Le Car! The Renault 5 Story

[@MrFagedaboudit]

2 million km. and still running! I bought a brand new Renault Express in 1991 for my plumbing business, and worked it hard in 3 workshifts daily under avg 450 kg load. It's still out there with 2m km on the original transmission, and tho I sold it a ways back, I still see it on the road with my original company decals. I always kept up on shop maintenance, but still, 2 MILLION KM? Simply amazing. Saving up for a new Megane when I can.

[@epiccarguy892]

old French Legends 💪💪💪💪

[@tng2057]

My 1st car! Great handling, very agile, very egalitarian, great look. Reliability so so though. Still have fond memory of the time before I wrote it off in an accident. Vive la 🇫🇷!

[@angrygerman3286]

My first car was a 1978 Renault 12TS...

[@tng2057]

When R5 EV comes, I shall buy one, in the same color as per my original one of course. Recapturing my bygone youth I suppose.

[@ericcutler5463]

Tell me more about your experience!

[@tng2057]

@@ericcutler5463 R5 TS, 1976 model, bought 2nd hand, great fun to drive but unfortunately gave me problems with cooling fan not working, exhaust hose loosened after not so rough drive, front wheel suspension arm cracked etc. Would not happen in a VW or Opel. Then again a VW or an Opel would not have aroused my passion.

[@Milnoc]

You destroyed the car before it destroyed itself! 😂

[@Mike-rk8px]

In 1979 my father bought a new Renault 5, but since we lived in California, it got stuck with the laughable name of “Le Car”. It was a great looking car, yellow with black racing stripes. It was great on gas, and it was much quicker than you expected it to be. But what really made you love it was the experience behind the wheel: the handling was amazing, and it loved to be revved. Most of my father’s friends made jokes about the car, so he would hand them the keys and let them drive it (we lived in the canyons Santa Barbara) and they all loved it. My father was a master mechanic who worked on mostly on German cars, but he had no problems keeping the LeCar on the road and running fine.

[@bighands69]

Anybody who lived in America in that era and bought European poor mans cars was really just exercising a big of tomfoolery.

[@jamesbdavies2649]

àaààà

[@paulmenkens5997]

A friend of mine bought a new LeCar soon after they came out, it was broken down more then it ran, and although the dealer said they were trying to get the bugs worked out they couldn't and after seeing the general manager run out the back door of the showroom when he drove in he made them take it back as a lemon.

[@johnlennox-pe2nq]

@@bighands69 yanks prefer huge gas guzzlers that can only cope with straight roads... European and jap. car makers were the innovators; usa - car safety/other legislation yrs behind.... and still playing catch up

[@bighands69]

@@johnlennox-pe2nq Europeans prefer we small engined cars because they are poor and weak. Look at how they need the US to protect them from the Russians.

[@palkarsai3668]

The clean look of the second generation is really cool. Thank you Marcello, another masterpiece.

[@obelic71]

There is still a gray one parked in my street and town and soldering on as a daily driver. The owner bought it brand new in 1991 ! No rust and it keeps on going. Even today the shape of a supercinq looks timeless.

[@dinos9607]

One of the best looking cars ever inside out. I have driven it once, the basic version which did not even have a hydraulic power-steering, and it was a joy to drive and even easy to park with its lightweight mechanical steering.

[@brwlegge]

In 1986 I drove a new rental Le Car from Paris, to Monte Carlo, to Venice, to Geneva and then back to Paris in 7 days. What a fantastic car, I will never forget the sheer joy of going flat out and feeling all cars should be this good.

[@banditalley9592]

I found a model Renault 5 in a park in France in about 1981 and I kept it ever since! I loved that shape and style - it's a shame modern cars don't have that quirky style from an era when people were happy to be different from each other!

[@Roger_Ramjet]

I love this comment. I will be hopping in eBay to get one for myself....an old matchbox maybe...

[@nickiemcnichols5397]

I think my 2010 Prius is pretty quirky!

[@NormAppleton]

You found it in a Park? Guess I'm laughing

[@VertRamp]

Noone thinks your right by the way ​@nickiemcnichols5397

[@loveisall5520]

I bought an R5 directly imported from conversion in France, here to Texas. Still, all these years later, my favorite car of all time. I so loved that rubber sunroof!

