Yep, when i was young I couldn't see past a Fiesta but I can appreciate just how much more stylish the 5 was for its time than the offerings from the American big three's European offerings.
I remember being told by my Dad never to lean on the front wing of a recently parked Renault 5 because the exhaust pipe ran through it and it would be hot. I don’t know how true that is but I followed his instruction to the letter!
They do go into the gap between inner and outer wing then down to the floor along the left had sill to the rear . And if the heat shield failed yes the wing did get hot . He wasn't having you on
Yea...it's nothing fun about driving these new cars today with all the technology and it's not because we are old and use to it. Because the young kids don't have any excitement about these cars or learning to drive them it's like a chore to them 🤔
These cars are so adorable and full of character. I remember how surprised I was with the ride and the body roll when hurling it around a corner. Probably the best small car of its generation
Absolutely stunning! In my family we had our B plate 1984 Renault 5 LeCar 2 TL 5 door in the same colour as this from 1985 until 2004! I learn't to drive and passed my driving test in 2000 in that car. I drove it everywhere and put the miles on yet it still only had 42000 miles at the end. It got sold for spares and was on the road until 2006. Thanks for making this video Matt!
Thanks for reviewing this great little car. I had two of these in the late seventies. At 6’4”(1.93M) I still had plenty of room. It was economical and good to drive. I should point out that ‘petale’ referred to the two bolsters (petals) on the sides of the seats and wasn’t the material name.
Matt, here in Portugal the Renault 5 was an unquestionable sales leader because of the rallys. We Portuguese are crazy about motorsport. I can tell you that until 1989, here in Portugal, 1 in 3 Portuguese had a Renault 5 because it was an affordable car and it was a durable car in mechanics and it was easy to fix, like the Renault 4. They ended production in 1996 but it is still a car that can be seen here in Portugal.
I live in australia but my parents are portuguese and we would go back every so often on holidays. I remember being a kid in the 1990s and seeing these EVERYWHERE in Portugal 🤣
I had my Mums R5 GTL metallic Blue T reg 1978 with a vinyl roof. It survived her, myself and then my brother and back to me, finally being sold on in 1989. Happy memoirs, but the rust!!!!
I owned a blue one in the early 80's here in the States, brought over as a direct import by a prof I worked for, so thank God it had no 'le car' stickers, etc. Had the huge rubber sunroof that, here in Texas, was almost always open. Drove that amazing car for over 100k, often with 5-6 fellow college students in it. My favorite car, ever.
Excellent video, my friend drove around in his mum’s Renault 5 in the late 80’s. I always thought it was so modern compared to the old bangers my parents had. Your car looks like mint condition. Awesome.
My mum had two mk1 5s…. A black one then a cream one with glorious orange velour interior. Fantastic little cars! (And fun when you’re going round a roundabout at 40°)
I learned driving and passed my exams in a mk2 Renault 5. It is a special car for me! The mk1 alongside the Peugeot 104 (I am expecting a test) are my favourite little French cars of my childhood.
I have seen the Renaults in several countries in latinoamerica, the R4, R6, R12 and R18 were quite popular during the 70s and 80s, cheap to maintain and reliable ! Thanks for the excellent video !
Great video, Matt! I appreciate the emphasis on design. I remember when mk1 cinqs were everywhere back in the 70s, a bold and pioneering supermini that was a few years ahead of the curve.
I really enjoyed this video because it made me feel incredibly smart and intelligent. I can't believe how you have praised this car. Too often, people discount this car as just an econobox. As an American Citizen.....Renault wouldn't be the first choice of a a new car.....it wouldn't even be the 14th choice by most people. In 1978, as an 18 year old kid, I could afford a new car to go to college and commute. I did so much research.....I looked at everything available and I kept coming to the conclusion that the R5 was the best value for the money, the best car on the road for me! My first new car was a Medium Brown colored R% GTL LeCar with gold stripes. I just recently purchased a 1978 Renault LeCar R5GTL to restore (sadly not brown but blue and white stripes). I'm so happy to once again have one. I think these cars are total Genius!
Earlier models actually had a headlining that was made of kind of woven straw, like a wicker basket. Lovely stuff. I think that textured pattern is evoking that as it looks like they moved to a more modern material. Really stylish cars and very smooth and comfortable with the awesome torsion beam suspension and 5spd gearbox.
My dad bought a white Renault 12ts about 1981,cost £50 at auction, needed a little gearbox attention (2nd gear wasn't available) the car had large tall front seats,was very sporty,we had that car for years,was a great runner,I always really admired the little 5 ,I'm considering purchasing one,I think modern cars are just woeful,I'm just looking something simple to get from A to B ,currently driving a skoda yeti which is a good car 4x4 diesel 140bhp but looking a 5 to drive when weather's good and store away in winter.....Great video,you brought my childhood back to me,enjoyed it a lot!!!!
That's a beautiful little car. One of the iconic cars I remember from childhood. Love both the interior and exterior design. And the dash and especially the steering wheel...😍
I owned an R-5 GTL in Canada, purchased new in 1976, that was the family car until northern Canadian salted roads ate it up. The most fun car I ever owned! It was a daily driver, family hauler, long distance tourer, that some weekends I campaigned with some success at slaloms. Not quick, but comfortable! And space efficient. A family of four travelling for hours on road trips, in an easy to park (overall length 11 feet) hotrod, not quick down the quarter mile, but will corner agressively enough to lift the inside rear wheel on a hard corner.!
