Here’s how Renault failed in America following its merger with AMC

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In this episode I provide the history of French automaker Renault's attempt to gain a foothold in the American car market in the 70's and 80's, most notably with the Le Car, a rebadged Renault 5, and later with the Alliance and Encore, the first French-designed cars built in America. After gaining an almost 50% share in American Motors, they couldn't stem the tide of sales losses, being later sold to Chrysler, and their last two models being sold under Chrysler's Eagle brand for a short time before leaving the American market for good.

[@billolsen4360]

1:59 I just realized that if the US ever merged with France, our flag would be the old AMC logo

[@chrislemaster2695]

AMC was 41 years ahead of their time with the Eagle Wagon as the first crossover.

[@danielemeytre4010]

Yep. But without the off road-suv looking it didn't had appeal enough for the consumers.

[@richsackett3423]

Park City, UT used them as police cars.

[@manoman0]

@@danielemeytre4010 Same with modern day SUV's.

[@glenpower1677]

AMC had a home run with the Eagle wagon.

[@briansmith8361]

That fact alone should have been enough to save AMC, but fate is cruel.

[@LNSLateNightSaturday]

I just wanna jump in here and call out the utterly bonkers cinematography in those Renault TV ads! Nearly all of them had a strange visual gimmick, and many of them long before the era of CGI... Neat!

[@TheAllMightyGodofCod]

Believe it or not, that was the standard in European adverts at the time.

[@boldone3517]

SLOW DOWN!!!

[@pdennis93]

I remember when they turned the LeCar into a LeTank on the A-Team 🤣🤣🤣

[@erikbunty2016]

I remember that. It got destroyed, but Face and Murdock survived.

[@jendel42750]

In the spring of 1980, we knew a couple who bought a cute red 2-door Renault Le Car. They RAVED about how, on a road trip from Brooklyn, New York, to Miami, Florida, they spent less than $40 on fuel.

[@artistnyc123]

I bought a new Le Car in 1984. Lived in Colorado. Once we had a 2-foot show blizzard. My Le Car plowed roads that no other vehicle could drive on, even 4 wheelers were getting stuck. I loved the car. It was the French VW Bug.

[@jendel42750]

@@artistnyc123 Cool!

[@Shane-zx4ps]

@@artistnyc123. The le car was called Renault 5 her in Europe. And we got the Renault 5 Gt turbo 1.4 engine 0-60 in 7.5 seconds in the mid 80,s and handled like fuck, what a great car

[@artistnyc123]

@@Shane-zx4ps I always drooled over the Turbo. It was a 911 Killer.

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@artistnyc123 i had an 84, 5 turbo ,it had around 100 h.p. wich was a lot for a le car with rally finishings it was fun to drive

[@cominturismoengineer4012]

Damn, the Fuego. If those are now rare in Europe, let alone in the US. The main issues with Renaults of the era were rust and their water circuits. I don't quite know why French cars are like that, but their cooling systems tend to be poorly designed. Especially when you use water instead of anti-freeze (which you should never do, but that doesn't stop people). Apart from those two issues, I can say (and having daily driven a Renault Clio) that they are great cars. Affordable, reliable and comfortable, since the French have suspensions nailed down. Little box never let me down, even in the day I totaled it. I was actually surprised at how strong the chassis was to have taken the abuse it did without twisting further.

[@jeffmorse645]

Chrysler LH models still look good almost 30 years later.

[@RUfromthe40s]

they had in europe an agreement with renault ,the crossfire had a mercedes engine, but now it´s FIAT group, my father had the cherokee but an limited edition no plastics and there was also what they called grand cheroke or laredo(some say in the plastics around the car in the front doors LAREDO but sold as grand cheroke´s the regular cheroke was sold like a sport wagon with a 1.9turbo-diesel engine from renault , Laredo as in the 70´s JEEP with wooden panels

[@barryervin8536]

They are looking better all the time to me, with the new cars all looking like over-styled props from a Star Wars movie sequel. The huge grilles on cars now are hideous.

[@chuckstephan]

I'm still a proud owner of an 85 alliance convertible. 53k on the clock and runs perfect. They weren't bad cars, just keep up on their timing belts. I almost sold it but stopped the sale last minute. I cant let it go. It is actually a riot to drive.

[@jeffaulik3980]

I wouldn't mind owning one.

[@Chrishm0]

my family had a LeCar, an Alliance, a Premier, a R30 and a Medallion wagon. The Alliance was the best of them.

[@RUfromthe40s]

i saw recentelly on those comedy series a young guy with a LEcar ,the 5

[@kennethsooley9938]

Did you grow up in Canada? I don't think the R30 was sold in the US, but they were sold north of the border.

[@Chrishm0]

@@kennethsooley9938 yes, Toronto. It was used, between the LeCar and the Alliance. The R30 was green, had electrical issues and the funniest keys. It really showed the issues Renault was having......but it did have nice leather seats.

[@ozzierabbit587]

You bought five Renaults? You may be the only person ever to do this.

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@ozzierabbit587 i didn´t bought 5 cars i ment lecar was renault 5 but idid owned 4 diferent cars in three decades from renault ,the alpine from late 70´s (built with the help of lotus )a very nice sport car , also the 70´s renault 5 TS (the second most powerfull version) ,the 5 turbo and the clio williams ,this last being a numbered series that sell so good that renault didn´t give a dawm and started to produce more cars ,the ones who bought new the numbered edition must felt like stolen it was a litle car lower than the renault 5 more equiped for higher speeds and better turning with rally equipment ,it´s 90´s version that renault start to call names instead of numbers to it´s cars, but in europe maintenance is not cheap but are reliable cars, the williams only had it for 5 monthes in 95 and never needed nothing either than lot´s of gasoline

[@corvetcoyote443]

I remember my Aunt rented an Encore at Avis at the Las Vegas airport,took it to AZ for a few days and back,it was a comfortable, decent car for being a sub compact.