[@volt8684]

Hi, loved this. Currently own mk1 berlingo as has all these cars virtues. Why? I owned several 4 s a beautiful 6 with 1108cc , a 5 same engine and the most luxurious car e et owned a 16gtx with the lovely sunroof. The ride was like a limo. Effortless real day performance. I would but one in a heartbeat if they made them. Alas they all rotted terribly. Even my 4s had well over 100k. The 6 blew up at 120k a week after I sold it to a friend🤨. My current berlingo 1.6 petrol is just as practical and smooth. Capacious and useful as anything . Also had a 2 cv in the day but that rotted too. I think the Renault petrol 4 cyclinders were awesome over the 2 cv.

[@lucasRem-ku6eb]

You could have bought the R5 Turbo in Canada too, the Pre internet days, LOL, who knew back then ? Canada is France too !

[@classiconwheelsnl]

As a true R5 fan from the Netherlands I love to see this😀👍. Trying to keep this fantastic car alive and make people happy with a smile.

[@25myma]

The 5 is maybe THE most influential car Renault ever made in terms of their future styling/character. It would be cool to see a replay of it, but at the same time it feels sad that pretty much all companies seem to be able to 'design' today is some dug-up retro corpse from their glorious days. I loved how the 1990s and 2000s Clios and Meganes were evolutions of this same design; they were new and fresh and didn't try to sell you a nostalgia pill.

[@bighands69]

That is just the state of modern culture as a whole.

[@NormAppleton]

By far. Best thing Renault ever made

[@robtyman4281]

Good news! Renault have 're-imagined' the 5, for the 21st century. And it will return in its third guise, to be launched in late 2024 or early 2025. Intended as a possible replacement for the current Clio. How ironic, given that it was the MK1 Clio that eventually killed off the 5. Is this a case of the 5 getting revenge??! But this 'new 5' will only be available as an 'all electric' car. Not even as a hybrid. Renault said that they intend to 'shake up' the market for smaller electric cars. Be afraid VW (forthcoming ID2), Honda (e), Mini (main model), and Fiat (main 500 model). The new 5 is coming for you!!

[@ThomasZadro]

An R5 TS was my first car. God, I loved it, although there was nearly no weekend I hadn't spent repairing it, was forced to get the dammed spare wheel out to measure oil, and anytime a screwdriver slipped out of my hand, it was lost elsewhere in the depth of the motor area. The car was simply awesome and agile, and even when slightly broken, it soldiered on. When they launched the second generation, it was a shock for me as it appeared as if it had lost all the fantastic characteristics that made this vehicle unique. Being an old man now, I look very much forward to the electric version, which due to its design, proves my point about my excitement for the first generation.

[@francoisdvanderwesthuizen]

I'm 33 now and my first car was an '81 R5 ts which I bought in 2013, the engine and drive train was an a good state but the body was a rust bucket, so I spent most weekends repairing the holes in the floor ect. The chassis was still solid though. I sold it a year later for almost 3 times I bought it for just to buy Renualt's main competition car, a VW citi golf Chico, a variant of the VW golf mk one only sold in South Africa which I drive to this day...

[@k9killer221]

Most Renaults look like weird shit from planet-X. But the 5 looks perfect. And it had great handling too. If you were driving a quite powerful car in the 70,s a hot Renault 5 would still take you out every time.

[@richardprice5978]

shifter any good? 1st gen look's a little weird to use on a daily basis, or at least USA 🇺🇸 made car's don't use it as there more like the latter ball/rocking Spanish design

[@ThomasZadro]

@@richardprice5978 Sure, beauty is a subjective thing. And compared with the design of US cars, European vehicles are certainly different. Having said tis, it appears that Americans fall easier to European design than the other way round, at least by sales figures ;-).

[@richardprice5978]

@@ThomasZadro i meant the handle ( and or operation ) as dodge has a weird one as well a optional pistol grip for my 60's/70 dodge charger but the throw's are vary weird/long 8'inch 1st to 2d gear shifts sideways is normal ish at 6"in i actually like pre-BMC/Leyland 🇬🇧 car's as the princess is just too ugly for me and it's FWD

[@dj_paultuk7052]

When i was a teenager in the 80's i had a friend with a R5 Gordini. (The non turbo version). I think 0-60 was about 9 seconds which back then was a rocket-ship. He would race many a car off the lights and pretty much won every time. They were awesome little cars back in that era.

[@lucasRem-ku6eb]

DJ+PaulTUK Alpine/Gordini Turbo, it was the Turbo version too, very good compact car for raced, only the Renault 5 Turbo mid engined was the better

[@user-fb9os7hy2y]

As any African medical student will tell you,if you want an ultra reliable small car that always sounds and looks like it's on its last legs but never actually is...get a Renault (hated universally by mechanics everywhere but France, and so..cheap as pomfret's)

[@EbonyPope]

7:30 What kind of car is that? It's beautiful.

