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Renault 18 Turbo - family car with pressure

Name: Renault 18 1979
Brand: Renault

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Created on December 11, 2019

Text:

Daniel Koch

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Renault

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

Daniel Reinhard

Renault

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - No-frills design on the R18

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) -Turbo lettering

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - Test drive in France

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - The "Turbo" lettering was, so to speak, mandatory at the time

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - Simple rear end with rubber lip

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - Functional cockpit, without the capers of a Citroën CX, for example

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - Red carpeting is also rarely found in cars today

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - Functional interior

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - "Turbo" lettering and a generous gap on the door

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - 14 inch rims from Renault Fuego

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - Sporty saloons back then often had a rubber lip at the rear

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - The gap dimensions of the trunk lid and the fitting accuracy of the rear spoiler look adventurous by today's standards

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - The R18 was also clearly recognizable as a "Turbo" at the rear

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Renault 18 (1979) - during early test drives

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Renault 18 Break (1979) - generously glazed rear section - Geneva Motor Show 1979

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Renault 18 Break (1979) - by far the most original station wagon - Geneva Motor Show 1979

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Renault 18 GTS (1980) - Press photo of the presentation in Spain

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Renault 18 GTS (1979) - pictures from a test report from back then

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Renault 18 Turbo (1981) - The metallic paint finish was available for an extra charge

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Renault 18 GTX Type 2 (1984) - Directly in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

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Renault 18 GTX Type 2 (1984) - Parked in Paris

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Renault 18 (1981) - The R18 became an airy pleasure with a folding roof

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Renault 18 (1981) - At just under 4.40 meters long, the R18 fits easily into a normal parking space

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Renault 18 (1980) - R18 in the GTS version

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Renault 18 (1978) - Straightforward appearance

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Renault 18 (1981) - Four people find enough space in the R18

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Renault 18 (1983) - Turbo-Diesel variant

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Renault 18 (1981) - On the way to the customer

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Renault 18 (1981) - Renault naturally used trucks from its own production

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Renault 18 (1982) - The R18 in the US version next to a "Le Car", as the R5 was called in the USA

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Renault 18 (1981) - Built in the USA by AMC for the American market

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Renault 18 (1981) - US version with side reflectors

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Renault 18 (1981) - The chunky rear and front bumpers were due to American laws

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Renault 18 (1981) - AMC built the US models 18i with the modified headlights

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Renault 18 (1980) - Advertising from France

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Renault 18 (1979) - Advertising from France

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Renault-Alpine A442B (1978) - with which Jassaud and Pironi won the 24 Hours of Le Mans - Geneva Motor Show 1979

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Renault RS10 (1979) - won the first Grand Prix 40 years ago - Geneva Motor Show 2019

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A beautifully preserved Renault 18 - not seen for a long time - Dolder Classics June 2015

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Summary

At the start of sales in 1978, the Renault 18 was offered with engines that produced a modest 64 or 79 hp. With the advent of the turbo wave, however, the French gave the R18 a 1.6-liter 1980 turbocharged petrol engine, which resulted in a remarkable output of 109 and later 125 hp. Although this did not turn the saloon into a sports car, it did make it a fast touring car with impressive torque at low revs. This report is dedicated to the Renault 18 Turbo with 110 hp and shows it and its relatives in current and historical photos.

This article contains the following chapters

Benefiting from Formula 1
Extensive standard equipment in the Turbo
The turbo engine was well received
High torque and still pleasant to drive today
But not as good as BMW, Audi and VW?
Praised USA version
Drinking habits judged differently
The footsteps were big

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The R18 replaced the R12 in 1978, which had already been on the market for almost ten years. Initially, there was a choice of two petrol engines with a capacity of 1.4 and 1.6 liters and an output of 64 and 79 hp. At 4.394 meters, the R18 was only slightly longer than its predecessor, but it was eight centimeters wider and, at 1020 kilograms, also weighed a little more. The saloon was supplemented in 1979 by an estate, which was given the name "Break" for the Swiss market, but was called "Variable" in Germany. From 1983, the Break was even available with all-wheel drive built by Steyr-Daimler-Puch. In the 1979 Automobil Revue catalog, the front-wheel-drive Break was listed at CHF 15,500, which was equivalent to DM 16,538 at the time. The sedan cost between CHF 12,500 and 17,590 (equivalent to DM 13,337 and 18,768). A four- or five-speed gearbox was used, with an automatic gearbox available for an extra charge.

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