[@watershed44]

@Corvet Coyote The AMC Renault Alliance and Encore were actually really good cars, the problem was that the AMC dealerships were pretty clueless about selling and especially servicing them.

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@watershed44 in europe they are the 9 and the 11 ,the 11 was kind of a fastback and had more room also was a very confortable car, i owned a TSE more powerfull engine but only kept it for two monthes

[@RafaelPernia]

My dad had that car in Venezuela, called Renault 11. Was a 5 cylinder car. Had good acceleration but reliability problems.

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@RafaelPernia that was considered one of renaults reliable car , there was the 1.4L version , ( the one i owned for a few monthes)the TSE that even had a litle "computer" that allowed the owner to watch the comsuption ,off course this were the 80's and one might be out of gas while the "computer" said on the screen that would be fine for another 50km (1.6 km = 1 mile ) but i think all cars had 4 cylinder engine being the most powerfull the 2.0 L turbo and this model was really confortable and due to his power the front seats were kind of sportive shape , and was made famous in the last 007 movie with roger moore and grace jones( very famous at the time as model and singer )that in a persecution in Paris he ended up driving only the front alf of the car , that can be done with a 3 liter botle of coca-cola filled with gas due to the tank being in the alf of the car that was lost. A friend of mine bought one and it felt confortable ,this with already 12 years but well taken care off , the owner was a very old man , recentelly i saw a turbo version that looked sportive for 12.000€ maybe the only one still runing , it was the high-end model of this car with a 70's rallye style alpine steering wheel , a fine car by renault it was at the time the midle range car from renault

[@noway5590]

small cars dont do well in the US, renault should have sold only their large sedan

[@bh2155]

I remember I picked up an 86 Renault Alliance with low miles in the mid 1990s as a college car. I paid 750 dollars for it. I got that car repainted and drove it for 5 years. I liked the car. I always thought it had comfort seats and ride quality. It needed a fair amount of repairs however in the 90s there were a lot of them in the junk yard so used parts were cheap and the repair was not expensive. I got rid of that car and it was still running at 160k miles.

[@jsembler1]

Not even George C Scott could add enough Cache to save the Renault in the US!

[@adey88splace]

I was wondering who that was, thanks!

[@billolsen4360]

George should have been in his Patton uniform, slapping a young American guy, telling him that, "it was the French who saved the American Revolution by deploying their naval forces, so -blank-blank-blankity-blank it, you owe it to them to buy a Renault Medallion, or be a snivelling little coward!"

[@stevenmaginnis1965]

He did radio ads for another troubled institution, the U.S, Postal Service.

[@watershed44]

@@billolsen4360 Unfortunately very few Americans know their own history today.

[@billolsen4360]

@@watershed44 Yes, parents are pressing high schools and colleges not to bother with teaching the humanities, they only want courses that will give their kids an advantage when getting a "good" job.

[@stevenkranowski5141]

A Renault was the first car my Dad ever drove. He and my Mom were vacationing in Europe in the summer of 1966, and they rented a Renault and drove it all over the continent.

[@Durahan82]

The Renault 5 Turbo , was mean little bugger on the race track though.

[@artistnyc123]

The Porsche 911 killer.

[@dm5374]

Not to mention the R5 with the turbocharged engine in back - that was a rallye ace!

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@artistnyc123 what?i didn´t understand the 911 killer, in what sense?

[@RUfromthe40s]

the renault 5 alpine turbo, later they released a road version ,i had the regular renault 5 turbo 1.4L with turbo

[@kingkatradio]

Good episode! At my first job when I was 17, back in 1997 I worked with a guy who's Grandma gave him her 1986 Renault Alliance. I remember at one point he had a hell of a time trying to find parts for it, after I quit that job, years later I oddly found out the car had caught on fire. So that was the end of The Alliance.

[@redneck4528]

I had several Renault's and parts were tough to get especially in the pre internet days.

[@kingkatradio]

@@redneck4528 This was in The Toledo Ohio area and I'm not 100% sure but I think the guy I worked with had to drive to Cleveland or someplace in Indiana to get parts for his car. I think the car going up in flames was a mercy killing and I'm thinking he was about to give up on the car at that point.

[@Gabesafish]

I had an 87 Alliance 1.7. Not a bad little car, but a big issue was that nobody knew how to work on them. The death knell for mine was the auto transmission. Paid what amounted to a small fortune at the time to have it rebuilt. Three tries and three months later the transmission shop threw in the towel, begrudgingly refunded my money, and wished me good luck.

[@unclejoe6811]

@@Gabesafish mine snapped a timing belt after it lost reverse and third gear in the auto trans

[@Gabesafish]

@@unclejoe6811 that’s exactly what happened to mine on the third failed trans repair. I went to test drive it and it was stack shifting way too early into the overdrive gear. That lugged the engine and it jumped timing, wrenching the valve train. The repair shop tried to say it came in that way, but eventually relented and refunded my money. They did not however agree to cover the damage to the engine, and so that was the end of that.

[@SP84Fanatic]

Renault tried to import the Espace in the US in the 1980s. Perhaps jumping into the American minivan market right after Chrysler invented it might have given them some needed sales. Also, Renault was readying a federalized version of the Alpine GTA to get back into the American sportscar market, but Chrysler had other plans when they bought out AMC.

[@freedun4961]

AMC even readied a federalized Espace prototype but couldn’t reach an agreement with Matra on price and Renault management at the time was more interested in the Alpine GTA - until they were bought out by Chrysler who had no interest in Renault and only continued selling of Renault cars to fulfill contractual obligations.