[@EbonyPope]

Why do mechanics hate it? Is it difficult to repair? I never had any problems with my Renault 5.

[@user-fb9os7hy2y]

@@EbonyPope hey👍... generally french manufacturers do things differently and that can be awkward to work on..think dash mounted gear changes or three stud wheels,a lot of french cars had their spark plugs buried in the head and needed a special socket to remove...not worse just odd. Glad you enjoy your car, we have an ancient twingo the whole family has tortured and learnt to drive in, it still passes annual tests for about a fiver.

[@razerrath_com]

@@EbonyPope A Chevrolet Corvair.

[@izzatfauzimustafa6535]

Long before the Japanese came to African countries with their reliable Toyota and Nissan cars, Renault and Peugeot were the reliable workhorses.

[@TheVintageApplianceEmporium]

I passed my driving test in a 1985 1.1 Renault 5 TL in December 2002. What a great little machine that was and I'm so happy to have owned one in my life

[@izziebon]

We had same model; awful starter… I always had to park it at the top of a hill!

[@khaledsaad7930]

I have one in great condition❤

[@ericcutler5463]

My first car as well. A 1977 Le Car in bright orange. Going to a rural high school in California in 1983. Imagine that. You had to get used to the body lean in corners. It was like cornering on the door handles! Of which there were no door handles. You had to remove the spare from atop the engine to check the oil. The ride was amazing! But you could really haul ass around corners. Thank you my friend for this awesome video!

[@pascalcs]

I actually owe a bright orange 1977 Le Car today.

[@marcusingram522]

My mum had one that always was breaking down, but it made a huge impression on me and I’ve loved them since.

[@nickiemcnichols5397]

One of my moms aunts traded a Volvo for a Renault 5. She said it was the biggest mistake she ever made. Her next car was a Volvo.

[@annecy49]

Well, well, you know how to please your French audience by giving us the 2 CV the other day and now the Renault 5! A big thank you for that! Once again I learnt so many things about a car I was so familiar with growing up! My grand-mother had two and my dad had a TX which he used professionally and which was the first car that I drove before actually getting my licence! It was a great little car that was so practical and versatile, whether in the city or on open road. Your videos are so detailed I even discovered versions I didn't know of! Very good job of research! I am curious to see how the next generation will perform, but visually it's already a win, and maybe it's called nostalgia! Thank you!

[@NormAppleton]

The R5 was the 2cv that could go on highways,

[@NormAppleton]

LOLOLOL

[@unclerubo]

This car is part of my childhood. My mom's first car was a red Super5 with a 4 gear shifter that could barely go uphill when it was fully loaded with passengers but it still holds a special place in my heart.

[@BOABModels]

Fond memories of driving in my friend's 5 (her first car) in the early 2000s. You didn't see many on the roads by then but certainly more than you see now!

[@zefrog7482]

Love French car's of the past, they just had such a unique way of doing things. That prototype looked incredible, that's what a truly French car should be, wildly different.

[@IamRobotMonkey]

Extremely fond memories of the Five. Mum had both generations at different stages of my childhood followed by a first generation Clio, in the 80s and 90s. Iconic suburban bullets, no question.

[@joannaatkins822]

My most vivd memory of my mother's Renault 5 is my brother and I distracting her at a T junction. While she tried to thwack us from the front (we were fighting, so obviously more violence was needed to resolve the situation) she pulled out directly into the side of a passing car. The little 5 left a very impressive dent, and the rear seat bottom flew forwards and out from underneath us at the meagre ten or so mph. The tough little Renault had a small crease around one headlight, and I believe the other car was a write off. A few months later the dashboard burst into flames, most likely due to an aftermarket radio installation or cheap repair, and that was that. I really liked the comfortable little hatchback, and one of my first treasured possessions was a scale model Renault 5 Turbo Rally car in ELF trim in yellow and black. I still love that retrofuturistic design to this day!

