Renault R5: number five is back

50 years ago, Renault released the R5: a small and practical thing for buyers not interested in the class. Can his success be repeated?

Renault hit its highs in the 1960s: The R4 was a success, and the R16 already showed all the traits that would distinguish cars from the 1970s, such as hatchback, front-wheel drive and everyday utilities. The end of the decade gave birth to a new generation. Woodstock, The Peace Movement – and Women as a Newly Discovered Target Group. After a comprehensive survey, the first of its kind on the topic of cars, the R5 was born: simply woven, practical and small enough for the nascent traffic that quickly plagued cities, but large enough to meet basic mobility needs. With plastic fenders in use for the first time, devoid of any chrome trim, it should run a new generation engine. It was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1972, in modern colors inside and out, with a power of 34 hp, including a gearbox with a transmission known as a pistol.

shopping project. Merchants weren’t excited, especially about the simplicity of the interior, but customers were excited. Even if the specialist media complained about metal pans instead of door handles and described the car as a shopping cart.
More powerful versions were pushed quickly, like the 1975 TL with plastic on the wings, shift stick and more power. When the energy crisis hit Europe, it got a high-speed five-speed gearbox.