[@briansmith8361]

That's a shame, that car would have been cool.

[@johnnymason3265]

The Alpine GTA would have been sold here if Chrysler didn't have the TC by Maserati. Personally, I think the Alpine GTA would have made a perfect flagship sports car for the Eagle brand.

[@SiikPros]

I love your direct no bs approach to the video. You start it head on. No intro needed, pure nostalgia.

[@davidpick1076]

I never understood the Eagle brand were renamed Renault vehicles. Your video was really informative to me and enlightened to me on why Renault left the USA and probably will never return.

[@unclejoe6811]

Nissan cube, note,versa, juke and kicks are Renault based

[@KardiFan2000]

@@unclejoe6811 They're only on the same platform/chassis as Renault...everything else is Nissan

[@boggy7665]

Eagle brand was a hodgepodge. Some Renault, some Mitsubishi, some Chryslers

[@josuenava]

@@KardiFan2000 Nope... Sentra B16 is a entirely Megane II sedan "everything" is Renault (C Platform) including screws!! only change the motor 1.8 liter vs. 2.0 Megane... and badge, the New Versa Sedan is a Clio V-Micra "sedan" and yes... it use Renault engine and road in america... kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZ-uiIFjhN6apNk

[@francishallare204]

@@josuenava Renault-Nissan also borrows some platform from Mercedes

[@MountainDewComacho494]

I rented a Renault when I was in France in the early '00s.i liked how it drove. It was the first car I drove that had a push button start. Instead of a key fob, it had a card you put into the dash which would then allow you to start the car with a push button.

[@PhonoDirect]

That must have been Laguna II. No other Renault car had the card and push button start at the time, it found its way to the smaller Megane in the later gen.

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@PhonoDirect in the same generation ,only released in diferent monthes and laguna is the renault 21 evolution as the safrane the high-end car from the brand was called renault 25 ,the clio is the 5 and 18 the megane,and that generation only the clio hadn´t the push button but a year or two after it had , if it doesn´t have key you need a start button

[@onelyone6976]

@@PhonoDirect yeah, although the Megane 2 did come out in 03, no idea when the mk2 laguna came out though. Renault were among the first to adopt the push to start button system, and now almost every new car has it.

[@RUfromthe40s]

@Jupp Schlabutt yes it was as you say they didn't release them at the sane time as i think all the brands do , this series fro. renault as they came out all had the card , only the clio that came first didn't , the laguna when released was the car of the year but the cuts in rhe back part of the car that made it revolucionary as i had thought were developed by Volvo than when they released its new series all had those cuts even released earlier than the renaults but at the time i didn't notice that they had been released being the lowest model the first to come out using those cuts and first released with the old renault engine the 1.9L turbo diesel , only after they start to use the 1.6 comon rail diesel that was the evolution on every diesel engine from all other european vrands but with diferent designations and as already comented the laguna was the second model using laguna's designation , i saw people that i work with buying the so talked about laguna but not even for a year they kept the car , the reason i don't know but i think it was only because renault will always be renault i when in the 90's when the first laguna came out notice that with a 1.8 L engine gasoline was much more than what one was used to see i my country because of gasolines price i had a older lancia 1.6L that normally is not as fast as the 1.8L but , the lancia engine was much faster and with less comsuption , it even had been awarded when this 1.6L engine came out from lancia , so only the look was new on renault the engine was the old and not a evolved one

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@onelyone6976 the laguna was released earlier than the megane already with the start button but the clio i have at work that as the slot for the card with a start button but 3 models after the series that only the clio didn´t had, the more recent ones don´t have slot ,if you have the card in the pocket it starts when using the botton or throw the card to the console underneath the a/c controls, and ready to go

[@acca5512]

I'd like to see an episode on the Sterling brand or Peugeot. I liked these cars and miss seeing them

[@running_rich]

I'll second that

[@damilolaakanni]

Outside of North America, Peugeot does extremely well. You'd almost see as many Peugeot cars as Toyotas on most African roads, as well as the old Volkswagens (MK2 and 3 golf are the most common).

[@joaquinrosendezarco5560]

@@damilolaakanni Also aplies to Argentina, where Peugeot is one of the most beloved car brands and their products sell really well.

[@lxdead5585]

@@joaquinrosendezarco5560 Peugeot's are not a bad cars but still Citroen was always the best build and designed out of these 3 French brands. I'd put Peugeot at spot #2. Renault was not as solid and often weirdly designed in bad meaning of that word. I always loved Citroens CX, BX and XM - these were really original cars.I wanted to buy XM in March of this year but I ended up buying 1995 lift version of Chevy Beretta with 2.2 L4 engine.

[@devinbiz]

Recently saw a gathering of two Peugeot monochromatic hatchbacks in my neighborhood

[@Gil-jw3om]

I had a 81 Lecar 4 Dr 5 speed silver for aa first car in 86 had only 7,000 on odometer was in perfect condition.

[@mullerandre95]

My 1st encounter with the R5 was very interesting, I thought it was the biggest load of crap. I went out of my way to break it, cold start foot to the floor, tyre squealing and within 6 months I fell in love with it. Ended up werking it, too many wobble pops. Bought another one a bunch of years on and lived it too. Marshmallows for suspension you could do 60mph on a farm track and not feel the bumps or ditches.

[@randthompson5716]

I side stepped the clutch at redline thinking i was going into third but was in first. Sounded like it was turning 20k rpm. Never hurt a thing. Ran another 1.5 yrs. A loaded 5 ton meat truck t-boning it did it in. LeCar to LeJunk in .25 seconds.

[@joshrichardson30]

You have become a true rival to the Motor Week Retro Reviews. That’s really saying something. Excellent video.

[@dcanmore]

1992 wasn't quite the end of the Renault legacy in the States, the Chrysler LH platform was based on the Renault developed Eagle Premier (Renault 25).

