My Grandad had one of these back in the late 70s early 80s, used to take us for days out in it, always felt like it was floating, never knew it shared an engine with a Europa, my absolute favourite Lotus!! Grandad would have earnt himself some serious cool points had we known back then, he was already pretty cool having survived a Stuka attack on his Bren carrier in Africa and being lost in the Burmese jungle dodging Japanese patrols for 10 days. Anyone who says a car is just a box on 4 wheels has no soul, they invoke so many thoughts and memories. RIP Private Jack Bartholomew!
Always admired these - fantastically ahead of their time both in terms of concept and design - even the styling is understated in a way that appeals now. A French car I wouldn’t hesitate to own - which is a rare beast indeed!
Really like these. Not many left in Australia so this would be like rocking horse Shiite in the UK. You handle the column change really well. Great to see someone your age appreciating these old cars. They are pretty amazing.
My R16 was probably the best car I have ever owned! Quite innovative at the time with multitude of seating positions, spent many a night in mine when touring Europe in the mis 70s. The seats were so comfortable that they were in great demand independently, my local garage used them extensively in reception. But for me the stand out was the sublime column change...why do car manufactureres drop their best bits when bringing out new models? Saw one last year a TX and it looked ever so small - at the time it was on the larger side of medium, and a hatchback of great ride subtlety. Thanks for the review
I’ve still got my old Haynes Workshop Manual from 1979, I had a TL and a TS. Here is a quote from their introduction to the Renault 16. “Such is the distinctive styling of the Renault 16, it is now instantly recognisable no matter where it is, and such is the overall success of the car both as a saleable vehicle and as a very attractive and comfortable car to ride in, the manufacturers will be hard pressed to supersede with another model significantly better. And they haven’t!’
At last a Renault 16 video!! Brilliant cars, I have very fond memories of my TS. Comfortable, economical and pretty quick. More please!! Incidentally, the 16 was the last production car design with column change and Renault have never made a better car since.
I agree. I had a Grand Espace from new, loved it enough but after 100k miles it cost a fortune to maintain/repair. All said and done, I loved the R16 much more.
@davidjohnson00001 also had a 12TL, not as much of an all rounder as the 16 but the Douvrin engine was indestructible! No wonder Renault got 40+ years life out of it.
@MrCromagnonman super reliable! What impressed me first was its ability to drive arrow straight on a motorway with a thumb on the wheel. The 16 and 12 cemented my love of French cars, although today's offerings have lost their sheen somewhat, so it's Dacia for me, which is at least Renault based.
@kenhampshire9917 thank you, I really appreciate this. I saw a massive hole in TH-cam for UK videos on these amazing cars and knew it was something I had to take up on. I love it, it's an amazing car to drive and work on. It has however thrown a very large spanner in the works this morning...Stay tuned!
My headmaster had one of these when I was at secondary school at Carmarthen in South Wales. It had an auto box. He was a lovely man but a terrible driver, having given a pal and I the 15 miles to home, after we missed the school bus. He was a driver who was constantly on and off the brakes and zooming up too close to cars in front. I recall it had massive body roll too but the softness gave a very cosseting ride, as you observed. One Renault you never see now is a 17TS or Gordini, which I liked the look of, being more sporty in appearance.
Brilliant cars. I used to have older friends who had 2 of these, an earlier one and then a later one. They used it to tow a small caravan with them. Back in the 90s I used to drive a 60 year old car as a main car. I even went to Brittany in France with it. (1936 Austin 7 Ruby). She is now almost 89 years old. Only used for pleasure these days. My new modern car is only 41 years old, 1983 Ford Escort 1.1L. In May I drove from the Costa Del Sol in Spain through Andorra and the Pyrenees, then accross France to the Alps. Yes, you can enjoy using very old cars if you choose one in good condition that has good spares availability. I am very happy when driving either the Austin Ruby or the Ford Escort.
Lovely to see it! My mom had a 16TX when I was a little kid. It spent over 15 years in a garage when my brother was born and the no seatbelts in the rear became an issue. I was always so fascinated by that car, under it's layer of dust by that point. By the time I turned 18 I put a battery in it and it just started right up. Unfortunately that was the cue for my parents to sell it (to very lovely owners who restored it and still have it). Wish I could have claimed it as mine back then.
That was fun. My Dad had a 1968 one of these - just like yours with the tear drop rear lights. His was white, but had a burgundy interior. How comfortable was that car ! Sadly, rust was the enemy of these cars, but it looks like you got a really nice one there to improve over time. Thanks for sharing this video - brought back some lovely memories. Take care 🙂
Oooo white with a burgundy interior, I like the sound of that! I am incredibly fortunate to have a large workshop and storage area for my business, so she won't be getting too wet or too much outside action. Absolutely, a rolling resto is the name of the game with this one! I look forward to sharing more. Thanks for your engagement, it goes a long way.
Thanks for this - great piece on one of the best Renaults ever. At 4:50 - the rear suspension isn't torsion beam, as in many modern cars, but torsion bar, as at the front. This allows truly independent movement and greater range of movement of each rear wheel - which contribute to the 16's superb ride and roadholding.
My dad took me to Scotland from the South in one of these and it broke down - back then my dad left me in the car while he went to get help. I was there for over 2 hours, can you imagine doing that today. Eventually it was found that the head gasket had gone but it also needed new piston liners, It was a great car despite it's fragile engine. Thanks for the memory trip.
I'm going to guess the issue was down to not having the coolant correct. The steel liners and aluminium block needed antifreeze of the right strength to stop corrosion inside. Brilliant strong engines but only if the right care was taken which was beyond standard for the day. You could not treat it like a Ford.
My dad bought one of the 6 Renault 16s imported into the UK in 1965 as dealer demonstrators. Full imports started in 1966. This car had a different front ventilation system of three solid plastic flaps instead of the grill in your example. Lovely comfortable car, seats were outstanding. Two adults, three kids and a 16 foot caravan to Scotland and back, it handled it with ease. Great memories. You forgot to mention that the spare tyre and jack were stowed under the bonnet.