My grandma had a “biscuit” beige 5, with beige dashboard, seats, door cards and no radio. I remember it floating along near noiselessly compared to my mum’s diesel Daihatsu Charade and all the details in the gauges, switched and warning lights. It was my first introduction to French cars and still influences what I consider important in car design. Really enjoyed your review, all the squeaks and rattles brought back a thousand memories (I’m sure I could smell it at one point too). Thanks very much.
Great Video, although do remember that the LeCar2 had quite a lot changed interior wise from the first cars. The early models still used the gearlever sticking out the dashboard from the Renault 4. Also the R5 GTT was 120bhp and did the 0-60 sprint in around 8 seconds.
My parents took out a loan to buy a Le Car 2 nearly new in 1986 - £3,500. The car felt very stylish at the time in metallic grey with the spider web wheels, everyone loved it. It took us on holiday to Devon a few times - 2 adults and 2 children with all the necessary luggage accommodated with relative ease!
Had a red one my self, 9 people in coming up from Nectars in Burlington Vermont, that car went everywhere. Loved the sunroof, loved the soft suspension.....my friend laughed histerically following my on his motorcycle, the car would often be on 3 wheels around the corners....good times.
Happy memories, I had a 1289cc R5 GTL in black brand new in 1979. I had the bumpers colour coded. It looked amazing. It was followed by a silver Le Car 1 which was a special edition 5 GTL with the same dash and seats as the one you are testing here. I lived in Scotland from late 1980 and with my family south of London, I used the thrash the Renault 5s up and down the motorways with my foot hard to the floor. Never a single problem. Awesome little cars.
Owned in America 1981 new. I loved the car for a decade. Sadly I sold it and bought a new Toyota back then. The LeCar was a fun car to have. Thank you.
This brings back so many happy metallic brown memories, from my 70s childhood. Thank you for a great video, on a brilliant car design. Well done indeed 👍👍👍 ( Love the black one with yellow headlights 😉👍).
Here in the states we had the "government mandated" black fat-lip bumpers at both ends. Most people looked down (literally) at the Le Car. But there was no taking away from the pleasure of driving one. In 1979 I purchased a new royal blue LeCar with an expansive fold-back soft top. I too appreciated the French style, the completeness and the simplicity of the design, though I wish mine had been more refined as is your example. I could've used that 5th gear because mine would really be revving at freeway speeds. Even so, that little pushrod engine didn't seem to mind a bit and revved reliably from year to year -- sun, wind, rain, snow -- with no complaints. I wish I had one today. But they're virtually non-existent nowadays here -- as are many examples of cars from the 1980's. Thanks for a terrific video!
There is a joy in the simplicity of these basic little cars. I have find memories of my '86 205 Junior. 954cc and ALL the body roll. Just bought a 1st gen Aygo and the dna is there, albeit with aircon and other decadent touches. It just makes me smile.
Yeah, remember from my childhood... Father had a 1972 renault 5 in basic form (called "L" i believe). It didn't have the pop-open windows in the back, and soon me and my brother forbid my parents to smoke in the front :-) We even went on holidays with it, towing a folding caravan behind, and made it as far as the mountains in Norway (coming from Holland). That was the last year though, because the 850cc didn't like the fully loaded mountainclimbs. In 1978 my father bought a brand new Lada Niva 4x4. Amazing car, and actually i really liked the renault 5 also. It remains a part of my life...
I had Five 5's. A very early 956 TL, a '78 TS which was very quick, an 1108 GTL 5 speed 5 door and a 1400 Auto five door. The fifth 5 was another TS that was bought to provide engine parts for a Renault 12 rally car, happy, happy days.
I had an MK2 R5. Loved it. It just kept going and going. 150K miles, never had any major work on it, original clutch etc. The only things I had to fix were the heater core and the drive shafts. Sold it to a student who looked after it and sold it on to a family, last I heard it had done over 200K miles and was still going strong!
Thanks for the nice review. I have almost the same model and, like this one in the report, in the same color and in top condition. My bumpers were the same color as my car, too, but very faded. These were then painted over with black. I then had this sanded down again because the color did not hold up properly and then had it painted properly with black. The seats were in the same fabric pattern. Unfortunately, the driver's seat was partially worn out, so I had it reupholstered. Since the fabric was not available, I used the orange seams as a template and had all the upholstery covered with artificial leather in this color. It pops really well. It makes the Renault 5 even more special. If you imagine that over 5 million vehicles have been manufactured worldwide, there are only a few left. Most of them are rusted and rotten. You get more attention with this vehicle than with the classic oldtimers such as Mercedes, Porsche or the Jaguar E Type.
I had a 1979 Renault 5 as my very first car back in 1991...it was absolutely falling apart from rust, though, I'm amazed to see one 30 years later in this sort of condition.
I love them and nearly bought one, but the Renault Dealer I went to had a similarly priced, but slightly older, R14TL which was bigger, but had all the chic and looks and hatchback, so I bought it (WJG46T). It had a 1.2 Citroen petrol engine, that was willing, reliable and fun, and I put it in my top 3 of cars I have owned and driven. If I ever get the opportunity to have one as a fun car, I will break the Bank to buy it. In 1986 it took me and 3 friends from Dunkirk to Frejus, via Cannes, to Menton, then back to Dunkirk and home without a single grumble of any kind. Great car, and an iconic memory of my youth.