[@johnnymason2460]

That's not true! The LH cars were a completely new design! Renault had nothing to do with the cars at all!

[@303nitzubishi4]

"Based on" is a strong term, they had a similar drivetrain layout but that is the end of the similarity. It's like saying the Corvair was based on the VW. Not nearly enough similarity

[@edarcuri182]

@@johnnymason2460 It is true unless, of course, you don't believe the Chrysler execs that have made it clear.

[@freedun4961]

@@johnnymason2460 The test mules for the LH cars were Eagle Premiers lol definitely not a completely new design.

[@freedun4961]

@@303nitzubishi4 The suspension geometry is the same and some parts are interchangeable between Premier and LH cars. Chrysler engineers didn't start with a blank slate, they started with the Premier platform and then modified and improved it.

[@jfrankcarr]

In the early 80's I test drove a new Le Car. It broke down during the drive and had to be towed back to the dealership. I ended up buying a Toyota.

[@barryervin8536]

Did you get the free RayBan sunglasses for testing it? I remember it having very heavy steering with tons of understeer, almost like the front tires were flat. Maybe they were? This was a Renault dealership that also sold boats and lawn mowers. The fabric sunroof also seemed very dated by that time.

[@calbob750]

Renaults were underpowered and unreliable. Same problem they had in the US market in the 50s and 60s.

[@drg5352]

My brother ended up with an Eagle Premier. That was a nice, if unreliable, car. Had every option under the sun, insanely comfortable, no brakes, leaked, and kept breaking down randomly then starting up again. He ended up wrapping it around a tree. The biggest problems were the incredibly finicky electronics, and the brakes. They were incredibly stiff, as if there was no brake booster. So you needed an elephant to step on the brake pedal to get it to stop. Stopping was a couple of miles from 40mph too.

[@kennethsooley9938]

The LH cars are based on a revised Eagle Premier platform - so much so that they kept the longitudinally-mounted engines (typical of Renault fwd vehicles). Also, the Cherokee XJ was co-developed by AMC and Renault.

[@douglasb.1203]

You stumped me with that bit of knowledge.

[@RUfromthe40s]

the cherokee had the renault turbo-diesel engine a 1.9 L wich was the same they install on the clio (5 evolution)but i bought a special version with the original body with no plastics and a v8 chrisler engine ,they change the laredo to big cherokee but some on the side plastics said Laredo but a big cherokee mine was the previous edition but released as a special edition ,once i was with my friends at a lake with windsurf boards but already turning into night the toyota hiace we had was stucked in the mud near the water and me and a friend went to a camping ask for help a man without a arm mising and he asked me to put a rope under the front whell of the toyota that was buried till the bottom side of the body and with no sound in the cherokee the toyota hiace that was buried in the mud jumped out of its hole without hearing no acelaration in the engine and it was an automatic that only one car in my city had at the time, a old toyota corolla from 72 because the owner lost an arm in the war so i was very impressed with it, 10 years later i bought the same cherokee new with metal bumpers only because it was a especial edition the others all had plastic all around it with a sticker saying sport, with two doors

[@johnnymason3265]

Actually, the only thing that both sets of cars had in common was the longitudinal-mounted engines. The LH platform was a completely all-American platform developed by Chrysler. The Eagle Premier (and later the Dodge Monaco) was a Renault-based platform. It didn't share any components with the LH cars at all.

[@joedude9954]

@@johnnymason3265 wrong.

[@johnnymason3265]

@@joedude9954 Prove it! I know more about cars than most people!

[@froggy0162]

I’ve had two Medallions (called the Renault 21 here in Australia), two Fuegos and a whole bunch of other Renault’s you Americans never got. Great brand.

[@ramblergarage]

I still have a 1987 Alliance convertible and it is still going strong. Also owned 2 Premiers also great cars.

[@ozzierabbit587]

I presume it's a stick? The automatics don't last long.

[@floydcooley1]

Bought a used 84 Fuego around 1989. Nothing but trouble but still a very good looking car. Would've been good to keep and stuff V6 or even a 2.0l Turbo and make it a tuner car.

[@Charliecomet82]

I bought a 84 Fuego second hand in 1987-also nothing but trouble but looked really nice and was a lot of fun to drive when it did run.

[@FawleyJude]

When I was a kid in the early '60s some friends of my parents had a Dauphine. It was so unusual compared to US cars at the time (my folks had a '62 Pontiac Star Chief) that I always insisted on going for a ride in it when we visited them. In the '80s I was riding with a pickup truck-driving buddy of mine, saw a car I didn't recognize, asked him what it was, and he said "That's one of them Lee Cars."

[@danweyant707]

I know that it's not your thing to get too "'tech-y", but some of the features that differentiated the brand - and mechanically the LeCar was an odd duck ( just one example: they had only 3 lugs on the wheels) might have been worth mentioning. If you ever drove one, you know what I mean. Like Twain said: "It is neither familiar nor foriegn, it is French. "

[@HarborLockRoad]

Yeah, its a french thing....my 1965 renault dauphine had 3 lugnuts too....im positive citroens did as well.

