the alarming tendency for body panels to rust away. The result was a peoples' car that looked much classier than it The history of Renaults family cars started fifty years ago in France during the post-war boom. In September 1957, the result was the Dauphine-Gordini, I thought at the time this was clever as to give folks the impression they were two separate companies when in fact it was the same one! Way to go Eric! Of course, battery costs will need to come down significantly for any reborn 4 to be more than a mere pastiche of the affordable original. While in French custody in 1946, the authorities sent him to look over the drawings of the impending 4CV model. . excited, though; this was not a replacement for the agricultural swing-axle New safety norms vilified its dashboard-mounted shifter as a hazard, and laws mandating all new cars sold in Europe starting in January 1993 use a catalytic converter drove the final nail in its coffin. Early guidelines sketched the outline of a car with four seats, close to the 4CV in terms of performance and fuel economy, and with a base price of 300,000 francs (a figure later increased to 350,000). Renault entered the 4CV (quatres chevaux) in the LE MANS race in 51, the little car was a real racing beast. In Australia they competed in the Redex Trials. Just 1.78m long, the cabin boasted record-breaking space. The Renault Dauphine enjoyed a long run -- 2 million of the little sedans were built between 1956 and 1958. PU ready for the move to Nevada in 1983) If you old like me, then you remember the old squeaky wooden floor hardware stores where if you knew where to look, or the employee knew where to look, they had anything AND everything you needed. Available only with the R16 TA (for Transmission Automatique) in the first instance, this gearbox was included as an option for all the engines in the range from 1972. Renault organized the 4s press launch in southern France during the summer of 1961, and it publicly unveiled the model at the Paris auto show that same year. bolt locations for the road wheels. It was trashed- and from that day on it started right up and ran perfectly. The suicide area of this car is the space between the front and rear bumpers! One of the groundbreaking vehicles that have marked the history of Renault, the R16 brought together two schools of thought that gradually moved apart in the 1980s: a conventional approach to prestige executive vehicles, and the idea of family cars, as embodied by Renault, a brand that draws upon conceptual innovation to support social trends. The spare On the outside, the R16 was a two-box hatchback with six windows, a low waistline, a high roof with an integrated drip rail and taut, angular lines. The name combines the French word "Avant" and the English word "time", with the latter using the English /tam/ rather than French pronunciation /tim/. Immediately adopted by families, the car was such a success that its name was quickly changed from Mgane Scnic to just Scnic. Could that be true. Rebadged third-generation Dacia Logan. Some were adequately prepared for the adventure, and they survived. The construction of this model is based on RENAULT 5 1gen. Engine Guides. The Renault 5 achieved, like the original Mini, a cult status. On a tight autocross course I could beat a 1275 Mini Cooper due to all that oversteer and a 26 foot turning circle. "1956-1968 Renault Dauphine" Cutting across the hatchback and commercial vehicle categories, the Renault 16 was exceptionally versatile for its time. any sort of head-on crash, that fairly hollow nose would fold up to the We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Many were not, and they were utterly destroyed in about a week. I raise my cold stein of beer (not a wine drinker) to you and propose a toast to the Little Car! could -- and they were swiftly proved wrong. them "trumpet casings") themselves. Many were built on a tight budget and ended up in the local wrecking yards after something failed. tail, and most of the front sheetmetal surrounded nothing but fresh air For the sporty driver, the main advantage was that when only This thing is older than I am, believe it or not. no separate clutch pedal. 1959. Lists that rank the best car models, manufacturers, and more. Renault built the five millionth 4 in December 1977, but sales nose-dived in the early 1980s as more modern rivals, such as the Fiat Panda, arrived on the scene. Dr. Ferdinand Porsche has a lot to answer for. The Renault 5 is a supermini produced by French automaker Renault. Said Renault of the process, "Arctic conditions were sampled in the North Cape area [of Europe] by one car, another car was sent to work in the Swiss mountains, and a third to the United States. The first prototype ran as early as July 1952, and a further batch clocked more than 2 million miles of testing. tame that problem. Discover automotive industry jobs and explore all career opportunities. http://www.weinberg.lu/. benjy they were a great little car fun to drive . It had been running for nearly 10 years with no style changes, and, of the 4CV. But how could such a pretty and appealing little car as the Renault Dauphine come from a company that had lain in ruins only 10 years earlier? The 4CV was brainstormed and basically designed during Germanys occupation of France in WWII in secret and they are somewhat similar to VWs Beetle although with two more doors and easier access into the back seat. Since Dauphine parts bolt right in-and it's a wet liner engine-one can up the car's performance by using larger Dauphine pistons and liners, or even . And it worked! Those early Dauphines were pretty terriblelots of rust problems, and mechanical stuff on em brokethe identical parts were used on 4CVs with no problems at all; no one has ever figured that out. The Longest Lasting Cars That Go the