[@crapplebandit8102]

I have just bought a renault 5 tc from 1985 as a project car whilst I started studying mechanical engineering. It had been standing still inside a garage for 20 years but the body is completely rust free. Even though its not worth much nowadays I still think the car looks pretty sweet

[@javierdenardo2607]

You can see this car being restored at coldwarmotors channel on KZbin

[@Staniele]

here in slovenia renault 5 is called ''petka'' and it's legendary here (mostly the second gen), it's known as a reliable powerfull yet nimble car that is good in snow, and people said it was really fun to drive. people did not want to part with them, so most people kept them. to this day they are everywhere

[@gordy2123]

I worked as a mechanic at Renault during the late 70s and as you say the R5 was a very popular car at the time. Not a conventional car to work however I soon got used to the mechanical set up. At my suggestion my dad bought the 5 GTL which had the 1300 engine coupled to a high gearing box for economy. My mum particularly liked it and they always had a small hatchback after that. Good memories of the time, thanks.

[@darrenwilson8042]

There was a time when no hedgerow in Europe wasn't "visited" in some way or another by an R5GT Turbo. Renault was one of those makers who liked to keep the old car in production alive so as not to drive loyal customers away. I remember the MK1 Clio lived on as the Clio Campus for a while.

[@whoarewe7515]

And in the hedge there next to the r5gt would be a upside down vauxhall nova. With Hammond at the wheel.

[@rmhjbeurskens]

Thanks for this fine portrait of the R5. Brought back a lot of memories of that time in the eighties. I wonder if car icons like that are born today. Can't imagine that for instance Tesla model 3, which is a big hit, achieves that status. And however I can understand the marketing push for retro, I would still like to see real stylish improvement, creativity and practicality. Besides that, to become a legend, volumes are needed. Maybe Dacia will be remembered as a successor of the peoples car someday. The R5 was great.

[@BigCar2]

The Model 3 looks so bland. Tech is amazing. Maybe that’s the thing it’ll be remembered for.

[@picardlouis2653]

@@BigCar2 yea the model 3 looks boring even new peugeots are better in looks like there cheaper and like better

[@NormAppleton]

Can't buy a Tesla for 6 grand!

[@puttemacguff7666]

I can't understand why this Channel have not yet blown up big on KZbin It deservs to have over 10 million Subscribers not just 216k

[@ten132]

I'm sure you don't lol.

[@Espakho]

I was 10 when my father bought a used 1979 R5 as his first car, he initially wanted to buy a Roots Arrow (Paykan in our country, Iran) but since I was in love with R5 he changed his mind. Then he increased the engine displacement from 900cc to a 1100cc! I learned driving with it and we had a lot of good times traveling around Iran. Then he bought a PK! and our next cars were Kia Pride, P206. I still love Renault 5.

[@philipellis7039]

My parents had neighbours who always had a 5. Classic two teachers, two kids, summer holidays camping in France and the car to go with it. Didn’t see many Renault 5s in Wolverhampton and I’m sure we mocked them at the time but it was a lifestyle I grew to be envious of and that’s a more memorable car than the succession of Fords and Austins my father had.

[@Nightlife135]

I'd love to see a video about the Renault Clio since I absolutely LOVE that car! Thanks for always putting out such great videos. Keep it up! :)

[@timjohnson67]

Thank for another really well researched and interesting vid. The Renault 5 was a practical and fun car that was an enormous and deserved success and very fondly remembered around the globe.

[@LenTexDIY]

Your videos are always fantastic! We can tell you do your homework on them. Thanks for everything!

[@adrianvanheems8041]

I had one of these in 1973. It was a fantastic little car for its time. It had a wider track on the front, and an asymmetric wheelbase to counter the torsion effect of the in-line engine. It had an early mechanical anti-lock brake system, with a pressure limiter on the rear brakes, The headlights could be changed from left dip to right dip, for Continental driving. The switches were all a different shape for ease of identification in the dark. The interior had rubber mats, much more practical and easier to clean than carpets. The only downsides were that it would not start if it got cold or wet. This was partly the fault of the battery connectors, which consisted of a screw into the battery terminals, which got red hot after a few attempts to start the car. Later models had connectors that wrapped right round the battery terminals to give a proper contact. The alternator was not up to the job, as after driving home with the wipers, heater fan, radio and lights on the battery was flat the next morning.

[@bimble7240]

The asymmetric wheelbase you refer to is not related to the inline engine. The rear suspension arms are inline with the vehicle and each is connected to a torsion spring which runs across full width of the car. One rear wheel has to be mounted slightly further forward than the other so the torsion bars don't interfere with each other. This was the case on many Renault models at the time.

[@philipnemeth4565]

Greetings from France ! I love your Channel !!! Great information. Very nice to hear designers explaning process. Always a fantastic pleasure to watch your videos.

[@BigCar2]

Glad you like them. France made some wonderful cars!