[@petekovacevic3241]

The French copy no one, and nobody copy's the French

[@punchy207]

@@petekovacevic3241 it's pretty obvious why too

[@TheAllMightyGodofCod]

Poohjoh... Never heard of those.... When I was a kid, I always loved to ride in the 5. Very roomy, extremely comfortable and the 1.1 51hp engine was enough to make it surprisingly quick, still very economical to run. I specifically remember how fun it was to go around corners and have the car lean to one side but never topping over. I miss the soft suspension

[@syxepop]

Last time I saw a poohjoh (Peugeot) was a heated-up US-spec 505 sedan that stopped at the door of a leasing company branch for a local ad for said company. That was making the point the car was really unreliable.... (and you would lease a newer one from them)

[@TheAllMightyGodofCod]

@@syxepop curiously, the Peugeot is renowned for it's amazing reliability being able to go near 1.000.000km with no difficulty whatsoever, even driving over rough terrain and completely stuffed with cargo. In the 80s the 505 break was the car of choice for small business owners as it could haul cargo, carry your employees (space for 7) and still be used to go out on Sunday with the family but the Poohjoh 505 seems to be rather unreliable.... That is a very strange coincidence that one of the most reliable cars in history shares the same name with one of the least reliable cars of all time. Weird, uh?

[@syxepop]

@@TheAllMightyGodofCod - sounds like the sedan was quite more unreliable than the wagon / estate. I understand the 505 Wagon / Estate was used extensively in Africa as taxis / mass transport as they had 3 rows of seats.

[@monsieurdubitatif8567]

Yes! I had one as my first car and can confirm it quickness and cornering behavior, unlike anything we know in america (im from Québec). The ground clearance made it surprisingly fit for trailblazing, est better than my friends Civic and chevette...😃

[@syxepop]

@@monsieurdubitatif8567 - small French cars used to be known to be built with HIGHER GROUND CLEARANCE for "riding the country roads", not track racing. Maybe that's why they have been "rally ready" for decades (even I've seen photos of Dauphines and R4's rallying way back when).

[@JacksonAxe]

My best friend's first car at 16 was a maroon coloured Le Car. That was 1987, and that little bugger was put through the ringer. I'll never forget the off-road winter trip in 10 inches of snow with 3 drunk teenagers at the helm. We had to pick it up and move it more than once. It eventually blew up trying to keep up with our street bikes. lol

[@biggersmaller1]

Great vid! My Dad bought a both an '88 Renault Medallion and '86 Alliance brand new when I was a kid. Alliance was dead by '91, however he drover the Medallion until my mom crashed it in 1998. This took me down memory lane. Thanks.

[@davinp]

Since Renault merged with Nissan, Nissan's quality has gone hill and they the horrible jatco CVT transmissions

[@blackshadow7192]

Quality down, profits up go figure

[@sourgrapekate1003]

That’s because Ghosn was pushing sales for fleets. It’s why Enterprise always has Nissans available.

[@davidpick1076]

It's only going to get worse now that Stalantus has merged with Opel. Anyone think Nissan is going to survive as a brand in the US in the next 5 years?

[@PhonoDirect]

@@davidpick1076 *Stellantis

[@barrymccaulkiner7092]

Last time I went to rent a car the associate pointed to a section of cars from which i could pick one out of. I asked him if they had anything other than nissans. I took a Hyundai instead.

[@braino64]

How about a video on the Volkswagen Fox? That'd be nice. Great video.

[@joaquinrosendezarco5560]

When you say Volkswagen Fox, you mean the sedan that was imported to the USA or the more modern hatchback?

[@braino64]

@@joaquinrosendezarco5560 the 80s sedan

[@watershed44]

@@joaquinrosendezarco5560 That was called the Audi Fox in the USA.... The later VW Fox was actually made in Brazil and called the Parati in South America.

[@joaquinrosendezarco5560]

@@watershed44 In fact the Parati was the station wagon. Here in Argentina the two door sedan wasn't sold, and the four door was initialy called Gacel and later called Senda. Edit: About the Audi Fox, it was a different model, based on the Audi 80, while the VW Fox was the name given to the 2 door sedan version of the Gol, and was produced in Brasil from the start.

[@watershed44]

@@joaquinrosendezarco5560 Yes, it has been a long time since they came out. I actually knew a VWoA factory rep that was driving a preproduction US spec mule of the Fox/Gol before it was released for regular production. Wasn't the Gol also called the Derby in some markets in South America too? We received the two door station wagon (Parati) and the two door and four door sedan as well they lasted from about 1987-1991.

[@elit3401]

Back in the late 80's a co worker had a Renault, I remember all the times it was in the shop. He finally gave it up.

[@herbcraven7146]

We bought a Renault Alliance the first year they were out. It seemed like a good compromise, as my dad had long favored AMCs, and my mom wanted a fuel-efficient compact car. Trouble soon began, with reliability issues popping up left and right, which must have been a widespread thing since the Alliance went from Car of the Year to white elephant inside of two years' time. For mom, the final straw was when the POS finally died on the side of the road with no more than 60k miles on it, and I had to go rescue her in my 78 Toyota Corolla which ran better with more than twice that many miles. She traded it for a second gen Camry in 1987 and never looked back. She's on her third Camry. The first one passed 300k before some uninsured driver rear-ended her and totalled it. I drive a Camry too.

[@danr1920]

I test drove an Alliance, I thought it was great, but I had a Vega at the time, so the bar was low. What surprised me was My Dad, a WW2 veteran said to me, I don't care if you get a German car, a Japanese car, but please don't buy a French car!

[@DickTruth]

Basically, "I don't care how terrible it is, get a car that'll fight to the bitter end, not one that'll give up on you almost immediately." 😆

[@punchy207]

lol

[@boggy7665]

My dad had a saying, "Hell has a French mechanic."

[@billolsen4360]

I rented an Alliance once, I remember the seats were real comfortable.

