Renault 5

The Renault 5 is a sub-compact automobile produced by the French manufacturer Renault. The 5 was produced in two distinct generations between 1972 and 1996. Phase 1: 1972 - 1985 The original 5 was Renault's first foray into the supermini market, and its most prominent feature was its styling, which included the steeply sloping rear hatchback, and front end. Underneath the skin, it borrowed heavily from the Renault 4, using a longditudinally mounted engine driving the front wheels with torsion bar suspension. Engines were of overhead valve design and ranged from 850cc through to 1400cc. Early 5's used the idiosyncratic dashboard mounted gearshift in true French style, but this was later dropped in favour of a floor mounted item. Other versions of the first car included the Gordini Turbo, and the "Renault Le Car", which was designed exclusively for the US market. There was also a highly successful rallying version, but this, being rear engined, and rear wheel drive bore little resemblance to the road going version. Phase 2: 1985 - 1996 The Phase 2 Renault 5, (often referred to as the "Superfive"), appeared in 1985. Although the bodyshell was completely new, the classic 5 styling parameters were left untouched. The biggest change was the adoption of the transversely mounted powertrain taken directly from the 9 & 11, plus a less sophisticated suspension design, which used MacPherson struts. The most popular version would prove to be the 5 GT Turbo, which was a car beloved of "boy racers" through the 1980s. The end of the road for the venerable 5 came in 1991, when it was replaced by the Renault Clio. However, production was moved to Slovenia, where the car remained in production until 1996 in order to provide a cheap entry-level model to the Renault range.