Best UK R16 video I have ever seen, My Dad bought one of these brand new in 1970, same as this one, 1470cc GL. is the model, he took our family to Spain on a camping holiday From Northern Ireland, ferry to Scotland then drove the length of England to Dover then the length of France, across the Spanish border to the costa Brava, set at 70mph on all the motorways, 2 years later I bought it from him when he bought another 1972 R16 TL 1565cc, then went on to buy another three R16 TX's 1647cc with 5 speed gear boxes, 96 MPH. if I remember right, which were passed down to myself and my brother over the years, best cars we ever had and I still have a 1974 R16 TS awaiting restoration. PS. Going to Reims in this car will be a doddle, looking forward to future video's
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it. There's lots more to come! I love reading peoples memories with cars, it feels like I was there! I'd love to take this one across to France for a cruise around. We are actually on a French and Spanish adventure later this month to buy some old French tin...You'll love that!
Imagine a small Texas town in 1970, my dad had a left hand drive one. The only one. Loved that car. Unfortunately it was in an accident and nobody would even attempt to fix it. Have missed it ever since
The first car I drove after passing my test - My dad had 3 Renault 16 Tx's :) He bought his first one when we were living in Cyprus. You had to make sure you left towels on the seats otherwise they would burn your legs when you got into the car. We brought that one back to the UK and then the next 2 followed :)
First car I drove after passing my test,beautiful in blue but hairy when cornering at speed 😮 and could literally hear it rusting 😊loved the column change
@ I’m sure. My dad bought a blue TS in Galway Ireland with electric sunroof that didn’t work, I’m sure the windows were electric but can’t quite remember.
What super cars these were/are. I've had a '71 4L, and a '76 5TL, all the same engine/suspension arrangement. The 6 is similar. French cars were so good 60s-80s. These were still in the showrooms (just) when I got my licence. A friend's father had a 70s 16TS with the 5-speed box (also a Type 3 VW). When I moved to South Australia 25-years ago, there were dozens still on the road. Now you're lucky if you see 1 a year. Where have they all gone? These engines have wet liners, right? A good idea. Love your early example. Thanks for sharing it.
I had a 16TS and it was a fantastic car. Certainly faster than the average offerings from BL or Ford. Yes the engine was wet liners and needed antifreeze all year to stop corrosion.
Loved this blast from the past, because I used to own one in the same colour and loved it to bits! One request, pretty please...: when you show driving footage, please point the camera forward in the driving direction, like you did at the end. Because that's what us oldies remember...lol. I just fast forwarded through the first drive where we were only looking at you. Hope you don't mind... 😊
Taken on board! I'm going to invest in another camera, so we can have a main forward shot and a little mini me in the corner so I can get my screen time. ;) Stay tuned for more and thank you for your interest!
It was the European car of the year 1966 and widely used as Paris taxi. Renault 16, Citroen Pallas and Peugeot 504 were one of the greatest French cars of the era.
in 1980 when i 20 years old i had a M registered 73/74 Renault 16 16tl it was a loverly car to drive the gear change was realy good for column change i found the brakes where good perhaps being a later car than yours it may have had servo assisted brakes good job realy as being young i used drive a bit quicker than 55 mph i think it would do 90 mph on a good day , they are bit like an Austin Maxi but much more stylist, it was realy reliable never had any problems with it but although it was only 6 to 7 years old at the time it was realy quite rusty with holes in the floors and front wings other than that it was a realy good car
I'm being told I'm being far too easy on it by a few people. 😂 But I'll take her slow and steady until all the jobs are ticked off the list. It's just a nice car to cruise around in.
What a fabulous thing. My dad has always driven Renaults, but not a R16 (he opted for the R14 back in 1977! - followed by R21, 2x25s etc...) I really want to go back to driving cars of this sort of era - look at those skinny A-pillars - such fantastic visibility!
Excellent video I really enjoyed it. Good to see coverage of a great car that as you say just isn't featured often. Would it be possible to actually see that back seat set up in it's various configurations ? As I think Renault stated quite a few were permutations were possible & it'd be interesting to see them in one place. I look forward to more video's about it. Happy 2025
My mum had a R16 from new in “Surf Brown” (yep! …that was the colour). A truly fabulous car for urban use and for highway travel. … and comfortable…my lord…armchair comfort. They don’t make ‘em like they used to.
I had three R16s back in the day and in 1977 I did an overnight run down to northern Italy in an identical model to yours. You won't find a more comfortable car for a long journey than a 16, I got out of the car at the other end of the journey as fresh as I had got in at home. Those wonderful seats and that superb suspension insulate you from the road surface so well that the ride is not tiring at all. Those who say that modern cars are better haven't tried a Renault 16. By the way the body motifs are in aluminium not stainless steel and the bumpers are chrome not stainless steel. Thanks for the vlog.
Our family car when I was young , We went form a lime yellow TL with impressive velour to a deep red TX with leather and electric windows !! six of us piled in and went everywhere in it . Thanks for the nostalgic video !!
I had one of these back in the early 80s, bought second hand. I remember how spongy and comfy the seats were, and how it lurched over in corners. Rear brakes were a nightmare. Renaults of this era had a particular smell in the interior, sort of sweet plasticky odour.
Nice t see these old cars , me mates dad had one when I was 12 , hated the sight of the thi;g, now 60 , nice to see and bring back memories, cheers shane uk 🇬🇧
My father had 3 R16's through mid 1960's to mid 1970's, he absolutely loved those cars. I learnt to drive in the last one! As for being the first hatchback, that is the Renault 4 which was on sale 4yrs before the R16.
I owned a 16 for several years in the 70s, a great family car probably the best car and most comfortable we have eve had. Looking forward to further videos, thanks RB
Great vid - love a 16 my dad had the TS in the day - dude we want more great content like this so wear your seatbelt - don’t want the fuzz pulling you in! 👍
You're absolutely right, the things we forget in haste eh! Interestingly, a modern set of inertia reels is high on the priority list, as these types belt are well past their date these days. And I can't wait to get the kids in on a Sunday afternoon for a drive. Glad you love what we do, loads more in the pipeline. And thank you for the concern. Stay tuned for my 16 fun, "my dad had one of those" seems to be the theme with these!