[@stevenmaginnis1965]

What this video doesn't mention was Renault's poor quality, which was typical of French cars. It's been said that in America, you can sell Japanese cars because they're Japanese. You can sell German cars in America because they're German. But trying to sell French cars in America because they're French is like trying to sell petit four cakes at a New York Giants football game! :-D

[@jakespeed63]

In the late 90's, I worked at a Jeep/Dodge/Chrysler dealer in rural Cleveland. Bought a broken 1989 Premier, from a customer, for my family. After rebuilding the transmission 3 times, it was a fantastic automobile. As a veteran mechanic, I've had less than happy memories, fixing some of these products, back in the day. Rammed my punk-rock customer's LeCar into the front door of my shop, one time, after replacing the clutch. LMAO. ...Whilst he was in the waiting room!!!LOL Good info, thanks for sharing. P.S. The R5 Turbo was THE one to own, back then, with Formula 1/World Rallye technology. Grey market only in the late 80's.

[@Chiaffe]

1986 Suzuki Forsa (from Canada, sold in the US as the Chevy Sprint and Pontiac Firefly) was one of the best and most reliable cars I've ever owned (out of around 120) and got >60mpg on the highway.

[@etuaz]

I had a Fuego Turbo in 1988, my senior year in high school, bought from my uncle who had purchased it in I believe 1983. It was super fun to drive, got great gas mileage, received lots of comments from bystanders, and I experienced what real "turbo lag" was like. Ultimately, l reliability was its downfall. Haven't seen one on the road for a long time. Kinda wish I had kept it running.

[@manthony225]

There was a tiny Renault dealership in my town in the 70's and 80's. I always liked the 10 and the 17.

[@stevenmaginnis1965]

A company in my area that rented school buses to local school districts also had a Renault dealership It was the biggest Renault dealership in New Jersey. In fact, before Renault merged with American Motors, I think it was the ONLY Renault dealership in New Jersey. The fairly that owned it lived a coupe of blocks away from me. I saw Renaults in their driveway all the time. And a Citroen or two.

[@heikosteffens1661]

I even have a Renault 10 :-)

[@OLDS98]

Informative and a good video. I remember the things you shared. Thank you for sharing. I am sure it takes a lot for you to gather the information in the videos.

[@ScrawnyRonnie89]

Amazing storytelling you guys always hit a home run!! Bravo 👏

[@outstate9218]

Carlos Ghosn is legend. That story goes a lot deeper. The Japanese wanted him out. He obviously wasn't going to get a fair trial there so he did what he had to do.

[@manoman0]

Is that really so? I have my doubts but then again, I could be wrong.

[@outstate9218]

@@manoman0 There's all kinds of documentaries out there If you search his name. He's an excellent businessman. He didn't need to steal money. Insiders at Nissan did not like the Renault alliance and a non-Japanese running Nissan in my opinion. It was very nontraditional in a very traditional society to have him in charge. The man deserves the right to defend himself and that was not going to happen in Japan.

[@marnuscoreyempanadaslooseb6760]

Well he got them out of debt just to put them in a shit hole at the end of his reign. If they actually made their cars with the same quality they used to and followed Toyota and didn’t use shit components and put the shittest engine and transmission in their cars they might actually be the most valuable car company in the world.

[@outstate9218]

@@marnuscoreyempanadaslooseb6760 They were going Under so it's kind of a moot point. I don't disagree about the parts but it sounds like they went downhill and left their glory days long before Renault's arrival. I think at one point over 50% of the parts that went into certain Nissan cars were made in the United States. -If I recall correctly. My point is he did not make it where he was in business at Michelin and Renault and then suddenly turned into this crook at Nissan. if they wanted him to step down that's one thing but to go after him personally is another thing. 108 days in solitary confinement and not allowed to speak or talk to your wife? Give me a break.

[@manoman0]

@@outstate9218 I don't know much about the case but, yes, I agree to all you say. You make some good and fair points. I am sure he didn't steal any money, he made boatloads of it so why steal it? However, I wish fairness wins for all.

[@kippaseo8027]

Another great video! Probably the saddest and most unholy alliance aside from the Renault alliance was how quick they were to do destroy Nissan's reputation reputation. I remember as a kid hearing people hearing people talk about the most reliable of the most reliable being in Toyota, Honda, and nissan in that order. Mitsubishi has never been that impressive of a brand butt at 1 time Nissan Nissan was definitely one of the benchmarks but no longer. But no longer.

[@obelic71]

Don't forget Mitsubishi who is also in the Renault-Nissan group ! In Europe Renault has a bad name now. The older cars were mechanicly indestructable and reliable but rotted away super fast in coastal (salty) area's Nowadays they don't rot but they have more then average models that are electronical/mechanical nightmares to the owner. Renault Laguna MK2 was voted worst car ever, more then 70% had turbocharged dieselengines and lots of them self destructed ( engineoil turbo leakage causing a RPM runaway ) The electric and commercial vehicels Renault builds in Europa are of very good quality. Those models can be seen way more on the streets outside France then the normal car models.

[@onelyone6976]

@@obelic71 well all in all they are quite reliable, the Clio is the best selling car in Europe, and the Renault zoe is also the best selling EV in europe. Renault also made and still makes good engines, Notably the Renault K-series. Even Mercedes uses Renault engines, the A class and CLA class come with among others a 1.3 petrol or 1.5 diesel and both of those engines are Renault. Yes they also have their weaknesses, and in the early 00’s the electrics were the biggest weakpoint, but then again every car has some weakness

[@obelic71]

@@onelyone6976 The Clio, Twingo, Megane Kangoo, Traffic, Master and the EV's are the mass volume Renault models who are good. The Espace, Koleos and other MPV's are not. The Talisman is suffering in sales due to the Laguna debacle. Lots of fleetcar companies hesitate buying big Renaults. And yes every brand has its bad models/timeperiod. The Laguna MK2 was Renaults lowpoint. The timing chain debacle of the TFSI engines was VAG's lowpoint.

[@onelyone6976]

@@obelic71 I’d argue the Espace is a good vehicle, the early 00’s were a bit of a low point for Renault, so early mk4 espaces probably aren’t the best, but the later ones are better. I have to admit, I’d trust a Laguna 3 or Talisman more than a Laguna 2. And I’ve also heard the Talisman isn’t selling very well, but I do frequently see a Talisman in the wild, although Lagunas are more common.