[@Miwna]

Thank you for this. It helped me reminisce many happy miles in the back of Renault 5s. My mother had two of these when I was growing up. At first a white five door, which blew its head gasked on the motorway. Then she got a three door in that lovely turquoise colour.

[@Disques13Swing]

The turquoise color you mentioned was my fave back then.

[@timakimat]

These videos are something to wait for the weekend. Thanks, once again.

[@markdavis2475]

Loved our Mk2 1985 R5. 1.1 with a 5-speed box. Never let us down. We got it to 155,000 miles, with the only work being new drive shafts and a heater matrix. Then sold it, the new owner put another 20,000 miles on it and then gave it to someone who was still driving it a year later. Great car, with no direct replacement that is as economical and comfortable.

[@SuperOldShows]

Big nostalgia for these. As a child my family had 2 black mk1s, followed by a mk2 GT Turbo, which overheated constantly in traffic and leaked water in from everywhere. I remember getting in it to go to school and there'd often be an inch of water in the footwells after a downpour! Still, fond memories though.

[@chrisdcosta2622]

When we moved from France to the UK in 1979, my dad bought the very first 4-door right-hand drive Renault 5 GTX that ever rolled off the production line. It was gold, and recently I saw an identical one for sale in France (LHD) with less than 20000 km on it.

[@EdoDijkgraaf]

Friday night. My wife and my daughter are watching the 300th xmas movie. I am sitting next to them. Partly happy. And then there is a new Big Car video about the Renault 5. Live is good!

[@guitoune612]

I have a 1996 bye-bye super 5 and god i love this car everyday ! Really practical and cheap to maintain, a true beauty!

[@imagenerdery]

WOW! That bassline in the first few seconds of this song!! Unbelievable! Hats off to you, sir or madam

[@petermitchelmore2592]

My first car was a Renault 5, second generation. It was built in 1987, and I bought it in 1994 for £850. It was my student-mobile, and had 112,000 miles on it when I sold it 5 years later. When I lived in Rennes in north-west France, many used to double-take when seeing a right hand drive version. When I lived in Berlin a few months later, the clutch cable snapped so I had to get it repaired a Renault dealership who needed to wait for 2 weeks to get parts imported from England. Because of its low weight, it could out-corner most other cars. With its manual choke and a cassette player, it was enormously fun to get around in.

[@Dreatnought1966]

I bought my first car in 1984, a 1977 Renault 5 TL. It was so rusty that a lost lighter fell on the street immediately. I had to weld 2.5 square meters of sheet metal into the floor. Still, I loved the car. Greetings from Germany

[@ve2vfd]

The Renault 5 was hugely popular in the province of Quebec in the late 70s and early 80s, but sadly they were not designed for our winters and the massive amounts of road salt used here. A brand new car would rust and fall apart in record time. Interestingly, they were not called "le car" here. It was the Renault 5 and it's nickname was "Le Chameau" (the camel) due to the french canadian publicity campaign touting it's fuel efficiency.

[@lucasRem-ku6eb]

Only in the US, Le Car, that was not the good version. Canada was never an issue for Renault, selling France cars all over the world, they only failed in the US. Very bad cars for weather conditions, bad paint was the biggest issue. They will never come back to the states....

[@MarvinHartmann452]

​@lucasRem-ku6eb Oh, they sold very well and they were very common on the road here. They just tend to rust very quickly. Like all other cars of the time. The early Japanese car were also rusting very quickly.

[@coastaku1954]

That Renault 5 EV Concept looks really really good! I love how the fog lights look with the light shining through the glass square. Here's hoping the production model looks just like it

[@bighands69]

It looks really crap.

[@coastaku1954]

@@bighands69 Well you lack taste and an eye for beautiful, futuristic designs

[@ettorebugatti6846]

8:52 the sunroof baloons while closing the door 😁

[@albertseabra9226]

A master-piece vídeo! A fantastic delivery -- and we are left whishing more and more about this fabulous car.

[@Tango_Alpha_Charlie]

Delightful video, and it brings back so many memories!