My 1sr car was a 1978 R5 which didn't last long as the rear suspension collapsed as the floor was so rotten! I remember it had very heavy steering and a rolly poly ride, all good fun. I then had a mk1 Fiat Uno after this which was lovely to drive
PS--the biggest, most long-running problem I had with my beloved R5, was the clips for the opening rear windows. Starting after only a few thousand miles, those clips, which were bonded directly to the glass, would lose their grip and the rear quarter window would drop down, not falling off because of the rear hinge. I used all sorts of adhesives over the few years I had it, trying anything I could to get them to stay in place; never did. Also, living here in Houston in South Texas, we had only a few freezing days every year. However, at any temps below 50F the heater, even when full-on, couldn't keep that tiny car warm. I don't know how much of it was escaping through that single-layer rubber sunroof that ran all the way from the windshield to the hatchback. Complete contrast to American-made cars that'll cook you in a heartbeat. Furious: all of our R5's over here had the remote gearshift with the rod running under the engine to the forward transmission. Did you ever get right-hand-drive base R5's with that dashboard shift like an R4, and the rod running over the top of the engine? I still so miss that car, and the fantastic ride.
Excellent review Matt. I remember learning to drive in my mum's Renault 5 TL (Mk 1). It really rolled in corners and was VERY slow! But, a great design as you say.
Design analysis on low cost models is so much more interesting, filled with intelligent ideas instead of money and material solutions to problems. I share your enthusiasm!!!😊
You know Matt, it brings back memories of the seventies when I was driving a Mini and Marina and was not cool but my friends had Capris and the 5 and were cool.
Still got my 1982 TL 4 speed, bought back in 1989 when i was 19. 32000kms on it back then. It was my daily driver until 1997, after that only sunny weather outings. Still love it after 32 years :)
In college time, bought a '79 when it 1st came out. Great practical fun car(never had trouble looking for parking space), & also a head turnner(yellow). Help friends moving 3 times & carried X'mas trees 4 times(w soft top opened), lol. Loved it!!!
what was really neat about seeing that UK Renault Brochure for the R5 was that at 12:20, you could see the Fuego in the brochure BUT, you could also see parked next to it the AMC Jeep Wrangler or CJ5 or CJ6, not sure. This was during the time period where Renault owned the rights to AMC automobile and Jeep Vehicles due to it's 46% ownership of American Motors Corporation......so cool seeing them promoting AMC vehicles in their UK brochure.
I always thought this was the real high point of Renault bread and butter cars. All you need and nothing else! How bloated mini cars are now! I had a 1973 Renault Twelve between 1983 and 1987, so I know how good the old simple Renault mechanical parts were. Simple and tough. Keep the oil and water good and you were good to go! A cousin of mine had this version of Renault Five but with the dash-board gear shift, and it drove so nicely. Her mother had a Renault Four, which was a hoot! These cars were so good, and so easy to keep going. A little ding - ooh-lah-lah! No worries! I would happily run one now, but I expect that they are worth a lot now, which is a shame. Thanks for reviving the memories of about forty years ago! Best wishes from George
Had a year 1982 one of these 1108cc 47bhp 😂absolutely fantastic car. Had 4, 6 and 16. All had body roll but comfortable and quiet and very economical. Had a laguna too later on was a gorgeous car. None of my french cars had electrical or reliability issues. Now run. 2007 mk1 berlingo 1600 petrol 115hp, gorgeous ride and comfort. Carries absolutely everything from people to furniture. Not an ipad on wheels will be keeping.
How is that when we have both filmed Renault 5s, they have both been splendid condition run out models with slight cosmetic variations from standard, Mr Richardson?
Great review - I had a couple of these back in the day, a regular GL in metallic blue followed by a left hand drive Alpine A5 in black with red pinstripes and A5 livery on the outside and all red and black interior. Bought it from a friend who went on to buy an A5 turbo 2 - what an stunning little car that was! Happy days 😁
I can still remember my aunt’s Bronze Renault 5 TL which she bought new in November 1976 ..... PLW533R . She took my brother and me on many outings in that car .... feels like yesterday . How the years pass....
The series one 5TS was a little rocket ship with a 1400 cc engine and high back front seats with the cutout in the integrated head rests. Dead easy to fold the rear seats totally flat and the spare wheel stored in the bonnet over the engine. All it needed was 5 gets as it would pull red line in fourth gear.
i purchased new r5 in america (“le car”) in ‘76. very capable car with the folding sunroof, loved it, lots of room for hauling stuff. sold it and purchased a bmw r90/6 motorcycle. the renault was a lot of fun!
An excellent review on a nice little car. As I kid, I was given the opportunity to ride in a beautiful brand new 1981 five door Renault 5 TS in dark green metallic and with beige interior (even the dashboard might have been beige). I remember that cool diamond-shaped lining and the odd standing placement of the stereo system. The car had Swedish specification which meant a stricter emission standard for the engine, mandatory washers and wipers for the headlamps, mud flaps and inertia-reel seat belts in the back seat.
As a kid at primary school, here in New Zealand in 1972. One of my teachers had a new R5. It had the R4 gearbox. I was fascinated by this little car. I still believe that they were better than the Mini.
Your footage makes me homesick for Kent...you drove past Trottiscliffe very near my favourite pub. The George...I love living here in Brisbane Australia but miss where I grew up...nice Renault 5 by the way, the first turbo car I went in was a 5 turbo, felt pretty quick for the 80's.
I believe 'Petale' referred to to the shape of those particular seats, rather than the fabric covering them. Basic models (and of course earlier cars) had a more basic seat-shape (as seen in the brochure for the TL).
I had one of the first floor gear (1977) change models with an oil cooler. The oil cooler was because the car was shipped to my project base in Ethiopia where I used it extensively for long and short distance trips for 7 years. Never once let me down.
Had a Mk1 from 1972. Amazing car with fantastic high end torque. It was 976cc I think but could give my 1098cc mini a run for its money and a lot more comfortable. The old style dashboard gear change a la Renault 4 and 2CV was very positive. Great car except a pig to start due to the engine timing that gave the high performance. Went on to buy an 1100 odd cc Renault 5 in about 1981. It was a pile of pants. Optimised for 50+ mpg fuel consumption it was totally legless. You needed to change to 3rd to go uphill on a motorway. The floor gear change was extremely vague. Just too far away from the gearbox. Swapped it for a Citreon GSA. Now there's a car!