@ will be watching every episode and looking for the red subscription bell 🔔- did you not fancy the 16TX now that’s the holy grail and defo a daily driver 👍
@@NorthEastTuning The inertia belts on my '74 TL were an unusual design: you could snatch as hard as you liked on them but they wouldn't lock - but if the car was in motion and you braked hard, they did. I think there was some sort of pendulum arrangement to lock them in place?
Moved from Ireland to France in 1988 and my first car was my wife's grannies Renault 16. Fabulous car. Unfortunately after a few years the gearbox was knackered, I got a replacement installed but it was never quite the same, very tricky engaging 1st gear. Great memories though, white 1964 model. Great video 👍🏻
My dad had a red TL (XWL 750K). Our favourite family car ever. Spacious, comfortable, practical. Fond memories of our family of 4 plus grandparents going on holiday to Pembrokeshire in it!
I don't think you mentioned that ALL the passenger seats are removable, leaving a vast amount of interior space available. Came in handy when I had to transport a huge dragon head to a Chinese festival procession! The design of these cars is really, really clever.
My first car in 1990 was an R16 TL in frog green, it was like new from my uncle, but unfortunately, a rear-end collision wrecked it. Then in 1992, I bought an R16 TX, which was fantastic but rusty. Holidays all across Europe, all the way to Morocco, Scotland, and Greece, with a tent, sleeping in the car or in the tent. Thanks for the great video! Maybe a trip through Scotland next year with your R16 ;-) Greetings from Vienna!
Absolutely love the 16 ! , it is arguably the first family hatchback with the sloping tailgate which is still in use today , there were hatch cars before like Renault's own 4 but that was more of a square box shape. My dad bought a new 'British racing green' 16 TS back in 1971 , the ride was so smooth & comfortable but it didn't like cold morning starts ! , with a full boot & 5 on board , it managed to hit 100mph on a long straight in Finland heading to Russia back in 1973 ! Stumbled across the last UK 1960's TS in a Hubnut video which was on sale for over 20K in exceptional original condition , i was so tempted to buy it , but it was too much , a few months later i found out too late when it went for 11K at H&H Classics auction earlier this year. Preserve it at all costs as there are virtually none left in right hand drive !.
The 16TX from 1973 was the stuff of dreams , i believe it was the first family car to have electric windows & central locking ! , the 4 square headlights , 5 speed gearbox , alloys , orange dials & sporty steering wheel made it a real head turner.
Great cars . My father was a vet in North Yorkshire. He used to buy these for his assistant vets . They could go across fields and had great traction in snow . No need for a Land Rover !
My late uncle had a 1971 R16TS in royal blue from 1982 to 1987. The dashboard was different if I recall correctly, it had dials instead of the rectangular dash on the one shown here and the bigger engine, 1565 cc. It was such a comfortable and capable car, he bought a 1982 R18 turbo next. Thank you so much for sharing this video, I also previously haven’t been able to find one in English so I’m doing the like and subscribe thing in support 😊
few French cars made it to market here in the States but my grandfather had in the early 60s a Panhard PL 17. He drove it to work everyday. His other car was a 55 Oldsmobile 88, quite different vehicles. My grandfather thought the engineering and innovations from French carmakers was quite impressive.
My late father had two of them. The second one was totalled when a lorry ran a red light and hit him at the front driver's side corner. That day, my father wore no seat belt, was thrown out of the driver door and luckily only suffered minor bruises. He was not superstitious, knew how lucky he'd been and always wore a belt from then on. Though he liked the model, he then bought a Passat... which turned out to be a worse rustbucket than the R16 could have ever been...
Great to see a R 16 video... Maybe I should have thought to do one. Like you, I've got a 16 GL from October 69. Like you said, everytime I take it out, I get smiles, thumbs up, and questions. Got a few issues with starting from cold so might need some advice! John.. In Manchester.
Hi 👋 im viewing from New Zealand. We had these Renault 16 cars sold here in limited numbers only. We assembled the Renault 10 in the 1960s, and the Renault 12 in the 1970s. My father knew an A grade mechanic , and he worked on Renault and Peugeot cars. He would visit in a different French car and turned up one day in a new Renault 16 in white exactly like yours. This was back in the late 1960s. I like these Renaults. My favorite French car is the Citroen DS. Do you like them ? You are right there isn't much on youtube about the Renault 16. Thanks for your interesting video. From Carl.
The Renault 16 wasn't the first hatchback, but it was the first high volume production hatchback. It's true that it had features way ahead of its time. When you mentioned similarities with the SAAB 99, the main ones would be the front mid engine, and the drive off the front of the engine. The SAAB 99 and later 900 shared an engine with Triumph which was slanted 45 degrees. The gearbox was mounted beneath the engine and had its own oil sump. I always liked the Renault 16, but never owned one.
Old SAAB's are my thing, I've had everything from two strokes up to NG900 Aero's and absolutely love them. I like the 'mid front' engine lay out and always find it gives nice natural steering feel from the front end. The 99 was a great handling car, especially at standard ride height. The compliance was excellent and they just felt great. I should really get another. 😂
Well done for taking it on. These are excellent cars, though a bit of a pain to work on. I was leant one from family friends back in the 80s and drove all over South Australia in it. It was a fantastic car, so comfortable with great performance etc and that opening tail gate was a game changer. One came up 4 sale last year here in green, one owner from new, fully registered and in great condition - I had to pass unfortunately.