[@davideverett9848]

Thanks for another very informative video. I don't know how common they were in the UK but my brother's first car was a R5 Le Car in silver, well it had the Le Car red decals anyway, together with the orange sports seats with integral head rests, and the characteristic alloy wheels. My enduring memory is of the passenger side front wing getting nice and hot due to the front exhaust silencer being inside it, and the sound of the induction roar from the engine after he fitted a Pipercross foam air filter.....that didn't really improve the performance, just made it sound better! You could get all the visual tuning parts in the 80's too so he fitted a front spoiler lower extension, black plastic bonnet grill and rear roof spoiler. Magic!!😄

[@kapitan517]

Great video, thank you. I will always remember wild rides as a passenger in my mate's R5. He was 17, and pushed that little red car to its limits. Scary fun! I regret that I'll likely never drive one myself. 😢

[@OldDogZeroTricks]

I had an 87 (Pearl white) and an 89 (Tungsten grey) Renault 5 GT Turbo back in the day. (Both secondhand.) They were a lot of fun.

[@vernonbear]

My second car was a R5 and I loved it right up to the point it failed an MOT on a stupid number of majors. Sad to see it go to a scrapper. Years later I worked at a dealership that did supercars, we ended up with a Turbo as a chase car for some reason, everyone loved taking it out for a spin, that was one scary beast even for those of us used to delivering properly fast cars!

[@660einzylinder]

I had four Mk1 R5's, a 950cc TL, a 1300cc TS, an 1100cc GTL five door and finally a 1400 Auto five door. They were great cars, but the one I'd really love to have again was the little, basic TL. It was such a practical car, reliable, economical however you drove it, and all round a better car than any of it's 1970's rivals.

[@danielt.8573]

It's fun to see the evolution from Renault 4 to Renault 5 to Renault Clio. That EV concept is appealing as long as they don't make it either too small or like one of these modern gigantic hatches.

[@bighands69]

That EV concept is nothing more than junk.

[@dennisalexanderreilly8624]

I love your channel. I had a used Renault Daphne in High school, a rarity in the USA, it was the talk of the town for both good and bad reasons, mostly it was ridiculously small but efficient by American automotive norms. Unfortunately it was totaled by a reckless driver. Thanks for the detail and research you bring to every episode.

[@martinquerre9614]

Was the engine of your Renault placed in the back compartment ? If so the original model might have been a "Dauphine" which preceded the "5" type some fifteen years earlier..

[@dennisalexanderreilly8624]

Yes, it was a Dauphine, I had a typo. Thanks for catching.@@martinquerre9614

[@toineleuverink9905]

Maaaaaaan....you're so good at telling these stories... Hats off, vriend. You are very very good at what you do. I love it!! 🥰

[@flori5548]

I really love the new concept of the EV Renault 5. If they don’t mess it up I will buy it in an instant!

[@steveburrows101]

Had 3 R5's, each from new... A 1984 "Le Car", a 1987 GT Turbo, and a R5 Campus. Each was great, excellent reliability, practical, cheeky etc. Brilliant design, would certainly consider one again today if I were in the market for a small hatch.

[@oompah01]

Really enjoyed this, thank you! I always loved the timeless look of the Renault 5, a brilliant design that's aged really well. Memories of the car too, from being driven around in my mum's red phase 1 GTL back in the 80s to really wanting a Renault 5 Monaco (a festival of brown and beige with leather seats) for one of my first cars. Didn't happen though!

[@stephenmorgan6930]

As a non-driving child of the 80s, I loved the Renault 5! Oh yes, we all loved the quirky Citroen 2CV as well, but the 5 was really commonplace back in the day!

[@syedhadisyedabubakar1612]

Love driving the 5! This video really brings back fond memories during the 80’s when our family had this car. Still keeping the rear Renault 5 TL badge

[@julianb1474]

My first car was a first gen one of these bought in late '72 for 750 pounds. It survived my boy racer driving style for a year or so until I traded up.

[@jehib8533]

My sister's first car was a 5-door Supercinq in that light blue metallic colour of the car you showed when you mentioned the introduction of the 5-door Supercinq. I only drove that car once or twice, but I was rather fond of it, if only because I could sit in a sensible driving position in it (unlike its replacement, an early 90s VW Polo - which was a good car, but I was either hitting my head on the roof or had to recline the seat too far to be comfortable). Just one thing: you said that the Peugeot 104 had five doors when it was introduced, but it hadn't, the early cars were 4-door saloons which only looked like hatchbacks - you even mentioned that Peugeots small car wouldn't be a hatchback a few minutes before that.

[@cmoore7700]

1980 I test drove a LeCar in New Jersey. My dad hated it and wouldn't let me buy it. We went and drove a Fiesta that he and I both loved and I bought it. Oh well, so much for strange French cars in America

[@johnnorth1961]

I had a Renault 12 and I loved it, the shape was great and a lovely car to drive

[@SJBW196]

Very comfy!!! Dad had a 1973 Estate purchased new in Malta then shipped to the UK in 1976. I used to love how it drove along so smoothly!!

