Renault 18
Encyclopedia
The Renault 18 is a large family car
produced by French manufacturer Renault
between 1978 and 1993 (with production for European markets finishing in 1989).
, which, having been in production since 1969, was beginning to show its age by the late 1970s, though the 12 was kept in production alongside the 18 until 1980. Unlike the earlier car, the 18 was designed rather quickly; the time between its initial conception and its actual launch date was only eighteen months, primarily due to the fact that the 18 was based upon the 12's underpinnings. Although Renault made numerous forays into international markets in countries such as Brazil with the 12, their first true “world car” was their 18, hence the slogan Meeting International Requirements, which (as well as in France) would later be produced in nine other countries and four continents around the world.
factory in France in December 1977. It was presented at the Geneva
Salon in March 1978, with marketing and sales starting the following month.
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Initially, the R18 was only available as a four-door saloon, in TL, GTL, TS and GTS trim variations. The TL and GTL were powered by the 1397 cc Renault Cléon
petrol engine
(which was developed from the 1289 cc engine from the Renault 12), which produced 64 PS. Both models had a 4-speed gearbox
. The TS and GTS were powered by the 1647 cc A-Type engine
(which was the same as used in the Renault 17 TS) but without the fuel injection, which lowered the output to 79 PS. The TS had a 4-speed manual gearbox, while the GTS had a 5-speed gearbox (with optional 3-speed electronic automatic transmission
available for both models. The automatic versions of the TS and GTS models were called the TS Automatic and GTS Automatic to distinguish them from their manual transmission counterparts.
The 18 was Renault's first car to use the 1.4 L Cléon engine in the medium-size car sector. The Renault 18 also used 3-stud
wheels (similar to those of the Citroën 2CV
), rather than the 4 or 5-stud wheels common on most of its contemporaries. In 1980 Turbo and Diesel R18 models came fitted with 4-stud wheels (necessitated by using suspension parts and wheels from the larger R20 and Fuego
), with all versions using 4-stud wheels from 1983 on.
By the late 1970s, European production of the Renault 12 was being gradually wound down, followed by the arrival of the estate
versions of the Renault 18 on 1 March 1979. The R18 Estate ("Break" in French-speaking countries) was only available in TL and TS model variations, except in Australia where all Australian-assembled Renault 18s, sedan and station wagon
, were GTS. They were mechanically identical to their saloon counterparts except the rear suspension used in the estates was more like that in the bigger Renault 20 and Renault 30. As for equipment specifications, the estates were identical to the saloons, except the TS estate additionally featured shock-absorbent bumpers, door mouldings, and front seat head restraints from the 18 GTL saloon. The estate proved almost as popular as the saloon.
The Renault 18 estate was also sold (as the "Sportwagon") through American Motors
(AMC) in the North American market from 1981 to 1986, and the saloon in 1981–82 as the Renault 18i. For the 1987 model year it was replaced by the Renault 21
's North American equivalent, the Eagle Medallion
.
, there were other versions too, namely the TX and GTX. The TX being the initial 1982 model, featuring the Douvrin
2.0 L four-cylinder powerplant, a first for a production 18 worldwide (there was a need for a powerful car to replace the Renault Torino
luxury-sports range). There was also the GTX-II, featuring a basic on-board computer that displayed fuel consumption, etc. It was available with 1.6 L (TL), 2.0 L and 2.2 L engines. There was a special edition of the 18 with two-tone paint (black top and light grey bottom) called the American (later updated with central locking and other items, which was named the American 2).
Large family car
A large family car, also known as a D-segment car, is a European automobile classification which is larger than a small family car and smaller than an executive car. Multi-purpose vehicles based on a large family car design are often called large MPVs, while similarly-priced models from luxury car...
produced by French manufacturer Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
between 1978 and 1993 (with production for European markets finishing in 1989).
Development
The Renault 18 was intended as a replacement for the Renault 12Renault 12
The Renault 12 is a family car produced by French automaker Renault between 1969 and 1980. Available as a saloon and estate , it was also produced under licence in many countries across the globe into the early 21st century....
, which, having been in production since 1969, was beginning to show its age by the late 1970s, though the 12 was kept in production alongside the 18 until 1980. Unlike the earlier car, the 18 was designed rather quickly; the time between its initial conception and its actual launch date was only eighteen months, primarily due to the fact that the 18 was based upon the 12's underpinnings. Although Renault made numerous forays into international markets in countries such as Brazil with the 12, their first true “world car” was their 18, hence the slogan Meeting International Requirements, which (as well as in France) would later be produced in nine other countries and four continents around the world.
The initial range
The Renault 18 went into production at Renault's FlinsFlins Renault Factory
Flins Renault Factory is a car factory in France, straddling the towns of Flins and Aubergenville in Yvelines, around 40 km downstream of Paris...
factory in France in December 1977. It was presented at the Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
Salon in March 1978, with marketing and sales starting the following month.