These do seem popular in Australia, I've seen a few posts on them and a couple of videos. They're a great cruiser and a really cool place to be, so I can imagine cruising around a hot climate in one of these, window down, elbow out the door and the sunnies on. 😎
Have just subscribed. These Renaults were very very popular here back in the day, you saw them everywhere, alongside Pug 403, 404, 504 (especially). Considering our customer base of V8 or straight 6, the French cars here in OZ did very very well indeed. The Peugeot brand did extremely well here due know doubt to the famous if not infamous REDEX trials in the 50s (followed in the 50s by the Ampol Trial and the Mobilgas Trial), which saw effectively showroom cars with slight mods driving around OZ on some of the worst outback roads imaginable - these events were highly popular and followed by the general public with huge enthusiasm. The Pug 403 became a bit of a legend on these trials and know doubt helped sells and its later sister the 404. I had a mate who had a 404 and I was mightly impressed with it. Nevertheless the Renault 16 is a tremendous car - wish I had one now.
I have one RENAULT 16 TL R 115243 here in Sweden. It has been in Northcape and in Ullapool in Scotland. The UK-trip was quite an adventure. Driving on the wrong side of the road in a left hand drive is not easy to start with. When we landed in Dover with the ferry from Ostende I liked to correct the right mirror and it fell off. The trip: Dover, Aberdeen, Inverness, Ullapool, Glasgow, Newcastle and ferry to Bergen in Norway. The salted roads took it's tribute and the car now sits in a garage since 1986.
Great video thank you. I had three 16s in the 90s. mostly the TX. Electric windows, 1647cc, five speed. So comfortable. Keep it up and look fwd to anything else on your 16 especially
Renault’s R4 was the first hatchback, I believe. The R16 was the first medium size family hatchback. It was really influential. When I look at Hyundai’s EV5, I am often reminded of the R16 and the later R20. Good video.
So very well done on this! I had two, one after the other 2nd hand bought from a dealer at the time in Canterbury, Kent. The first was a metallic grey/blue TL, I believe they were called, and the 2nd one from the same place a white TL. Absolutely loved them and only sold to buy a Renault 15 TL that was fairly new on the market but still 2nd hand and about 15 months old, same dealer. Loved these cars and apparently over a million R16s were built and possibly only around 60 still on the road! Brilliant video, and as you say the ride is very good and seems still a great drive even now!
A friend of mine had a 1968, 1972 and 1978 Renault 16 in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Sadly, he had no storage unit and also no money to fix them, so they rotted away. But they were very, very comfortable cars and by all means suitable for daily driving. If you could keep the rot at bay that is.
Bought a used 1971 model in 1981. Wonderfully comfortable and versatile. Unfortunately the rear suspension had worn rubber bushes, which destroyed the rear tyres very quickly due to misalignment. Had to get rid of it because as a student I could not afford such a major repair.
I've driven these cars daily for years! The later versions, even the cheaper TL ones, have a lot more pep and will easily do 75 for hours on the highway, especially if you add a 5-speed gearbox from the TX model. My '69 TS model even had powered windows, which feels very futuristic in such an old car. There are original wooden center-consoles available for adding a radio.
The TS has a larger engine and more power, and the TX has a 5 speed. The column shift is very sweet, a delight to use! The first car I drove, aged 12! RHD Column shift cars have the indicator stalk on the correct side, the window side - because they have to. 😁
I had a 16TS and you would never say it was slow, the 1600cc engine was quite capable and coupled with a light body progress could be rapid. Certainly better then Fords and BLs of the time. 70 on the motorway was easy all day and traffic light sprints not many cars could beat it. I had many great times in it and many stories.
My father had the 16TS I used to drive it a lot and loved it. Great engine and great comfort. A true classic and a trend setter.
My Grandad had one of these back in the late 70s early 80s, used to take us for days out in it, always felt like it was floating, never knew it shared an engine with a Europa, my absolute favourite Lotus!! Grandad would have earnt himself some serious cool points had we known back then, he was already pretty cool having survived a Stuka attack on his Bren carrier in Africa and being lost in the Burmese jungle dodging Japanese patrols for 10 days. Anyone who says a car is just a box on 4 wheels has no soul, they invoke so many thoughts and memories. RIP Private Jack Bartholomew!
I had a 16 TS in 1974. Superb car a real motorway cruiser like sitting in an armchair.
Always admired these - fantastically ahead of their time both in terms of concept and design - even the styling is understated in a way that appeals now.
A French car I wouldn’t hesitate to own - which is a rare beast indeed!
Really like these. Not many left in Australia so this would be like rocking horse Shiite in the UK. You handle the column change really well. Great to see someone your age appreciating these old cars. They are pretty amazing.
My R16 was probably the best car I have ever owned! Quite innovative at the time with multitude of seating positions, spent many a night in mine when touring Europe in the mis 70s. The seats were so comfortable that they were in great demand independently, my local garage used them extensively in reception. But for me the stand out was the sublime column change...why do car manufactureres drop their best bits when bringing out new models? Saw one last year a TX and it looked ever so small - at the time it was on the larger side of medium, and a hatchback of great ride subtlety. Thanks for the review
I’ve still got my old Haynes Workshop Manual from 1979, I had a TL and a TS. Here is a quote from their introduction to the Renault 16.
“Such is the distinctive styling of the Renault 16, it is now instantly recognisable no matter where it is, and such is the overall success of the car both as a saleable vehicle and as a very attractive and comfortable car to ride in, the manufacturers will be hard pressed to supersede with another model significantly better.
And they haven’t!’
The 20 and later, the 25 were effectively the successors to the 16. We need someone to compare them!
What about the Renault 18? It was a great car and a direct replacement for the 16.
At last a Renault 16 video!! Brilliant cars, I have very fond memories of my TS. Comfortable, economical and pretty quick. More please!!
Incidentally, the 16 was the last production car design with column change and Renault have never made a better car since.
I agree. I had a Grand Espace from new, loved it enough but after 100k miles it cost a fortune to maintain/repair.
All said and done, I loved the R16 much more.
@davidjohnson00001 also had a 12TL, not as much of an all rounder as the 16 but the Douvrin engine was indestructible! No wonder Renault got 40+ years life out of it.
@@kenhampshire9917 Worked at Renault dealership in the -70s. The R12 was sort of a black sheep of the Renault family, but by far the most reliable
@MrCromagnonman super reliable! What impressed me first was its ability to drive arrow straight on a motorway with a thumb on the wheel. The 16 and 12 cemented my love of French cars, although today's offerings have lost their sheen somewhat, so it's Dacia for me, which is at least Renault based.
