks directly to the passion and the emotion: “Love is a sentiment that lifts you; gives you wings.”

And while the car can’t fly, thanks to its 110-kW electric motor that is mounted in a mid-rear position for optimized weight distribution, an aerodynamic form with a drag coefficient of 0.25, a curb weight of just 830 kg (thanks to a tubular steel frame and a DuPont Kevlar body with aluminum side panels), it has a top speed of 180 kph, and acceleration from stop to 100 kph in just five seconds.

And, yes, it is red. The color of love.