Ooh wow My first car at 17 .exactly as this colour 84 le car 2 1.1 3 door and unbelievably at the time with a 5 speed box . The most comfortable seats and ride. I even purchased some gordini alloys for it. Unfortunately 3 weeks after passing my test,I put it on its roof. But then cut the old one off replaced with another and she went on for another 2years. Fond memories
Your videos are a joy to watch. The Renault 5 is an iconic design, a pity we didn't notice it that much when they were all around the place. I feel that in the 1980s, the Peugeot 205 pretty much took its place as it had the same sort of authentic appeal and pure, pleasing lines. If i remember correctly, it also was the car that eventually stole the Renault 5's sales lead in France, after all those years. Around the time of the 5's launch, Renault was experimenting quite a bit with bumperdesign: you also had the 15 & 17 coupé's, where the front bumper was formed around the grille and headlamps. Another quirky and interesting Renault if ever you come across one (chances are few). In the end the 5-style bumpers were probably its most distinctive and innovative design feature, as so many other car companies copied that style. What I was wondering about: a few months ago you also drove a Renault 4 with the same engine (I think?); did the 5 feel very different to drive? I would think it's a very similar experience, since the 5 took so many components from the 4?
We had a 1974 5L model. Dashboard gearshift, non-reclining vinyl seats. When my mum collected it from the garage she didn’t have the confidence to change gear so drove it home in 3rd all the way! I was supposed to learn to drive in it, but by 1984 just as I got my provisional licence the rear suspension mounts rotted through. The scrap dealer gave us £5 for it 😢
Everyone loves chucking little small cars around every now and again. My Dad drove a 1977 Opel Rekord but he always made excuses to get a blast in Mum's 1981 Fiesta 1.1.
I had one of the first in 1972. It was a 5 TL in... Orange, with a 1000 cc engine and the gearshift in the dashboard. I had it 4 years before I bought a R6.
Very innovative styling and new ideas for a launch date of 1972 - that's 50 years ago. The Le Car 2 looks so fresh for 1985, it could be a launch model, not a run out model.
Still nice looking cars! Haven't dated all that much like the Renault 4 has! I remember my dad getting a Renault 5 after his brand new Renault 4, it felt worlds apart from the previous model, many happy memories growing up around that car, day trips out and family holidays etc 😎👍
My Mum had a new Renault 5 in 1984. It was a very nippy, practical vehicle. But as a learner driver I remember that it felt quite high on the road with a lot of roll in the corners. With enthusiastic driving I often thought I might roll it, usually Mum would mention my speed before that came close to happening!
My mother had the same car when I was kid, except for the color of the seats, a very nice car in the 80's. After this one, she had a Supercinq Baccara, very nice car too.
In the '90s I had a 1982 1.4 litre automatic one. Metalic Gray with a vinile black roof. AMAZING car. Fluent and soft driving like a hovercraft. The only one that could easily drive through the Jerusalem winter half a meter deep snow!!!!!
My first car was a Renault TS5 4-door 1.3 litre 5 speed with some extras. A foam injected rear spoiler fitted above the hatch on the roof, air scoop on hood over the air intake grill, front seat with extended top to form headrest and alloy wheels….
It's funny when they were everywhere you just don't appreciated the style but 36 years later WOW! I love it 😁
Yep, when i was young I couldn't see past a Fiesta but I can appreciate just how much more stylish the 5 was for its time than the offerings from the American big three's European offerings.
It’s quite timeless…..
I remember being told by my Dad never to lean on the front wing of a recently parked Renault 5 because the exhaust pipe ran through it and it would be hot. I don’t know how true that is but I followed his instruction to the letter!
They do go into the gap between inner and outer wing then down to the floor along the left had sill to the rear . And if the heat shield failed yes the wing did get hot . He wasn't having you on
😘😍😊
When cars were uncomplicated and fun to drive. Love the renault 5.
Yea...it's nothing fun about driving these new cars today with all the technology and it's not because we are old and use to it. Because the young kids don't have any excitement about these cars or learning to drive them it's like a chore to them 🤔
@@busybee2033not true in the slightest
These cars are so adorable and full of character. I remember how surprised I was with the ride and the body roll when hurling it around a corner. Probably the best small car of its generation
yes and with the 1.4 engine makes for a good cruiser too, nice long geared.
Absolutely stunning! In my family we had our B plate 1984 Renault 5 LeCar 2 TL 5 door in the same colour as this from 1985 until 2004! I learn't to drive and passed my driving test in 2000 in that car. I drove it everywhere and put the miles on yet it still only had 42000 miles at the end. It got sold for spares and was on the road until 2006. Thanks for making this video Matt!
Thanks for reviewing this great little car. I had two of these in the late seventies. At 6’4”(1.93M) I still had plenty of room. It was economical and good to drive. I should point out that ‘petale’ referred to the two bolsters (petals) on the sides of the seats and wasn’t the material name.
Great i love it😍
Still looks a lovely car, had a Renault 5 Gordini back in the day, loved that car to bits.
😍😊😁
Matt, here in Portugal the Renault 5 was an unquestionable sales leader because of the rallys. We Portuguese are crazy about motorsport.
I can tell you that until 1989, here in Portugal, 1 in 3 Portuguese had a Renault 5 because it was an affordable car and it was a durable car in mechanics and it was easy to fix, like the Renault 4.