@kenhampshire9917 thank you, I really appreciate this.
I saw a massive hole in TH-cam for UK videos on these amazing cars and knew it was something I had to take up on.
I love it, it's an amazing car to drive and work on.
It has however thrown a very large spanner in the works this morning...Stay tuned!
One of my favourite cars, since the day it came out! Thanks for posting
Love your 16! Looking forward to seeing more videos of it. They must be super rare in the uk .
My Dad had a 16 TS in the early 70's I really liked that car. :)
Same here. I remember the lovely smooth ride quality even as a young teenager. Very practical too.
Mine too. Bought in 1970. Great car. Fast too!
My headmaster had one of these when I was at secondary school at Carmarthen in South Wales. It had an auto box. He was a lovely man but a terrible driver, having given a pal and I the 15 miles to home, after we missed the school bus. He was a driver who was constantly on and off the brakes and zooming up too close to cars in front. I recall it had massive body roll too but the softness gave a very cosseting ride, as you observed. One Renault you never see now is a 17TS or Gordini, which I liked the look of, being more sporty in appearance.
I learnt to drive in the family R16 in the mid1970s. Loved everything about it.
I've had 35 cars in my lifetime and the R16 was by far the best one. Shame the rust monster ate it in the end. I enjoyed your video!
Really pleased to hear that, I think its a great car. Certainly for the age and compared to it's rivals at the time, they really offer a lot.
The rust monster got mine at the rear torsion bar mounts: luckily my father was a highly skilled welder!
You did not garage it !~
I had one in 1989 - loved it. I'd happily have one again as a runaround.
I never gave R16s a second glance, thanks for showing us around your little gem. Looks a smidge more civilized than my beloved 2CV - love it. :)
My mum owned a white Renault 16 TS and I loved that car. It was so comfortable and great to drive and look at.
My dad rented this when we visited France. I still remember how comfy the seats were
They were comfortable and cars and some of the later ones had a bit more power. I think it's great to see one driving around.
Brilliant cars. I used to have older friends who had 2 of these, an earlier one and then a later one. They used it to tow a small caravan with them.
Back in the 90s I used to drive a 60 year old car as a main car. I even went to Brittany in France with it. (1936 Austin 7 Ruby). She is now almost 89 years old. Only used for pleasure these days. My new modern car is only 41 years old, 1983 Ford Escort 1.1L. In May I drove from the Costa Del Sol in Spain through Andorra and the Pyrenees, then accross France to the Alps. Yes, you can enjoy using very old cars if you choose one in good condition that has good spares availability. I am very happy when driving either the Austin Ruby or the Ford Escort.
Well done on these amazing classics, real history in motoring, brilliant!
Lovely to see it! My mom had a 16TX when I was a little kid. It spent over 15 years in a garage when my brother was born and the no seatbelts in the rear became an issue. I was always so fascinated by that car, under it's layer of dust by that point. By the time I turned 18 I put a battery in it and it just started right up. Unfortunately that was the cue for my parents to sell it (to very lovely owners who restored it and still have it). Wish I could have claimed it as mine back then.
That was fun. My Dad had a 1968 one of these - just like yours with the tear drop rear lights. His was white, but had a burgundy interior. How comfortable was that car ! Sadly, rust was the enemy of these cars, but it looks like you got a really nice one there to improve over time. Thanks for sharing this video - brought back some lovely memories. Take care 🙂
Cars without garages turn to iron oxide !
Oooo white with a burgundy interior, I like the sound of that!
I am incredibly fortunate to have a large workshop and storage area for my business, so she won't be getting too wet or too much outside action.
Absolutely, a rolling resto is the name of the game with this one! I look forward to sharing more. Thanks for your engagement, it goes a long way.
I thought I was a bit of a hero dailying a 27 year old car, but you definitely win. :) Very cool car.
Thanks for this - great piece on one of the best Renaults ever. At 4:50 - the rear suspension isn't torsion beam, as in many modern cars, but torsion bar, as at the front. This allows truly independent movement and greater range of movement of each rear wheel - which contribute to the 16's superb ride and roadholding.
My dad took me to Scotland from the South in one of these and it broke down - back then my dad left me in the car while he went to get help. I was there for over 2 hours, can you imagine doing that today. Eventually it was found that the head gasket had gone but it also needed new piston liners, It was a great car despite it's fragile engine. Thanks for the memory trip.
I'm going to guess the issue was down to not having the coolant correct. The steel liners and aluminium block needed antifreeze of the right strength to stop corrosion inside. Brilliant strong engines but only if the right care was taken which was beyond standard for the day. You could not treat it like a Ford.
My dad bought one of the 6 Renault 16s imported into the UK in 1965 as dealer demonstrators. Full imports started in 1966. This car had a different front ventilation system of three solid plastic flaps instead of the grill in your example.
Lovely comfortable car, seats were outstanding. Two adults, three kids and a 16 foot caravan to Scotland and back, it handled it with ease. Great memories.
You forgot to mention that the spare tyre and jack were stowed under the bonnet.
Best UK R16 video I have ever seen, My Dad bought one of these brand new in 1970, same as this one, 1470cc GL. is the model, he took our family to Spain on a camping holiday From Northern Ireland, ferry to Scotland then drove the length of England to Dover then the length of France, across the Spanish border to the costa Brava, set at 70mph on all the motorways, 2 years later I bought it from him when he bought another 1972 R16 TL 1565cc, then went on to buy another three R16 TX's 1647cc with 5 speed gear boxes, 96 MPH. if I remember right, which were passed down to myself and my brother over the years, best cars we ever had and I still have a 1974 R16 TS awaiting restoration. PS. Going to Reims in this car will be a doddle, looking forward to future video's
Excellent motors ! Why are they not copied?
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it. There's lots more to come! I love reading peoples memories with cars, it feels like I was there! I'd love to take this one across to France for a cruise around.
We are actually on a French and Spanish adventure later this month to buy some old French tin...You'll love that!