[@Tacko14]

Finally! There’s the Lego McL F1. I was waiting for that one

[@BigCar2]

Both of them in fact (well the other is called the "Silver Racer", but we all knew what it was).

[@jennyd255]

My first car was a 1974 Renault 5 TL complete with dashboard gear change. In 1982 I sold it for a Renault 14 - big mistake! Despite outwardly similar styling they were as chalk and cheese. I still miss the fun of my faithful Renault 5. I always wanted a Gordini but sadly never got one. I think I recall reading somewhere that the incredibly short design cycle from clay to prototype, that you commented on, happened because of Boue being ill with cancer - which pushed the design team to work incredibly hard to ensure he saw the first protypes coming off the line.

[@avtomad722]

Fantastic to see a trip down memory lane and another flawless Big Car upload, the only thing (and subjective of course); the Gandini 2nd generation to my eyes was very much more than an update of the original design, it had it's own substance and worked in its own right. It always bugged me as many share the opinion that the second version was 'just an update', to my eyes it has a completely more planted stance and was a lot more substantial all round. I am looking forward to the new electric 5, and will be very interested in purchasing one.

[@jfv65]

You are right. It actually was a completely new developed body. The engine/gbox was no longer mounted longitudinal but transverse. Like the mini and golf. And almost all modern hatchbacks today. The Super5 was a totally new car. Wirh retro styling.

[@andrewwebb4635]

I had a Renault 5 in Quebec for over 3 years and loved its design neatness - I’ve read it described as if it was designed by one person instead of a committee. It handled very well and rode incredibly comfortably for its size but its 1.3 engine lacked power in Canadian spec so it was let down mostly by its engine. Its rear hindquarter panels also rusted through within 5 years from new in that severe climate (replaced by Renault under warrantee but not very impressive to sell a car in Quebec that can’t stand the climate.). We’ve had a couple of Golfs since then but I still like the R5 more!

[@j.q.higgins2245]

You lost me at "the Twingo was another stylish car", but that doesn't matter because the video was basically over by then, and it was absolutely great! Thank you for your top quality content; you've just earned another subscriber!

[@shannonwittman950]

Thanks for the great history and anaylsis of the glorious R5! Here is the USA, circa 1979, I bought the R5 "Le Car" new in royal blue with white stripes and the fold-back soft top. My Fiesta and Rabbit buying buddies thought I was nuts. But they didn't catch the soul of the R5 like I did. Proof was that they traded in their hatches within a few years -- while I kept my R5 many years beyond. It was reliable and a great runner in all weather. One memory I hold dear: my lights/turns/horn switch cooked on the way to work one dim morning. On the way home I stopped by an import recycle yard and bought a replacement off a wrecked R5 for a few dollars; installed it myself at home in about 20 minutes. I'm in love with the new Renault 5 EV! I'd like to make it my first electric car. But I doubt we Yanks will see them unless NIssan ships them here which I doubt. Renault still has a bad rap here (undeserved). Maybe I'll see about buying one new in Canada ...

[@pascalcs]

There is a beautiful one for sale in California right now with 25000 miles only. If i did not have already 2 Le cars, I would buy it immediately.

[@kentowers2802]

I remember ‘Le car’ appearing in an episode of the A-Team in the 80’s. clearly product placement!

[@SJBW196]

Yes, and they "modified" it in the usual A-Team way. I winced as the bodywork got cut up! lol

[@whyyoulidl]

Nothing better than the phase 2 GT turbo modded with a Baileys dump valve!

[@realnutteruk1]

Absolutely the worst day's mechanicking I've ever endured was replacing the starter motor on an early, longitudinal engined, gearbox in front, R5!

[@andrewpoules9109]

You should have tried a 16tl starter motor same layout just deeper in the engine bay good memories happy new year mate

[@RaPtOr9600]

My first car in 2002 it was Renault 5, 1992 model, color cherry red , power window, power steering, central locking, great engine. It was much fun driving it.

[@edjack1993]

My mum had one of these in the 70s. Loved dash-mounted gear stick. Thought that was the coolest thing ever 😁

[@Foxy64]

i didnt realise how much i loved this car until it was long gone

[@extularean]

Another excellent video. I can't wait for your video on the R16! (oh please oh please oh please)

[@foreverinteriors]

Thanks for another really good video. I always loved the 5 turbo. One day I'll own one ( no doubt there will be rebuild included)

[@skylined5534]

I love the original 5, it's got that original Mini vibe, looks good in suburbia, parked in somewhere like Kensington or in front of a stately home. I'm not at all interested in electric cars... well I wasn't until now. The new 5 EV concept is stunning and if I had to have an EV I'd choose it! Especially if an Alpine/RS version cones out.