[@francishallare204]

Nissan was a money pit none of their cars were making a profit Renault came in and Carlos Ghosn saved Nissan from going out of business.

[@damilolaakanni]

I know someone who has a Renault Laguna (the second generation, I don't know the model year). It had quite a number of problems, eventually resulting in a much needed engine replacement. None of those problems were transmission related though, as it had a five speed manual transmission. The engine replacement job was very difficult and pretty expensive, so he had to pause and just keep driving his Lexus RX300.

[@darinblass]

My mom had a Le Car in the 80s! She always said that it was fun to drive but wasn't reliable. I think she eventually switched it out for a Ford Tempo. As for videos, I'd love to see a video of the Saab 900 and/or the Volvo 700 series.

[@kevinbarry71]

My mother had a 1989 eagle premier hi trim level. She bought it without asking me, but for a while it was a pretty good car. 160 hp V6, which for the time was quite a lot. It also had factory keyless entry, which I don't remember seeing on any car from that time period. It also had automatic climate control, power front seats. Cruise control, and power mirrors windows and locks. Interior was a little bit strange, and it had a weird turn signal stock location. We had it for a while, until electrical gremlins made us get rid of it

[@mountainmandale1587]

My first ever job as a car salesman, and I found myself at a Jeep, Eagle, Saab dealership. What a great way to start. I didn't stay there, but it was a profitable 28 year career.

[@JasonTrew2018]

I see where the location of that drag race was held at: Riverside Raceway

[@mikezerker6925]

I laughed out loud at that commercial!! Especially when his rear hatch opened up! 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

[@davinp]

Chrysler bought AMC because they wanted Jeep. Chrysler later discontinued AMC and Eagle brands

[@johnhiram1207]

I had a 1985 Encore that cost $7,000 new. Loved that car and ran over 180,000 miles.

[@_dmfd]

Man, I really wish we got the Renault Megane RS here. I'd happily take one over an Golf R.

[@briansmith8361]

I really like those, too!

[@memeguyTM]

Renault megane 3 trophy, greatest hot hatch ever made. The 4 is not bad too though.

[@ThaSwitcherTayTay]

What if we got the Clio V6 ?!

[@OsbornTramain]

My first new car was a 1978 Renault LeCar, the R5 GTL ....they did use the same numbering system as the French models, the LeCar name was a gimmick, they did indeed still officially exist as an R5

[@catjudo1]

I'd love to have a Renault 5 Gordini two door. Those things in Euro spec were neat little hot hatches and very fun to drive. It's a shame that the Le Car was hamstrung by US emissions regulations that really took a lot of the character out of the car. My grandfather owned a Dauphine Gordini and used it as a commuter he would take to the airport and pilot airliners for several days before coming home and using it as a family car, though for family duty my grandmother's Buick was more often employed. He enjoyed that car. There were a lot of neat cars from Europe we never got, which is a shame.

[@HarborLockRoad]

I had a 1965 R- 1095 dauphine gordini too! Beige with maroon interior. Great little car, but made of tin!

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

On a European bus tour in 1978 we spent a few days in Paris. Half of the cars we saw were a LeCar. The Eiffel Tower was cool to go up on and look over the city. All of the tour buses parked underneath it. Some of the French people were snobs.

[@paulyokoyama7162]

My mom bought a new car in early 1987, a Medallion which was sold as an 88 model. I thought how could that do that? By 89 the car was traded in for a Nissan Maxima because it kept breaking down.

[@Astolfo2001]

Ironic Considering that Renault currently owns Nissan

[@sirhenners204]

My friend has a Renault 11 (I live in the UK) as his first car, it's one of 2 right hand drive Renault 11s left. Also, my dad had one back when they were new, and the power windows messed with his dad's pacemaker

[@Newgrassrock]

Sounds weird but at 3:03 I recognized that dealership almost immediately. I used to be a salesman at Overland Park Jeep in the 2010’s. I’ve seen that picture in the offices before!!

[@salentino]

Great episode and channel! Have you considered making more about European brands in the US style videos? Alfa Romeo, FIAT, Lancia, and things like that. Looking forward to the next episode.

[@barryervin8536]

I had a Renault R8 back in the mid 60s and it was a nice little car. I still have fond memories of it. Performance and handling wise it was way better than a VW bug, reliability not so much. But back then I liked weird European small cars while most people didn't. (I also had a Simca and a Peugeot, 2 SAABs, a Volvo, etc.). 20 years later I had a Renault Encore, which was not bad but couldn't really compete with the Japanese cars by that point. I once test drove a Le Car because the dealership was giving away free RayBan sunglasses if you road-tested one. I was not impressed at all. I still have the sun glasses though.

[@BloodMoonBobby]

I really like your videos on car brands that used to be sold in the U.S! Have you considered doing videos on Peugeot and Citroen? I have an interest in French cars and I’m a bit sad that these cars are tough to find on U.S. streets these days.

[@orkoto6057]

Maybe for the greatest well being of you US people belive me

[@msgstar4933]

Try searching the scrap yards.

[@briansmith8361]

You and me both.

[@allenthinkingpositively6271]

Love your vids!! 🔥🔥🔥

[@peregrinolincoln]

Great video. I remember being a passenger in my friend’s LeCar when I was in high school as we drove from Orange County down to the Mexican border. I am 6’2” - I was miserable in the back seat. I remember my mom looking at purchasing a Renault Alliance, yet she eventually settled on a Nissan Stanza.