I had a Renault 16 until the engine imploded in Bedford, it just stalled but upon inspection by the garage it was internally totally kaput
1st to 2nd - have your palm facing towards you and keeping it pulled towards you & straight down. Much easier. Lovely car
Yep - that's exactly how I used to do it. And then just lift the lever in the palm of your hand and it'll find its own way to 3rd.
@HowardLeVert and the same for 3 to 2 - such a great gear change
Imagine a small Texas town in 1970, my dad had a left hand drive one. The only one. Loved that car. Unfortunately it was in an accident and nobody would even attempt to fix it. Have missed it ever since
Passed my test in a Mk1 Cortina with a column change, they are very comfortable to use. She's a great old girl, looking forward to more videos.
My grandad drove a Renault 16 for many years when I was a small kid, remember it fondly and therefore the R16 has a special place in my hart.
The first car I drove after passing my test - My dad had 3 Renault 16 Tx's :) He bought his first one when we were living in Cyprus. You had to make sure you left towels on the seats otherwise they would burn your legs when you got into the car. We brought that one back to the UK and then the next 2 followed :)
First car I drove after passing my test,beautiful in blue but hairy when cornering at speed 😮 and could literally hear it rusting 😊loved the column change
My dad brought a few 16s from England in the 70s 80s. I drove a few too. TX was the one 🇮🇪☘️
@@michealofloinn2539 the TX what a car would love one - my dad only had the TS darn it
@@michealofloinn2539 Didn't the TX have electric windows? Super luxurious for those days!
@ I’m sure. My dad bought a blue TS in Galway Ireland with electric sunroof that didn’t work, I’m sure the windows were electric but can’t quite remember.
What super cars these were/are. I've had a '71 4L, and a '76 5TL, all the same engine/suspension arrangement. The 6 is similar. French cars were so good 60s-80s. These were still in the showrooms (just) when I got my licence. A friend's father had a 70s 16TS with the 5-speed box (also a Type 3 VW). When I moved to South Australia 25-years ago, there were dozens still on the road. Now you're lucky if you see 1 a year. Where have they all gone? These engines have wet liners, right? A good idea. Love your early example. Thanks for sharing it.
I had a 16TS and it was a fantastic car. Certainly faster than the average offerings from BL or Ford. Yes the engine was wet liners and needed antifreeze all year to stop corrosion.
Loved this blast from the past, because I used to own one in the same colour and loved it to bits! One request, pretty please...: when you show driving footage, please point the camera forward in the driving direction, like you did at the end. Because that's what us oldies remember...lol. I just fast forwarded through the first drive where we were only looking at you. Hope you don't mind... 😊
Taken on board! I'm going to invest in another camera, so we can have a main forward shot and a little mini me in the corner so I can get my screen time. ;)
Stay tuned for more and thank you for your interest!
@NorthEastTuning ... 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂
It was the European car of the year 1966 and widely used as Paris taxi. Renault 16, Citroen Pallas and Peugeot 504 were one of the greatest French cars of the era.
in 1980 when i 20 years old i had a M registered 73/74 Renault 16 16tl it was a loverly car to drive the gear change was realy good for column change i found the brakes where good perhaps being a later car than yours it may have had servo assisted brakes good job realy as being young i used drive a bit quicker than 55 mph i think it would do 90 mph on a good day , they are bit like an Austin Maxi but much more stylist, it was realy reliable never had any problems with it but although it was only 6 to 7 years old at the time it was realy quite rusty with holes in the floors and front wings other than that it was a realy good car
I'm being told I'm being far too easy on it by a few people. 😂 But I'll take her slow and steady until all the jobs are ticked off the list.
It's just a nice car to cruise around in.
My friend's dad had one in the early 70s - it was a rare, oddity even then!
Love the engine note
Stay tuned for the latest video, you'll be surprised!
What a beauty 😍😍😍 Always had a soft spot for a 16 🥰 Great video. Thank you 👍
What a fabulous thing. My dad has always driven Renaults, but not a R16 (he opted for the R14 back in 1977! - followed by R21, 2x25s etc...) I really want to go back to driving cars of this sort of era - look at those skinny A-pillars - such fantastic visibility!
Excellent video I really enjoyed it. Good to see coverage of a great car that as you say just isn't featured often.
Would it be possible to actually see that back seat set up in it's various configurations ? As I think Renault stated quite a few were permutations were possible & it'd be interesting to see them in one place.
I look forward to more video's about it.
Happy 2025
You inspired me to make an entire video about it! I hope you enjoy. Happy 2025 to you too!
My mum had a R16 from new in “Surf Brown” (yep! …that was the colour). A truly fabulous car for urban use and for highway travel.
… and comfortable…my lord…armchair comfort.
They don’t make ‘em like they used to.
I had three R16s back in the day and in 1977 I did an overnight run down to northern Italy in an identical model to yours. You won't find a more comfortable car for a long journey than a 16, I got out of the car at the other end of the journey as fresh as I had got in at home. Those wonderful seats and that superb suspension insulate you from the road surface so well that the ride is not tiring at all. Those who say that modern cars are better haven't tried a Renault 16. By the way the body motifs are in aluminium not stainless steel and the bumpers are chrome not stainless steel. Thanks for the vlog.
Our family car when I was young , We went form a lime yellow TL with impressive velour to a deep red TX with leather and electric windows !! six of us piled in and went everywhere in it . Thanks for the nostalgic video !!
I had one of these back in the early 80s, bought second hand. I remember how spongy and comfy the seats were, and how it lurched over in corners. Rear brakes were a nightmare. Renaults of this era had a particular smell in the interior, sort of sweet plasticky odour.
My dad had a 16gtx I think? Full length sunroof as smooth as butter and a ride of a corniche.
I wouldn't hesitate to drive one of these every day, they're an awesome little car.
Always fancied the TX in these
Brilliant motor😉👌🏽glad you like em👍🏼
Nice t see these old cars , me mates dad had one when I was 12 , hated the sight of the thi;g, now 60 , nice to see and bring back memories, cheers shane uk 🇬🇧
My father had 3 R16's through mid 1960's to mid 1970's, he absolutely loved those cars. I learnt to drive in the last one! As for being the first hatchback, that is the Renault 4 which was on sale 4yrs before the R16.