Distance. The Scnic concept car was unveiled the 1991 Frankfurt Motor Show. because the cars of Renault must be clearly recognizable within the never-ending stream of similar cars. Sliding doors provided access to a cabin, built in part with recycled materials. The high driving position provided unequalled visibility and driving comfort. I want a versatile car, one thats urban and rural at the same time, and one that suits the needs of everyone. the next few years, it never again produced anything that looked quite as cute. Because almost all of those cars stayed at home, export enthusiasts missed out More important than this was that almost every aspect of the design would be used again, developed, made better, but still recognizable. The steering is direct, the gear selector is conveniently within arms reach, and the torsion bar-based suspension system is hilariously soft. Longer than the Renault 16, it kept the tailgate and 96 hp 1647cc engine fitted on the TX version. Renault sold its R4, R8 and R10 models from 1961, replacing them with the popular R12 in 1968. Dont underestimate this little Big Car, it was not only a brave quiet little car in the hands on the French driving south with all the familly for the summer holidays.! We had a blast with it for years! Los Angeles, 1960s Daniel Strohl. Its presence was indicated by an Automatic badge on the tailgate. I knew they were Renaults but not the 4CV designation. Several new variants joined the range during the 1970s, such as a long-wheelbase van (June 1975; called F6 starting in 1977) and a pickup made by coachbuilder Teilhol (July 1978). however. The 8 was released in july 1962 and was based on the outgoing Renault Dauphine. We got Renault parts, Volvo parts, Alfa Spyder, even a complete exhaust system for my brothers A-H 100-6. A range of medium duty trucks for distribution. fourth-place car having survived a tumble into a ravine along the way. Renault cars during this time period had two model lines; the economy four-cylinder engine models that in the 1930s became the suffix "Quatre" and the luxury six-cylinder models that were initially sold with the suffix "-six" that later became the suffix "Stella". The seller says that its 100% rust-free and 100% original. Italy: In Italy Alfa Romeo built the Dauphine Alfa Romeo under license between 1959 and 1964 in Portello, Milan. Introduced in 1947, it remained in production until replaced in 1961. . There was also growing disenchantment with its service support in the I had a Dinky of this car in red. Its versatility, modular design and creative spirit made Twingo an emblematic and unique vehicle. 1960 Alpine coup 2+2. (Privately, some executives pointed out the Dauphine spent entirely too much time on its roof.). The seller has it listed here on eBay in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona where I should have moved, coincidentally, 38 years ago. Somehow, though, the state nationalized it, rescued it, and chief executive Pierre Lefaucheux got things up and running. were in fact the same company. The front-hinged trunklid, in which the headlights It took a long time to get the new R1090 project car ready for sale. Suprastella (1938-1939) Monaquatre (1932-1936) Vivasport (1933-1935) Viva Grand Sport (1935-1939) ABx (1934-1937) Celtaquatre (1934-1938) Celtastandard (1935-1937) ACx/ADx (1935-1940) Juvaquatre (1937-1957) (Was facelifted as the Renault Dauphinoise in 1957) Novaquatre (1938-1940) World War II (1939-1945) [ edit] AHx (1941-1947) And count many racing victories. And later, that same friends first car: a 58 4 CV! In 2013 I learned that one project on the table was a modern-day version of the 4, which has never been shown to the public. When youre dealing with under 25 horsepower, wearing your lighter, summer toupee can make a real difference in merging. Commercially, none of this seemed to matter very much. Instead, the company got in touch with its feminine side. One was a parts store and the other was mail order. As a bonus, the front-drive layout was seen as safer option that forgives a drivers bad behavior, according to period notes. to say: "There is nothing in the handling at normal speeds to indicate Nearly an automotive deity, the 4 did it all: commuter, farm hand, mail truck, police car. Swappable bodies proved a no-go, and the idea of a two-door hatchback was canned due to a perceived lack of demand from buyers. And a 4 speed all synchro transaxle from a late Dauphine (4.37 final drive) or an early R8 (4.11 final drive) will bolt up giving comfortable cruising speeds of 60-65 mph (original top speed was 70 with the factory 4.87 final drive). introducing a new Dauphine suspension system, called Aerostable. My memory must have faded. Cobra Steve and Howard, J.C. Whitney and Warshasky (spelling?) The glamorous side, though, was soon enhanced with brighter, The suicide doors opened. Foot note: The lug wrench doubles as an engine crankjust in case the starter motor fails. Although somewhat vague, these simple directives shaped the 4. I was allowed to blast (toughen in cheek) down the fire roads. The Renault 5 is a supermini produced by French automaker Renault. Renault Renault 4 prototype, 1960. Less A very cool car IMHO ( but there again I own a Thing, had a Moke and love Citroens too!). With its front-wheel drive layout, still unusual in this segment at the time, and centre-front engine, it had excellent road manners. The next owner of this car will definitely be the only one at the local car gathering as so few have survived. I miss the old Shawsky! The 1956-1958 Renault Dauphine certainly was bigger and -- arguably -- better enough to make it a success. 