They ended production in 1996 but it is still a car that can be seen here in Portugal.
I live in australia but my parents are portuguese and we would go back every so often on holidays.
I remember being a kid in the 1990s and seeing these EVERYWHERE in Portugal 🤣
I had my Mums R5 GTL metallic Blue T reg 1978 with a vinyl roof. It survived her, myself and then my brother and back to me, finally being sold on in 1989. Happy memoirs, but the rust!!!!
I owned a blue one in the early 80's here in the States, brought over as a direct import by a prof I worked for, so thank God it had no 'le car' stickers, etc. Had the huge rubber sunroof that, here in Texas, was almost always open. Drove that amazing car for over 100k, often with 5-6 fellow college students in it. My favorite car, ever.
Excellent video, my friend drove around in his mum’s Renault 5 in the late 80’s. I always thought it was so modern compared to the old bangers my parents had.
Your car looks like mint condition. Awesome.
I can remember these in the 70s and they seemed odd back then, it's amazing how fresh the styling still look now.
My mum had two mk1 5s…. A black one then a cream one with glorious orange velour interior. Fantastic little cars! (And fun when you’re going round a roundabout at 40°)
Love your channel Matt. Your enthusiasm and passion. Humour.
Keep up the good work fella👌
My dad had one of these back in the day. Used to call it his 'bean tin'. Beautifully nippy for flying to work in
I learned driving and passed my exams in a mk2 Renault 5. It is a special car for me! The mk1 alongside the Peugeot 104 (I am expecting a test) are my favourite little French cars of my childhood.
Now we see more 104s than Renault 5s
Such a timeless shape. A real shame the designer never lived to see it launched but what a legacy
The American football player facing us at 13:00,seems to be carrying his packed lunch in his trousers 😲😲😲🤣
i cant unsee it now
Le Coq,maybe?
Not wishing to brag abmy baguette but it must have been a cold day 🤥🙄
I have seen the Renaults in several countries in latinoamerica, the R4, R6, R12 and R18 were quite popular during the 70s and 80s, cheap to maintain and reliable !
Thanks for the excellent video !
Great video, Matt! I appreciate the emphasis on design. I remember when mk1 cinqs were everywhere back in the 70s, a bold and pioneering supermini that was a few years ahead of the curve.
Oh this is utterly cool, soooooooooo cool. It is absolutely pristine too! What a great video Matt!
Thanks so much!
Great love it😍
I really enjoyed this video because it made me feel incredibly smart and intelligent. I can't believe how you have praised this car. Too often, people discount this car as just an econobox. As an American Citizen.....Renault wouldn't be the first choice of a a new car.....it wouldn't even be the 14th choice by most people. In 1978, as an 18 year old kid, I could afford a new car to go to college and commute. I did so much research.....I looked at everything available and I kept coming to the conclusion that the R5 was the best value for the money, the best car on the road for me! My first new car was a Medium Brown colored R% GTL LeCar with gold stripes. I just recently purchased a 1978 Renault LeCar R5GTL to restore (sadly not brown but blue and white stripes). I'm so happy to once again have one. I think these cars are total Genius!
What a stunning little car, lovely colour as well. Fantastic review as always.
A cracking little car, I doubt that will hang around long before its snapped up
When you set off driving, the sound of that engine suddenly took me right back to being in my mum's R5 in the late eighties!
Yes, that unmistakable sound of a Renault.
Are these the best classic car reviews on the Internet? So much information, so well presented and such great driving commentary. Well done.
Wow, thanks!
Earlier models actually had a headlining that was made of kind of woven straw, like a wicker basket. Lovely stuff. I think that textured pattern is evoking that as it looks like they moved to a more modern material. Really stylish cars and very smooth and comfortable with the awesome torsion beam suspension and 5spd gearbox.
My dad bought a white Renault 12ts about 1981,cost £50 at auction, needed a little gearbox attention (2nd gear wasn't available) the car had large tall front seats,was very sporty,we had that car for years,was a great runner,I always really admired the little 5 ,I'm considering purchasing one,I think modern cars are just woeful,I'm just looking something simple to get from A to B ,currently driving a skoda yeti which is a good car 4x4 diesel 140bhp but looking a 5 to drive when weather's good and store away in winter.....Great video,you brought my childhood back to me,enjoyed it a lot!!!!
I actually love this little car! Just everything about it is perfection from the paintwork to the wheels. It looks immaculate.
Shit french car
Beautiful example. My auntie had the exact car with a monster vinyl sunroof. It was like the pope mobile.
That's a beautiful little car. One of the iconic cars I remember from childhood. Love both the interior and exterior design. And the dash and especially the steering wheel...😍
The dash is a very upgraded design; the original one was black vinyl covered with a ribbed pattern, at least on my mom’s 1976 model
Yes, early models had a different steering wheel, dashboard etc.
Earlier models were very much more basic than the one in this vid.
I had a Majorette one, back in the day, love it! What a treasure!
I owned an R-5 GTL in Canada, purchased new in 1976, that was the family car until northern Canadian salted roads ate it up. The most fun car I ever owned! It was a daily driver, family hauler, long distance tourer, that some weekends I campaigned with some success at slaloms. Not quick, but comfortable! And space efficient. A family of four travelling for hours on road trips, in an easy to park (overall length 11 feet) hotrod, not quick down the quarter mile, but will corner agressively enough to lift the inside rear wheel on a hard corner.!
I love that when I see stone cold classics has a new car I get excited for it to be reviewed on this channel! Haha
Another excellent video Matt. When I saw the stereo I thought that looks familiar. I had the same unit in my 1992 Rover 214SLi.