Renault Cléon engine
The Cléon engine was a 5-bearing straight-4 automobile engine from Renault. Introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1962 with the Renault Floride S, the engine was a development of the 3-bearing Ventoux engine from the 1950s. It is an overhead valve design and in Renault tradition, features "wet"...
petrol engine
Petrol engine
A petrol engine is an internal combustion engine with spark-ignition, designed to run on petrol and similar volatile fuels....
(which was developed from the 1289 cc engine from the Renault 12), which produced 64 PS. Both models had a 4-speed gearbox
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
. The TS and GTS were powered by the 1647 cc A-Type engine
Renault A-Type engine
The A-Type was a straight-4 automobile engine from Renault.-AxK:The AxK displaces either 1.5 L .Applications:* A1K 1.5 L ** Renault 16-AxL:...
(which was the same as used in the Renault 17 TS) but without the fuel injection, which lowered the output to 79 PS. The TS had a 4-speed manual gearbox, while the GTS had a 5-speed gearbox (with optional 3-speed electronic automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
available for both models. The automatic versions of the TS and GTS models were called the TS Automatic and GTS Automatic to distinguish them from their manual transmission counterparts.
The 18 was Renault's first car to use the 1.4 L Cléon engine in the medium-size car sector. The Renault 18 also used 3-stud
Wheel stud
Wheel studs are the threaded fasteners that hold on the wheels of many automobiles. They are semi-permanently mounted directly to the vehicle hub, usually through the brake drum or brake disk. Lug nuts are fastened over to the wheel stud to secure the wheel...
wheels (similar to those of the Citroën 2CV
Citroën 2CV
The Citroën 2CV |tax horsepower]]”) was an economy car produced by the French automaker Citroën between 1948 and 1990. It was technologically advanced and innovative, but with uncompromisingly utilitarian unconventional looks, and deceptively simple Bauhaus inspired bodywork, that belied the sheer...
), rather than the 4 or 5-stud wheels common on most of its contemporaries. In 1980 Turbo and Diesel R18 models came fitted with 4-stud wheels (necessitated by using suspension parts and wheels from the larger R20 and Fuego
Renault Fuego
The Renault Fuego is a four-seater, three-door hatchback produced by French automaker Renault from 1980 to 1992, replacing the Renault 15 and 17 coupés of the 1970s.- Development :...
), with all versions using 4-stud wheels from 1983 on.
The first estate models
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
versions of the Renault 18 on 1 March 1979. The R18 Estate ("Break" in French-speaking countries) was only available in TL and TS model variations, except in Australia where all Australian-assembled Renault 18s, sedan and station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
, were GTS. They were mechanically identical to their saloon counterparts except the rear suspension used in the estates was more like that in the bigger Renault 20 and Renault 30. As for equipment specifications, the estates were identical to the saloons, except the TS estate additionally featured shock-absorbent bumpers, door mouldings, and front seat head restraints from the 18 GTL saloon. The estate proved almost as popular as the saloon.
The Renault 18 estate was also sold (as the "Sportwagon") through American Motors
American Motors
American Motors Corporation was an American automobile company formed by the 1954 merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.George W...
(AMC) in the North American market from 1981 to 1986, and the saloon in 1981–82 as the Renault 18i. For the 1987 model year it was replaced by the Renault 21
Renault 21
The Renault 21 is a large family car produced by French automaker Renault between 1986 and 1994. It was also sold in North America through American Motors dealers as the Renault Medallion and the Eagle Medallion...
's North American equivalent, the Eagle Medallion
Eagle Medallion
The Eagle Medallion was a rebadged and re-engineered North American version of the French Renault 21. While the cars were built on the same platform, the French market 21 and the American market Medallion differed in features, powertrain availability, frontal styling, and trims...
.
End of production and replacement
The 18 was replaced by the Renault 21 during 1986, being withdrawn from the British market in July of that year. It was finally withdrawn from Europe in 1989, but continued in production until 1993 in South America. In Argentina and ColombiaColombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, there were other versions too, namely the TX and GTX. The TX being the initial 1982 model, featuring the Douvrin
Douvrin engine
The Douvrin family was an all-aluminum straight-4 automobile engine designed in the early 1970s and produced from 1977 to 1996 by Compagnie Française de Mécanique, a joint-venture between Peugeot and Renault located in the town of Douvrin in northern France...
2.0 L four-cylinder powerplant, a first for a production 18 worldwide (there was a need for a powerful car to replace the Renault Torino
Renault Torino
The IKA Torino, later Renault Torino, is a mid-sized automobile made by Industrias Kaiser Argentina under an agreement with American Motors in 1966. The 1966 Torino was IKA’s first integral national product and IKA was eventually bought out by Renault in 1975 to form Renault Argentina S.A...
luxury-sports range). There was also the GTX-II, featuring a basic on-board computer that displayed fuel consumption, etc. It was available with 1.6 L (TL), 2.0 L and 2.2 L engines. There was a special edition of the 18 with two-tone paint (black top and light grey bottom) called the American (later updated with central locking and other items, which was named the American 2).