1961 R4. We had one when I was a kid. CLASSIC.COM is a trademark of CLASSIC.COM LLC. Call it the blue-jeans car, Dreyfus wrote in 1956. Previous generation was still available in India until last year. The factory quit installing the manifolds after the 59 model year, but all US-bound cars got the nice valve covers through the end of 61 production. The name Vel Satis is a composite of elements of the words Velocity and Satisfaction. The Renault Clio is a supermini car, produced by the French automobile manufacturer Renault. Originally the motor was about 760cc, reduced to 747cc to qualify for the under 750cc class in motor sports. The Clio is one of only two cars, the other being the Volkswagen Golf, to have been voted European Car of the Year twice, in 1991 and 2006. he drove it as a work car smoking every where it went. But this is another story. I too wish I had moved to Tucson 4 decades ago, Scotty, but instead ended up spending 19 years in Phoenix. up the R8's four-wheel disc brakes for 1964. They had 3 speed, non-synchro 1st transmissions, and was aimed squarely at the VW. Have you ever asked the question, "Which cars are made by Renault?" Since Dauphine parts bolt right inand its a wet liner engineone can up the cars performance by using larger Dauphine pistons and liners, or even aftermarket sets thatll boost the displacement to 904cc. existing small cars from Rambler and Studebaker on the market for 1960, all the imports -- even Volkswagen -- suffered to some degree. The suspension, let's now be honest about this, was a We are working on four major areas of innovation in order to develop the mobility of the future. If I recall correctly, it was a HUGE multi-story building which occupied an entire city block. bhp in the standard Dauphine and 40 bhp in the Gordini (the latter now picking They had a walk up counter, the building was like 5 stories high and a conveyor belt. Yes. the car was also under attack from within Renault itself: from below by the new Grabbing the shift lever AND/OR letting off the throttle. I only saw one other one in my life, about 20 years ago at an antique store just east of Janesville, Wis. Twingo also featured a sliding rear seat, an innovation based on a historic patent filed by Louis Renault himself and inherited from the Renault16. If you are looking for important 1960s cars, this is the list of the all the iconic and amazing 1960s car models of the era. With its factories in ruins and its boss, Louis Renault, in prison as an alleged collaborator with the Germans and soon to die, France's largest carmaker was in a parlous state. One technical oddity was the rack-and-pinion steering, on a detachable front cross member. In normal mode, you would just gas the engine and as the voltage came up from the generator the clutch would automatically engage. Oh, well, I love where I am now and thats as good as it gets! It stood proud as the best-selling car brand in France thanks largely to the 4CV economy car, introduced in 1947. A great car for Europe; for the U.S. not so much! In 1969, the Renault 16 became the first French car to feature a French-built automatic gearbox, for an easier driving experience. Based on this little gem the Renault 4CV will give birth to the mythical ALPINE The different layouts tested during the 1950s included a transversely-mounted, water-cooled four-cylinder engine borrowed from the 4CV and an air-cooled, two-stroke two-cylinder. My best childhood friends mom owned a 57 and later a 61 4 CV. The Renault 16 was built in 1,851,502examples during its career, primarily at Sandouville, a purpose-built plant in Normandy. The electric clutch disengages 2 ways. 1961). It was the 1st French car to sell 1 million cars.. More than once, I bet, a gas station jockey mistook the radiator cap ( outside above hood) for the gas filler, that was under the hood. Classic. America. They were reproduced in several countries under different names, and away from the US, probably the most recognized car for police and taxis. In early 1965, the brand unveiled an innovative new vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show: the Renault 16. According to the French hierarchical system, a dauphin was the eldest son of the king; the dauphine was the distaff equivalent of that title. Renault Group is at the forefront of a mobility that is reinventing itself. contact me at mike7353ataoldotcom. It had a wide range of safety features, including seatbelts adapted to children, ABS with automatic transmission, and a drowsiness detection function that broke new ground in active safety. (As long as I promised to take it easy.) When American troops from General G. O. Barton's 4th Infantry Division swept into Paris on August 25, 1944, to complete the liberation of France's capital, the country was on its knees. Instead, designers sketched the outline of a two-box, four-door car with a tall rear hatch and a low loading floor. After producing mainly luxury cars in the years between the World Wars, Renault conquered the roads after the Second World War with iconic small cars such as the Renault R4. Thats the one I saw. At the same time, weight and cost requirements meant making the 4CVs successor into a truck wasnt viable. I know. B-segment SUV based on the Clio platform. Having learned a thing or two about rear-engine cars from the little 4CV it put on the market right after World War II, Renault was ready for something bigger and better by the mid Fifties. But wait, theres more, my first car was one of these vehicles! There are 12 1960 Renault for sale right now - Follow the Market and get notified with new listings and sale prices. had ever taken heed of criticism over the handling problems -- if Porsche could In the end, about 2 million of the little sedans were built, which made this a Nearly 5.5 million were built. Each one wore a metal plaque, numbered from 1000 to 1, on the dashboard, below the clock. Class: Supermini Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY Renault Dauphine
renault cars models 1960
