Light commercial vehicles are known for their versatile nature, but Renault took this to the next level, by sticking a music recording studio to the back of a van. The bespoke Renault Sound Truck was created with the goal of making professional music production accessible to more artists and has already hit the road in France.
The Sound Truck is based on the Renault Master, which is the largest available LCV in the automaker’s range. Still, with a maximum permitted gross weight of 3.5 tons (7,716 lbs) and the inevitable size restrictions of the cargo compartment, the conversion to a recording studio was quite challenging. The project was undertaken by Red House which specializes in architectural acoustics and Procar with expertise in bodywork.
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The rear compartment of the Renault Master has a capacity of 9 cubic meters, measuring 3,733 mm (147 inches) long, 1,765 mm (69.5 inches) wide and 2,048 mm (80.6 inches) high. Taking advantage of every inch of available space, the team managed to squeeze all of the necessary equipment into two separate rooms behind the driver’s cab – a recording booth for the vocalist and a control room for the sound engineer.
The most difficult challenge was to make the soundproofing as light as possible so that the resulting vehicle would comply with the limitations of the B-category license in France and still offer a great environment for professional recordings. For that reason, all of the equipment and materials were weighed before they were applied to the vehicle. Furthermore, the team chose eco-responsible materials for the insulation, in line with Renault’s commitment to sustainability.
As a final touch, the interior was covered in wood and purple fabric highlighted by the custom lighting. The producer sits on a swivel chair and has access to a bespoke desk with studio monitors, a PC, and a console, while at the back there is a couch with a Renault-shaped pillow. As a final touch, the black exterior livery was decorated with silver graphics and gold graffiti-style lettering, matching the kind of music recorded on the inside.
The Renault Sound Truck has already proven its capabilities, with no less than 5 talented rap singers using the specially converted LCV for recording their songs as part of the Give Me 5 initiative since spring 2023. The resulting tracks have been released in a compilation that you can listen to online.
