Renault Clio’s new advert is a heartwarming same-sex love story set over three decades

'A better plot than Holby City'

Renault Clio has released an emotive new advert showing the progression of a same-sex love story over three decades and queer Twitter is alight.

The advert, which has been launched to celebrate 30 years of the best-selling French car, follows the relationship between two women, including steamy in-car make-out sessions, jilted lovers and emotional reunions.

The story begins with a British couple seeing their daughter off on a French exchange. Upon arrival in France, the two young girls meet for the first time.

We see them playing together on a swing, laughing and eating ice-cream, indicating that the pair have become firm friends. Years later, the pair meet up as teenagers, with the suggestion that they have remained close over the years.

The couple are soon frolicking in the sea and taking cute Polaroids of each other, before sharing their first kiss in a steamed up Renault Clio, obvs.

Letters and photographs are exchanged between the love birds from across the Channel, but the father of the British girl finds one such note and is seen screaming at her and brandishing the offending evidence at her.

The film jumps to adulthood and we watch the French woman marrying a man through the eyes of the sad British woman. Happily, the marriage breaks down and the French woman jumps into her trusty steed to hot-foot it across the Channel to her first true love.

The final shot shows the two women happily together with their own children, driving to their parents with their own kids in tow, before being warmly embraced by their parents.

Twitter users have been left teary-eyed at the advert, which has largely received positive reviews.

“Renault Clio lesbian advert should win all the oscars imho“, said one user, while another added, “Gay culture is sobbing over the Renault Clio advert”.

Another praised the quality of the acting in the advert, stating it had "a better plot that (sic) Holby City".

Not everyone was a fan of the Wonderwall cover that accompanies the ad, but lesbian turmoil? Timeless.

“I know I’m late to the party but that Renault Clio advert is actually quite good eh, even with that god awful JohnLewisification of Wonderwall. Love a lesbian in turmoil”, said one user.

Representation and visibility are important for minority communities, as evidenced by this supportive tweet for Renault: “All the lesbians trading in the Subaru for a Renault Clio yet?”

Adam Wood, marketing director of Renault UK, said: “We wanted to humanise and celebrate, not just thirty years of progress of the Renault Clio, but also the progress made within culture, society and life in that time.”

Dave Monk, executive creative director at Publicis Poke added: “Britain has had a love affair with the Renault Clio since the 90s halcyon days of Papa & Nicole and wind up windows.

"Many things have changed in those thirty years. While technology, design, attitudes and culture will always shift and change, one thing will always stay the same as long as humans have hearts: the love story. This is a simple and universal tale of two souls on their own enduring journey of life, love and passion.”