My grandma had a “biscuit” beige 5, with beige dashboard, seats, door cards and no radio. I remember it floating along near noiselessly compared to my mum’s diesel Daihatsu Charade and all the details in the gauges, switched and warning lights. It was my first introduction to French cars and still influences what I consider important in car design.
Really enjoyed your review, all the squeaks and rattles brought back a thousand memories (I’m sure I could smell it at one point too). Thanks very much.
Great Video, although do remember that the LeCar2 had quite a lot changed interior wise from the first cars. The early models still used the gearlever sticking out the dashboard from the Renault 4. Also the R5 GTT was 120bhp and did the 0-60 sprint in around 8 seconds.
I love the diamond stitch roof lining, the whole car just oozes class!
My parents took out a loan to buy a Le Car 2 nearly new in 1986 - £3,500. The car felt very stylish at the time in metallic grey with the spider web wheels, everyone loved it. It took us on holiday to Devon a few times - 2 adults and 2 children with all the necessary luggage accommodated with relative ease!
Had a red one my self, 9 people in coming up from Nectars in Burlington Vermont, that car went everywhere. Loved the sunroof, loved the soft suspension.....my friend laughed histerically following my on his motorcycle, the car would often be on 3 wheels around the corners....good times.
Happy memories, I had a 1289cc R5 GTL in black brand new in 1979. I had the bumpers colour coded. It looked amazing. It was followed by a silver Le Car 1 which was a special edition 5 GTL with the same dash and seats as the one you are testing here. I lived in Scotland from late 1980 and with my family south of London, I used the thrash the Renault 5s up and down the motorways with my foot hard to the floor. Never a single problem. Awesome little cars.
A friend of mine had a 5 as his first car. I can remember it had similar seats but they were heavily padded and like a crushed velvet fabric.
Owned in America 1981 new. I loved the car for a decade. Sadly I sold it and bought a new Toyota back then. The LeCar was a fun car to have.
Thank you.
This brings back so many happy metallic brown memories, from my 70s childhood. Thank you for a great video, on a brilliant car design. Well done indeed 👍👍👍 ( Love the black one with yellow headlights 😉👍).
I passed my test in an early R5 TL with the umbrella handle gearstick.loved it , very easy to drive .
Here in the states we had the "government mandated" black fat-lip bumpers at both ends. Most people looked down (literally) at the Le Car. But there was no taking away from the pleasure of driving one. In 1979 I purchased a new royal blue LeCar with an expansive fold-back soft top. I too appreciated the French style, the completeness and the simplicity of the design, though I wish mine had been more refined as is your example. I could've used that 5th gear because mine would really be revving at freeway speeds. Even so, that little pushrod engine didn't seem to mind a bit and revved reliably from year to year -- sun, wind, rain, snow -- with no complaints. I wish I had one today. But they're virtually non-existent nowadays here -- as are many examples of cars from the 1980's. Thanks for a terrific video!
There is a joy in the simplicity of these basic little cars. I have find memories of my '86 205 Junior. 954cc and ALL the body roll. Just bought a 1st gen Aygo and the dna is there, albeit with aircon and other decadent touches. It just makes me smile.
Yeah, remember from my childhood... Father had a 1972 renault 5 in basic form (called "L" i believe). It didn't have the pop-open windows in the back, and soon me and my brother forbid my parents to smoke in the front :-) We even went on holidays with it, towing a folding caravan behind, and made it as far as the mountains in Norway (coming from Holland). That was the last year though, because the 850cc didn't like the fully loaded mountainclimbs. In 1978 my father bought a brand new Lada Niva 4x4. Amazing car, and actually i really liked the renault 5 also. It remains a part of my life...
I had Five 5's. A very early 956 TL, a '78 TS which was very quick, an 1108 GTL 5 speed 5 door and a 1400 Auto five door. The fifth 5 was another TS that was bought to provide engine parts for a Renault 12 rally car, happy, happy days.
I had an MK2 R5. Loved it. It just kept going and going. 150K miles, never had any major work on it, original clutch etc. The only things I had to fix were the heater core and the drive shafts. Sold it to a student who looked after it and sold it on to a family, last I heard it had done over 200K miles and was still going strong!
Thanks for the nice review. I have almost the same model and, like this one in the report, in the same color and in top condition. My bumpers were the same color as my car, too, but very faded. These were then painted over with black. I then had this sanded down again because the color did not hold up properly and then had it painted properly with black.
The seats were in the same fabric pattern. Unfortunately, the driver's seat was partially worn out, so I had it reupholstered. Since the fabric was not available, I used the orange seams as a template and had all the upholstery covered with artificial leather in this color. It pops really well. It makes the Renault 5 even more special. If you imagine that over 5 million vehicles have been manufactured worldwide, there are only a few left. Most of them are rusted and rotten. You get more attention with this vehicle than with the classic oldtimers such as Mercedes, Porsche or the Jaguar E Type.
I had a 1979 Renault 5 as my very first car back in 1991...it was absolutely falling apart from rust, though, I'm amazed to see one 30 years later in this sort of condition.
I love them and nearly bought one, but the Renault Dealer I went to had a similarly priced, but slightly older, R14TL which was bigger, but had all the chic and looks and hatchback, so I bought it (WJG46T). It had a 1.2 Citroen petrol engine, that was willing, reliable and fun, and I put it in my top 3 of cars I have owned and driven. If I ever get the opportunity to have one as a fun car, I will break the Bank to buy it. In 1986 it took me and 3 friends from Dunkirk to Frejus, via Cannes, to Menton, then back to Dunkirk and home without a single grumble of any kind. Great car, and an iconic memory of my youth.