I owned a 16 for several years in the 70s, a great family car probably the best car and most comfortable we have eve had. Looking forward to further videos, thanks RB
Love your review of our Renault R16. Such a nice car and such cars will last long if they are serviced accordingly. 😊
What a lovely little car, didn't know I liked them until now.
Great vid - love a 16 my dad had the TS in the day - dude we want more great content like this so wear your seatbelt - don’t want the fuzz pulling you in! 👍
You're absolutely right, the things we forget in haste eh! Interestingly, a modern set of inertia reels is high on the priority list, as these types belt are well past their date these days. And I can't wait to get the kids in on a Sunday afternoon for a drive.
Glad you love what we do, loads more in the pipeline. And thank you for the concern.
Stay tuned for my 16 fun, "my dad had one of those" seems to be the theme with these!
My dad brought a few 16s from England in the 70s 80s. I drove a few too. TX was the one 🇮🇪☘️
@ will be watching every episode and looking for the red subscription bell 🔔- did you not fancy the 16TX now that’s the holy grail and defo a daily driver 👍
@ what’s not to love about that column shift just love that 👍
@@NorthEastTuning The inertia belts on my '74 TL were an unusual design: you could snatch as hard as you liked on them but they wouldn't lock - but if the car was in motion and you braked hard, they did. I think there was some sort of pendulum arrangement to lock them in place?
Moved from Ireland to France in 1988 and my first car was my wife's grannies Renault 16. Fabulous car. Unfortunately after a few years the gearbox was knackered, I got a replacement installed but it was never quite the same, very tricky engaging 1st gear. Great memories though, white 1964 model. Great video 👍🏻
My dad had a red TL (XWL 750K). Our favourite family car ever. Spacious, comfortable, practical. Fond memories of our family of 4 plus grandparents going on holiday to Pembrokeshire in it!
I don't think you mentioned that ALL the passenger seats are removable, leaving a vast amount of interior space available. Came in handy when I had to transport a huge dragon head to a Chinese festival procession! The design of these cars is really, really clever.
My first car in 1990 was an R16 TL in frog green, it was like new from my uncle, but unfortunately, a rear-end collision wrecked it. Then in 1992, I bought an R16 TX, which was fantastic but rusty. Holidays all across Europe, all the way to Morocco, Scotland, and Greece, with a tent, sleeping in the car or in the tent. Thanks for the great video! Maybe a trip through Scotland next year with your R16 ;-) Greetings from Vienna!
Really enjoyed that - 800th subscriber 👍
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. Really look forward to sharing more of our adventures and journeys with you. All the best for 2025.
Love it. My dad's friend had one and I remember finding it super comfortable and refined compared to my dad's VW beetle.
Absolutely love the 16 ! , it is arguably the first family hatchback with the sloping tailgate which is still in use today , there were hatch cars before like Renault's own 4 but that was more of a square box shape. My dad bought a new 'British racing green' 16 TS back in 1971 , the ride was so smooth & comfortable but it didn't like cold morning starts ! , with a full boot & 5 on board , it managed to hit 100mph on a long straight in Finland heading to Russia back in 1973 ! Stumbled across the last UK 1960's TS in a Hubnut video which was on sale for over 20K in exceptional original condition , i was so tempted to buy it , but it was too much , a few months later i found out too late when it went for 11K at H&H Classics auction earlier this year. Preserve it at all costs as there are virtually none left in right hand drive !.
The 16TX from 1973 was the stuff of dreams , i believe it was the first family car to have electric windows & central locking ! , the 4 square headlights , 5 speed gearbox , alloys , orange dials & sporty steering wheel made it a real head turner.
Never owned one of these but remember when I was a kid a neighbour buying a new one. I love these they are ideal for the pot holed UK roads.
Great cars . My father was a vet in North Yorkshire. He used to buy these for his assistant vets . They could go across fields and had great traction in snow . No need for a Land Rover !
My late uncle had a 1971 R16TS in royal blue from 1982 to 1987. The dashboard was different if I recall correctly, it had dials instead of the rectangular dash on the one shown here and the bigger engine, 1565 cc. It was such a comfortable and capable car, he bought a 1982 R18 turbo next. Thank you so much for sharing this video, I also previously haven’t been able to find one in English so I’m doing the like and subscribe thing in support 😊
Nice car. Always loved the design. I like the Peugeot 404 and the Citroën DS as well.
Brilliant to drive those old cars.
few French cars made it to market here in the States but my grandfather had in the early 60s a Panhard PL 17. He drove it to work everyday. His other car was a 55 Oldsmobile 88, quite different vehicles. My grandfather thought the engineering and innovations from French carmakers was quite impressive.
My late father had two of them.
The second one was totalled when a lorry ran a red light and hit him at the front driver's side corner.
That day, my father wore no seat belt, was thrown out of the driver door and luckily only suffered minor bruises.
He was not superstitious, knew how lucky he'd been and always wore a belt from then on.
Though he liked the model, he then bought a Passat... which turned out to be a worse rustbucket than the R16 could have ever been...
This one seems to have the old-fashioned static front seat belts. I wonder why he's not wearing his.
Great to see a R 16 video... Maybe I should have thought to do one. Like you, I've got a 16 GL from October 69. Like you said, everytime I take it out, I get smiles, thumbs up, and questions. Got a few issues with starting from cold so might need some advice! John.. In Manchester.
Hi 👋 im viewing from New Zealand. We had these Renault 16 cars sold here in limited numbers only. We assembled the Renault 10 in the 1960s, and the Renault 12 in the 1970s. My father knew an A grade mechanic , and he worked on Renault and Peugeot cars. He would visit in a different French car and turned up one day in a new Renault 16 in white exactly like yours. This was back in the late 1960s. I like these Renaults. My favorite French car is the Citroen DS. Do you like them ? You are right there isn't much on youtube about the Renault 16. Thanks for your interesting video. From Carl.