[@mystisith3984]

It's one of my fave pocket cars when it comes to design. The global harmony of the "box" is hard to replicate & breaking the lines never ends well. I'm very interested in the new electric version though : they kept just what worked to make it cute and naughty. Can't wait to see it on the roads.

[@KristianK9755]

Hello my friend. Renault 5 is one of my top 5 favorites cara.Thank you for the history lesson. 🍻

[@mikedignum1868]

The R5 Campus (1985 version) was my first brand-new car and I loved the tv adverts here in the UK featuring the daughter and father combo. It was very tinny and I remember you'd only have to cough on it to get a dent. But I loved it.

[@Gent82]

Thanks for satisfying my curiosity about the Renault 5. I'd never have guessed that there even was a second generation produced during it's long run!

[@wilfamos7314]

Brilliant as ever. Thanks for another outstanding video. 🙂

[@ourhudlathome8885]

I was a Renault mechanic for 5 years when these were at their peak, a great little if unconventional car, such fun to drive fast. The original Gordini Turbo was a plumbing nightmare, I remember a colleague resigning half way through trying to replace the clutch....it defeated him!

[@RachaelSA]

That black and yellow one at the end, with the see through body is beautiful, I would drive that.

[@borisreid3053]

My friend got his 1992 Renault Express Energy in 1999. It was a perfect work/family car. It was the go-to small commercial vehicle in my country.

[@nimascolari1508]

My mum had a red GT5 Turbo with a wide kit when I was in high school. I got so many hood points from school mates because of that car.

[@rotax636nut5]

I had a Renault 5 back in the early 80's, I used it and abused it for 3 years and found it to be a very good car, it was a high mileage and rusty thing when I first bought it and it was even more high mileage and rusty when I eventually drove it into a wreckers yard, feeling gratitude towards it for the reliability and economy and sadness having to say goodby to the faithful old girl, that of course was when all hope of passing another MOT was gone, I still sometimes think about that car today 40 years on..

[@Mr.Steve-O]

Love your car documentaries, keep up the great work ... New Subscriber !

[@FPVsean]

I would genuinely consider the new R5 ev if the production model looks anything like the concept, its a gorgeous looking thing! Also could you make a story sometime about the Land Rover Defender? Its got one hell of a history to tackle, even if the most iconic design has been from 1983-2016, there's so much more both sides of that

[@leodiaz6217]

Thaks for your excellent video !

[@SA-zoom1]

I have fun memories of driving a Renault 5 GT turbo with a loud dump valve and an exhaust with no silencers.

[@rabit818]

My neighbor in West Hollywood has a red 5 Turbo. I drooled at it every morning when I go to work.

[@MisterHampshire]

My father bought a 4 year old 1976 R5 TL floor gear shift. It was a great car. Long gone but stylish, reliable, nimble, fairly lively too.

[@StreetSoldierUK]

My dad was the secondhand car salesman and I learn to drive in a brown Renault five when I was about 12 or 13, (I’m 47) there was some private land at the back of the car lot

[@robsawalker]

Absolutely loved the R5. My friends mum at school in the mid 70s had an early red one and as I recall the rear windows were just stuck on the opening tabs and came loose and my dad glued them back on for her. My dad later got a light green metallic Gordini which was lovely, and my brother had a black R5GTT which, in the tradition of the time, he rolled and wrote off down a local lane...

[@ourhudlathome8885]

Those opening tabs came unstuck frequently, always sticking them back when I was at a Renault dealer.

[@joeseeking3572]

My Renault 5 experience was as a youth worker on an Army base. We had to clear heavy brush, down trees and, relevant to this sotry, split the larger of them and form into benches. That involved a draw knife, where one sat astride the log and planed down the surface. Well, a stubborn knot and a sweating, hot and frustrated, 16 year old = a somewhat serious injury. Leg had to be immobilized, kept straight for trip out of back country to base hopistal. All we had were pickups - but a staffer had a Le Car, and it would make it out to the site. There was enough room inside somehow and it was judged smooth enough for transport. Don't remember too much about that drive (though the radio sticking up from the floor stuck out for some reason) but I guess those French did have a smooth ride. Surgeon said it was a damn good thing the leg didn't bend.