My 1sr car was a 1978 R5 which didn't last long as the rear suspension collapsed as the floor was so rotten! I remember it had very heavy steering and a rolly poly ride, all good fun. I then had a mk1 Fiat Uno after this which was lovely to drive
PS--the biggest, most long-running problem I had with my beloved R5, was the clips for the opening rear windows. Starting after only a few thousand miles, those clips, which were bonded directly to the glass, would lose their grip and the rear quarter window would drop down, not falling off because of the rear hinge. I used all sorts of adhesives over the few years I had it, trying anything I could to get them to stay in place; never did. Also, living here in Houston in South Texas, we had only a few freezing days every year. However, at any temps below 50F the heater, even when full-on, couldn't keep that tiny car warm. I don't know how much of it was escaping through that single-layer rubber sunroof that ran all the way from the windshield to the hatchback. Complete contrast to American-made cars that'll cook you in a heartbeat. Furious: all of our R5's over here had the remote gearshift with the rod running under the engine to the forward transmission. Did you ever get right-hand-drive base R5's with that dashboard shift like an R4, and the rod running over the top of the engine? I still so miss that car, and the fantastic ride.
Excellent review Matt. I remember learning to drive in my mum's Renault 5 TL (Mk 1). It really rolled in corners and was VERY slow! But, a great design as you say.
Design analysis on low cost models is so much more interesting, filled with intelligent ideas instead of money and material solutions to problems. I share your enthusiasm!!!😊
You know Matt, it brings back memories of the seventies when I was driving a Mini and Marina and was not cool but my friends had Capris and the 5 and were cool.
Still got my 1982 TL 4 speed, bought back in 1989 when i was 19. 32000kms on it back then. It was my daily driver until 1997, after that only sunny weather outings. Still love it after 32 years :)
In college time, bought a '79 when it 1st came out. Great practical fun car(never had trouble looking for parking space), & also a head turnner(yellow). Help friends moving 3 times & carried X'mas trees 4 times(w soft top opened), lol. Loved it!!!
what was really neat about seeing that UK Renault Brochure for the R5 was that at 12:20, you could see the Fuego in the brochure BUT, you could also see parked next to it the AMC Jeep Wrangler or CJ5 or CJ6, not sure. This was during the time period where Renault owned the rights to AMC automobile and Jeep Vehicles due to it's 46% ownership of American Motors Corporation......so cool seeing them promoting AMC vehicles in their UK brochure.
I always thought this was the real high point of Renault bread and butter cars. All you need and nothing else!
How bloated mini cars are now! I had a 1973 Renault Twelve between 1983 and 1987, so I know how good the old simple Renault mechanical parts were. Simple and tough. Keep the oil and water good and you were good to go! A cousin of mine had this version of Renault Five but with the dash-board gear shift, and it drove so nicely. Her mother had a Renault Four, which was a hoot! These cars were so good, and so easy to keep going. A little ding - ooh-lah-lah! No worries!
I would happily run one now, but I expect that they are worth a lot now, which is a shame.
Thanks for reviving the memories of about forty years ago!
Best wishes from George
Had a year 1982 one of these 1108cc 47bhp 😂absolutely fantastic car. Had 4, 6 and 16. All had body roll but comfortable and quiet and very economical. Had a laguna too later on was a gorgeous car. None of my french cars had electrical or reliability issues. Now run. 2007 mk1 berlingo 1600 petrol 115hp, gorgeous ride and comfort. Carries absolutely everything from people to furniture. Not an ipad on wheels will be keeping.
How is that when we have both filmed Renault 5s, they have both been splendid condition run out models with slight cosmetic variations from standard, Mr Richardson?
Definitely one of the coolest cars ever made. The style is so up-to-any-date that it’s just unbelievable. Genuine wonder.
Great review - I had a couple of these back in the day, a regular GL in metallic blue followed by a left hand drive Alpine A5 in black with red pinstripes and A5 livery on the outside and all red and black interior. Bought it from a friend who went on to buy an A5 turbo 2 - what an stunning little car that was! Happy days 😁
I can still remember my aunt’s Bronze Renault 5 TL which she bought new in November 1976 ..... PLW533R . She took my brother and me on many outings in that car .... feels like yesterday . How the years pass....
The series one 5TS was a little rocket ship with a 1400 cc engine and high back front seats with the cutout in the integrated head rests.
Dead easy to fold the rear seats totally flat and the spare wheel stored in the bonnet over the engine.
All it needed was 5 gets as it would pull red line in fourth gear.
I had my R5 GT Turbo for 12 years and when i sold it with 92 000 miles on the clock it was still in fabulous condition .
i purchased new r5 in america (“le car”) in ‘76. very capable car with the folding sunroof, loved it, lots of room for hauling stuff. sold it and purchased a bmw r90/6 motorcycle. the renault was a lot of fun!
So nice to see this one! I well recall seeing them here in the mid-USA when they were new, and the styling really stood out to me.
For a while it seemed like they were everywhere….
An excellent review on a nice little car. As I kid, I was given the opportunity to ride in a beautiful brand new 1981 five door Renault 5 TS in dark green metallic and with beige interior (even the dashboard might have been beige). I remember that cool diamond-shaped lining and the odd standing placement of the stereo system. The car had Swedish specification which meant a stricter emission standard for the engine, mandatory washers and wipers for the headlamps, mud flaps and inertia-reel seat belts in the back seat.
As a kid at primary school, here in New Zealand in 1972. One of my teachers had a new R5. It had the R4 gearbox. I was fascinated by this little car. I still believe that they were better than the Mini.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Mark 1 in NZ, although a handful of SuperFives were imported. Was Teacher’s car a LHD model?
