Renault pub ammo

Site Subscriber Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 2281

Renault technically became a vehicle manufacturer in 1898 after Louis Renault, youngest of three brothers, converted a Dion-Bouton tricyle into a four-wheeled vehicle. He challenged his friends that it could climb the 13 percent slope of the Rue Lepic in Montmartre. It did and Louis received his first batch of orders. C'est magnifique!

Durring WWI, Renault was responsible for building aeroplane engines, ambulances, eight million bullet shells and providing 500 taxis to transport 4000 soldiers into battle, Louis also created the FT-17 light armoured tank.

The first Renault 5 was launched in 1972, but more importantly, in 1976 Renault launched the R5 Alpine. It arrived with a 1397cc engine 4-cylinder engine producing 93bhp. From the outisde it looked just like the standard R5 apart from the Alpine logo on the side.

Prompted by the arrival of the Golf GTi in 1976, Renault added a turbo to increase the 5's power to match the VW's 110bhp. In 1978, the phase I turbo was launched with 160bhp. It was the Renault 5 Turbo I (not GTT) which claimed the Monte Carlo Rally in 1981.

The lovely Nicole who starred in many Renault ads with her 'Papa' is actress Estelle Skornic. You may also know her from the TV series Hornblower and the movie From Hell with Johnny Depp.

If you were to organise every phase of the sporting Renault Clio from most powerful to least, it would go something like this: V6 Mark II Phase II (255bhp), V6 Mark II Phase I (230bhp), 182 (182bhp), 172 (172bhp), Williams (150bhp), 16v (137bhp), RSi (110bhp).

And finally a mention for the Renault Espace F1. It comes with a V10 800bhp engine and shifts from 0-60 in 2.8sec. Mind you, it only has two seats.

[Shamelessly stolen from the May 2005 issue of Redline....]