The Renault 16 wasn't the first hatchback, but it was the first high volume production hatchback. It's true that it had features way ahead of its time. When you mentioned similarities with the SAAB 99, the main ones would be the front mid engine, and the drive off the front of the engine. The SAAB 99 and later 900 shared an engine with Triumph which was slanted 45 degrees. The gearbox was mounted beneath the engine and had its own oil sump. I always liked the Renault 16, but never owned one.
Old SAAB's are my thing, I've had everything from two strokes up to NG900 Aero's and absolutely love them.
I like the 'mid front' engine lay out and always find it gives nice natural steering feel from the front end. The 99 was a great handling car, especially at standard ride height. The compliance was excellent and they just felt great. I should really get another. 😂
Well done for taking it on. These are excellent cars, though a bit of a pain to work on. I was leant one from family friends back in the 80s and drove all over South Australia in it. It was a fantastic car, so comfortable with great performance etc and that opening tail gate was a game changer. One came up 4 sale last year here in green, one owner from new, fully registered and in great condition - I had to pass unfortunately.
These do seem popular in Australia, I've seen a few posts on them and a couple of videos. They're a great cruiser and a really cool place to be, so I can imagine cruising around a hot climate in one of these, window down, elbow out the door and the sunnies on. 😎
Have just subscribed. These Renaults were very very popular here back in the day, you saw them everywhere, alongside Pug 403, 404, 504 (especially). Considering our customer base of V8 or straight 6, the French cars here in OZ did very very well indeed. The Peugeot brand did extremely well here due know doubt to the famous if not infamous REDEX trials in the 50s (followed in the 50s by the Ampol Trial and the Mobilgas Trial), which saw effectively showroom cars with slight mods driving around OZ on some of the worst outback roads imaginable - these events were highly popular and followed by the general public with huge enthusiasm. The Pug 403 became a bit of a legend on these trials and know doubt helped sells and its later sister the 404. I had a mate who had a 404 and I was mightly impressed with it. Nevertheless the Renault 16 is a tremendous car - wish I had one now.
I have one RENAULT 16 TL R 115243 here in Sweden. It has been in Northcape and in Ullapool in Scotland.
The UK-trip was quite an adventure. Driving on the wrong side of the road in a left hand drive is not easy to start with.
When we landed in Dover with the ferry from Ostende I liked to correct the right mirror and it fell off.
The trip: Dover, Aberdeen, Inverness, Ullapool, Glasgow, Newcastle and ferry to Bergen in Norway.
The salted roads took it's tribute and the car now sits in a garage since 1986.
Great video thank you. I had three 16s in the 90s. mostly the TX. Electric windows, 1647cc, five speed. So comfortable. Keep it up and look fwd to anything else on your 16 especially
Love your 16 I've had 2 in the the 70s . Knew it was a GL 1570cc if I'm correct. Really enjoyed your enthusiasm thank you.
Renault’s R4 was the first hatchback, I believe. The R16 was the first medium size family hatchback. It was really influential. When I look at Hyundai’s EV5, I am often reminded of the R16 and the later R20. Good video.
I had a Renault 16TS it was a great car, I did have issues on occasions, but it was so versatile and quite sporty for the day
My first car (1981) Renault 16 -69.
Always Renault since
So very well done on this!
I had two, one after the other 2nd hand bought from a dealer at the time in Canterbury, Kent. The first was a metallic grey/blue TL, I believe they were called, and the 2nd one from the same place a white TL. Absolutely loved them and only sold to buy a Renault 15 TL that was fairly new on the market but still 2nd hand and about 15 months old, same dealer.
Loved these cars and apparently over a million R16s were built and possibly only around 60 still on the road! Brilliant video, and as you say the ride is very good and seems still a great drive even now!
We had a 1974 16TS when I was growing up, many happy memories!
My late father had one of these back in the early 80s, he used to really like them...
Had one so did my dad when i was younger ,Did an indicated 100MPH on the mulsane straight in france when i was 17 ,Happy dys
We had a 1976 16TS fantastic car so comfortable and smooth
Very very comfortable my brother had one, padded dash as well.
A friend of mine had a 1968, 1972 and 1978 Renault 16 in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Sadly, he had no storage unit and also no money to fix them, so they rotted away. But they were very, very comfortable cars and by all means suitable for daily driving. If you could keep the rot at bay that is.
Brilliant video!
Bought a used 1971 model in 1981. Wonderfully comfortable and versatile. Unfortunately the rear suspension had worn rubber bushes, which destroyed the rear tyres very quickly due to misalignment. Had to get rid of it because as a student I could not afford such a major repair.
Lovely old motor and great video.Only shame is it doesn't have it's original number plate.
huge thanx!! my childhood.
I've driven these cars daily for years! The later versions, even the cheaper TL ones, have a lot more pep and will easily do 75 for hours on the highway, especially if you add a 5-speed gearbox from the TX model. My '69 TS model even had powered windows, which feels very futuristic in such an old car. There are original wooden center-consoles available for adding a radio.
I had a 16 in the mid 1970s it’s a great car very comfortable and useable I think the TX was a fast one
Seat belt?
Already covered in a previous comment. But I do appreciate everyone's concern. 🙌
Thanks, goodvid, luv the 16...great design and engineering.,.the french should build this as an elkectric update...
Good cars. Quite enjoyable to drive. Sold mine to a friend. He had it for years..
The TS has a larger engine and more power, and the TX has a 5 speed. The column shift is very sweet, a delight to use! The first car I drove, aged 12!
RHD Column shift cars have the indicator stalk on the correct side, the window side - because they have to. 😁
A 1974 16TL was my first car and my goodness, I'd have another in a heartbeat.
I had a 16TS and you would never say it was slow, the 1600cc engine was quite capable and coupled with a light body progress could be rapid. Certainly better then Fords and BLs of the time. 70 on the motorway was easy all day and traffic light sprints not many cars could beat it. I had many great times in it and many stories.
I have been a fan of the R16 since I was a kid. I would LOVE to have one, but can never find any for sale 😢