Matt, the quick one was the Renault 5 GT Turbo which did 0-60 in 7.5. The Renault 5 Turbo was a different kettle of fish entirely.
My parents had a Renault 5 a 70's model when I was a kid in the mid-late 90's. I still remember the smell and the button door openers!
Your footage makes me homesick for Kent...you drove past Trottiscliffe very near my favourite pub. The George...I love living here in Brisbane Australia but miss where I grew up...nice Renault 5 by the way, the first turbo car I went in was a 5 turbo, felt pretty quick for the 80's.
I believe 'Petale' referred to to the shape of those particular seats, rather than the fabric covering them. Basic models (and of course earlier cars) had a more basic seat-shape (as seen in the brochure for the TL).
I had one of the first floor gear (1977) change models with an oil cooler.
The oil cooler was because the car was shipped to my project base in Ethiopia where I used it extensively for long and short distance trips for 7 years.
Never once let me down.
Had a Mk1 from 1972. Amazing car with fantastic high end torque. It was 976cc I think but could give my 1098cc mini a run for its money and a lot more comfortable. The old style dashboard gear change a la Renault 4 and 2CV was very positive. Great car except a pig to start due to the engine timing that gave the high performance. Went on to buy an 1100 odd cc Renault 5 in about 1981. It was a pile of pants. Optimised for 50+ mpg fuel consumption it was totally legless. You needed to change to 3rd to go uphill on a motorway. The floor gear change was extremely vague. Just too far away from the gearbox. Swapped it for a Citreon GSA. Now there's a car!
My mother used to drive the automatic version of the R5 which had a 1,300 cc engine. She loved that car.
Ooh wow
My first car at 17 .exactly as this colour 84 le car 2 1.1 3 door and unbelievably at the time with a 5 speed box .
The most comfortable seats and ride. I even purchased some gordini alloys for it.
Unfortunately 3 weeks after passing my test,I put it on its roof.
But then cut the old one off replaced with another and she went on for another 2years.
Fond memories
Your videos are a joy to watch. The Renault 5 is an iconic design, a pity we didn't notice it that much when they were all around the place. I feel that in the 1980s, the Peugeot 205 pretty much took its place as it had the same sort of authentic appeal and pure, pleasing lines. If i remember correctly, it also was the car that eventually stole the Renault 5's sales lead in France, after all those years. Around the time of the 5's launch, Renault was experimenting quite a bit with bumperdesign: you also had the 15 & 17 coupé's, where the front bumper was formed around the grille and headlamps. Another quirky and interesting Renault if ever you come across one (chances are few). In the end the 5-style bumpers were probably its most distinctive and innovative design feature, as so many other car companies copied that style. What I was wondering about: a few months ago you also drove a Renault 4 with the same engine (I think?); did the 5 feel very different to drive? I would think it's a very similar experience, since the 5 took so many components from the 4?
Great review Matt. In the early 70's there was a race series for the Renault 5.
My parents had a R5 TL 1980. Awesome little car.
Great little car when little cars were stil, well, little!. That one looks amazing.
Matt, it probably slipped your mind but the classic Mini fits the door cards the same way. Well, the ones with roll up windows anyway.
We had a 1974 5L model. Dashboard gearshift, non-reclining vinyl seats. When my mum collected it from the garage she didn’t have the confidence to change gear so drove it home in 3rd all the way! I was supposed to learn to drive in it, but by 1984 just as I got my provisional licence the rear suspension mounts rotted through. The scrap dealer gave us £5 for it 😢
We had a R5. Loved it. Loved driving it.
Everyone loves chucking little small cars around every now and again. My Dad drove a 1977 Opel Rekord but he always made excuses to get a blast in Mum's 1981 Fiesta 1.1.
Thank you for the great video. Loving the little details you included.
And what a great car.
I had one of the first in 1972. It was a 5 TL in... Orange, with a 1000 cc engine and the gearshift in the dashboard. I had it 4 years before I bought a R6.
Very innovative styling and new ideas for a launch date of 1972 - that's 50 years ago. The Le Car 2 looks so fresh for 1985, it could be a launch model, not a run out model.
Still nice looking cars! Haven't dated all that much like the Renault 4 has!
I remember my dad getting a Renault 5 after his brand new Renault 4, it felt worlds apart from the previous model, many happy memories growing up around that car, day trips out and family holidays etc 😎👍
This could possibly the prettiest Renault 5 ever. Everything just looks correct...magnificent.
Cracking little car, I grew up loving them but my paper run money was never enough to buy one so had to stick to my bicycle.
My Mum had a new Renault 5 in 1984. It was a very nippy, practical vehicle. But as a learner driver I remember that it felt quite high on the road with a lot of roll in the corners. With enthusiastic driving I often thought I might roll it, usually Mum would mention my speed before that came close to happening!
Beautiful R5 in a stunning condition. Also i hear a little bit of Frank Spencer at 17:08 😄
The new 5 (1986) was such a fantastic retro design, possibly the first? Super clean
My mother had the same car when I was kid, except for the color of the seats, a very nice car in the 80's. After this one, she had a Supercinq Baccara, very nice car too.
In the '90s I had a 1982 1.4 litre automatic one. Metalic Gray with a vinile black roof. AMAZING car. Fluent and soft driving like a hovercraft. The only one that could easily drive through the Jerusalem winter half a meter deep snow!!!!!
Well there you go . Really do learn something new every day . I didnt know you had cold winters. You always think of Jerusalem as hot and arid .
My first car was a Renault TS5 4-door 1.3 litre 5 speed with some extras. A foam injected rear spoiler fitted above the hatch on the roof, air scoop on hood over the air intake grill, front seat with extended top to form headrest and alloy wheels….