Timeline
- April 1978: The Renault 18 went into production.
- 1980: All models gained a new alternator with built-in electronic regulator.
- July 1980: The 18 Diesel was added; it was mechanically similar to the Renault 20 Diesel, coming equipped with a 2068cc engine (rated at 66 PS), negative offset front suspension, and larger four-stud wheels. The 18 Diesel came in two trim levels: TD and GTD. The basic TD (which was available as both a saloon and estate) had a four-speed gearbox and the equipment level of the TS, while the GTD (which was exclusively available as a saloon) had a five-speed gearbox and the equipment level of the GTS. Power-assisted steering was optional on the GTD, while a five-speed gearbox was optional on the TD.
- 1981: Introduction of the 18 Turbo. It had the 1565cc engine (rated at 110 PS, five-speed gearbox, front suspension set-up from the Diesel models, four-stud alloy wheels, rear spoiler, dashboard and interior fittings from the Renault FuegoRenault FuegoThe Renault Fuego is a four-seater, three-door hatchback produced by French automaker Renault from 1980 to 1992, replacing the Renault 15 and 17 coupés of the 1970s.- Development :...
. - 1982: The negative offset front suspension previously available in the Turbo and Diesel models was now made standard across the 18 range. Outside, the front indicator lenses were now clear instead of orange, while the bumpers and door handles were now black polyester instead of chrome. Inside, the seats were restyled. The TL was now available with a five-speed gearbox (only as an option). The GTL obtained an "economy-tune" 73 PS version of the 1647 cc engine, as well as a five-speed gearbox, higher final drive ratio, electronic ignition and an econometer gauge.
- 1983: All models gained a front air dam, while the saloons additionally gained a rear spoiler. The three-stud wheel rims were replaced with the larger four-stud wheel rims (with the Base, TL and TD just having center caps, and the GTL, Automatic, GTS and GTD all having full wheel trims).
- 1984: Introduction of the 18 GTX in France.
- 1986: Renault 21 is launched as the 18's eventual replacement and the 18 is withdrawn from sale in the UK.
- 1989: European production of the Renault 18 is discontinued. 2,028,964 Renault 18s were built in France alone.
- 1993: The last Renault 18 rolls off the production line in Argentina. 132,956 units were built in Argentina alone.
Trim levels
| Index Name | Production Years | Engine Size | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renault 18 TL | 1978–1986 | 1397 cc | Specification includes: Two-speed wipers Intermittent screen wipe Electric screen washers Volt meter Engine coolant temperature gauge Fuel gauge Six-figure mileage recorder Trip recorder Handbrake warning light Defective front brake discs warning light Day/night position for interior rear view mirror Rheostat for adjusting brightness of dashboard lights Illuminated ashtray, heater panel, boot and glove box Heated rear screen Anti-dazzle headlight adjustment Adjustment for direction of headlight beam Cigarette lighter Drivers side sun visor Passengers side sun visor Vanity mirror in passengers side sun visor Full carpeting Cloth upholstery Front armrests with grab handles Rear armrests Ashtrays in the rear doors Childproof rear door locks Passengers side interior courtesy light Front door pockets Center console incorporating coin tray Reclining front seats Loudspeakers in front doors. |
|
| Renault 18 GTL | 1978–1986 | 1397 cc (1978–1982) 1647 cc (1982–1986) |
Specification of TL plus: Foam-filled steering wheel H4 iodine headlights Quartz clock Velour upholstery Styled wheels Drivers side interior courtesy light Map reading light for front seat passenger Remote-adjustable driver's side door mirror Rear fog lights Headlight wash/wipe system Pre-installation radio equipment Shock absorbent bumpers Adjustable front seat head restraints Black rubber protective side mouldings. |
|
| Renault 18 LS | 1979–1981 | 1647 cc | Specification of TL, but sport-oriented. | |
| Renault 18 TS | 1978–1982 | 1647 cc | Specification of TL, plus: Foam-filled steering wheel H4 iodine headlights Quartz clock Velour upholstery Styled wheels Drivers side interior courtesy light Map reading light for front seat passenger. |
|
| Renault 18 GTS | 1978–1983 | 1647 cc | Specification of GTL, plus: Electric front windows Central locking |
|
| Renault 18 TD | 1980–1985 | 2068 cc Diesel | TL trim level with diesel engine, 2.1-litre | |
| Renault 18 GTD | 1980–1986 | 2068 cc Diesel | GTS trim level with diesel engine, 2.1-litre | |
External links
- A personal Renault 18 site.
- "Les Renault 14 & 18" — in English, French, German and Spanish.