FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: Renault Symbioz concept

Bless Renault. On one hand it releases the epic new Megane RS, and on the other the French car maker unleashes a freaky concept car with doors which unfold like a Swiss Army knife.

The Renault Symbioz can transform to become an extra appendage of your multi-million-dollar country house...and you're surprised at this news?

Yep, the Renault Symbioz concept is a bona fide head-turning show car that'll make kids marvel at what the future holds and adults scratch their heads in bewilderment.

Power comes from a pair of electric motors kicking out a supercar-like 500kW/660Nm. the Symbioz features "real" Renault technology says the company. It'll scorch from zero to 100km/h in under six seconds and offers a possible 500km range between re-charges thanks to a dense 72kWh battery, which can be charged to 80 per cent capacity in 20 minutes.

As well as being an EV, the Symbioz has level 4 autonomous features, meaning it'll drive itself even if you're, say, changing out of your pyjamas on the way to work, or chatting to your buddies in the swivelling lounge-room-like chairs.

Renault explains the car can "…be an open space like a living room where people can spend time together and talk. The cabin interior was inspired by the design of living rooms."

Whereas the the Mercedes-Benz EQA and BMW i Vision Dynamics concepts revealed at Frankfurt look fascinating, and provide a hint at future design languages and electric powertrains, the Renault Symbioz takes things to the next level with the kind of eccentricities we hope remain a part of future international motor shows.

Because these 'out-of-left-field' thought boxes are actually the cars which stoke the imagination.

"Renault Symbioz shows how we may combine the car with the home," explains Stéphane Janin, Director of Concept Car Design at Groupe Renault, matter-of-factly.

"The car becomes a new mobile, multi-purpose living space for the whole family and can be used – open or closed – more fully, even when parked.

"But this spectacular work also operates in another important way. The car allows passengers to feel at home when traveling, thanks to the interior design. It is underpinned by the idea of maximising the available space for the passengers without taking anything away from comfort and modularity."

It may seem far-fetched, but as ride-sharing, electric vehicles and autonomous cars start to make hit mainstream society, vehicles like this, with lounge-room layouts, could become as common as the humble Toyota Camry.