On July 16, 1977, Renault made its first foray into the world of Formula 1 racing. It did so at Britain's Silverstone Grand Prix, with a car known as the RS01. Among other things, it was the first Formula 1 car to feature a turbocompressed engine. Now, the automaker is marking the 40th anniversary of that event by introducing a limited-run … teapot?
Given that it was exploring new technological ground, it isn't surprising that the RS01 initially had some reliability issues. As a result, it was often seen streaming white smoke due to engine problems. Racing team boss Ken Tyrrell thusly called it the "Yellow Teapot," and the nickname stuck.
The actual teapot reportedly "takes up all the aesthetic codes of the Renault Formula 1 and plays on the design, the graphics and the colours" – in fact, it features the official paint of Renault's new RS17 racer.
Starting in September, it will enter use at the L'Atelier Renault cafe on Paris' Champs-Elysées. At that time it will also become available for purchase, both at the cafe and through its e-shop, priced at €129 (about US$147).
If you want a Yellow Teapot of your own, though, act quickly – only 40 are being made.
Source: Renault