[@pedrocapllonchteba4843]

Interesting how Renaults from the 80s in Europe, except for very early 25s, are considered in general dependable and long lasting cars, while the ones made in the USA seemed to be very troublesome. As I kind and teenager I remember the 5s,11s and 21s absolutely everywhere, and I still see them every now and then, specially the 21 with the 2L engine. My uncle had two of them, the first one saved his life, the second one lasted almost 20 years. I had a Safrane V6 auto from the mid 90s as a first car. Never had an issue, aged with no rattles or quality issues at all and it's the most comfortable car I've ever been in regarding seats and suspension.

[@RMSTitanicWSL]

I suspect Europeans maintain their cars much more carefully......

[@303nitzubishi4]

Great subject here thanks for putting it together! As a kid discovering my interest in cars in the late 80s/early '90s, I remember being baffled by the Chrysler/Jeep/AMC/Eagle scenario playing out. I learned more about business and capitalism during that time than I did about cars!

[@JClark-34695]

Would like to see the story of the '79-'81 full-size Chryslers, the "R" bodies. While my '79 New Yorker had its share of problems, it was one of the nicest-driving American large sedans ever built.

[@adamtrombino106]

I recall the Alliance, but have only seen 1 Le Car in my neck of the woods. What I remember most was the Monaco and it's Eagle sister coming in for service in the later 90s. I have never seen the 2.5 version. These cars were nightmares to get parts for. Our Eagle dealer had a row of 10 unsold '92 cars that they were robbing parts from for warranty claims! The last 1 I saw was in 1999. The power steering pump had self destructed and the aftermarket was no help. We called Dodge and I recall the service counterman saying "Good Luck" as he hung up...

[@Foxonian]

The Chrysler LH cars were derived directly from the Renault/Eagle Premier.

[@ElectoneGuy]

I owned a brand new 87 Alliance, Bought it after the sale of AMC when they were heavily discounting them. Atrocious build quality but it was pretty nice to drive.

[@lb7144]

One of my favorite channels. I enjoy these videos on the classic autos. This was during the time I was a teen and started driving. Can you do the Dodge Shadow & Plymouth Sundance please?

[@dujejelcic2182]

So far your content is very interesting, but I hope you start doing some stories more oriented to european subscribers, there are so many interesting cars that were never sold in the US and no one has covered them in any videos.

[@mazdaman0075]

I had a 1984 Renault Le Car. It was a complete piece of junk, in the first 3 months it went through three starters and a battery and the problems never ended - cooling issues, carburetor, bent doors from ice forming during an ice storm etc. Sold it in 1987 for a Mazda 323 and I was absolutely stunned with how reliable it was compared to the Renault. Nothing ever broke and I drove it across Canada and back. Still drive Mazdas to this day and I currently own a 2007 RX-8, 2016 MX-5, 2018 CX-5 and 2010 Mazda 3.

[@DavidJohnson-wx6kt]

I sold these brand new at Ridge AMC Jeep Renault in Roxborough Philadelphia! Renault 18i sedan/wagon and the Renault 21, sold in the US as the Renault Medallion. They had very soft, supple suspensions like Peugeot and Citroen

[@johnwalsh7256]

Nice work!

[@sreginkc]

I learned to drive in 1976 in a 1972 Renault 16. It was definitely a european-looking car but comfortable and efficient. It had a silky-smooth 4 on the column manual transmission. It also had a very flexible and convertible interior that would allow the hatchback to be used as a large capacity wagon. I do miss it sometimes

[@JoeyP322]

Excellent video !!

[@danielponder690]

Great video! I remember seeing Renault in France, along with Peugot, Citroën, and other makers and always wondered why they weren't sold in the US despite seeing Ford, Mercedes, Chrysler, Volkswagen on both sides of the pond...

[@TYAC_TPE_SF-Bay]

I wish Stellantis brings French cars (even rebadged) to the U.S.

[@TheJetJONES]

Unfortunately - it won't happen 😕 They focus more on Italian cars (particulary Alfa Romeo) instead

[@Commentator541]

I am glad you mentioned it at the end. :D Most compact Nissans sold in the US are actually Renaults. And Chrysler is owned by PSA.

[@mr3urious]

The cab and chassis of the Renault Trafic van was used as the basis for the Winnebago Isharo RV from 1983-92, which was probably the last time a Renault vehicle would officially touch American shores.

[@glenlarson4933]

I had a 1985 Encore with the manual 1.7 liter engine. Fairly peppy and smooth running. Sadly had to sell it 14 years later because of mostly rust issues (common here in Wisconsin). It had over 165,000 miles on it, with the original clutch!

[@624radicalham]

God you've been perfect in almost every video, and this is my favorite car company, so I have to say you missed a pretty important tidbit. The Jeep Cherokee which you didn't mention had a ton of Renault influence. Just look at the seats, the rims and the even the creases on the body that follow common Renault design cues. In fact it was the Cherokee's success that made Chrysler interested in AMC.

[@stephanechamberland8486]

Le Car was called Renault 5 and it was a huge success in the province of Québec , Canada ! The majority of university student have one.

[@padroooo]

I didn't know they built so many models. Thanks Pat.

[@davidduma7615]

I had an 18i wagon for ski and camping trips. Loved that car.

[@crtlv]

Can we get coverage on the forgotten 825/827 sterlings?never would have guessed a rebadged Honda could have been ruined by British car companies influence but hey the proof is there

[@redneck4528]

But without British Leyland Acura wouldn't exist.

[@jkeelsnc]

My first car was a 5 (le car). It had some strange ergonomics on the dash. It also had an add on ac whose fan sounded like a hair dryer. However. The Seats were incredibly comfortable and the ride very smooth. Despite massive body roll it managed to handle adequately. What did it in was a lack of service and parts for it in the area where I lived.

[@laranaarana]

I owned a 1980 Le Car and it was very fun to drive in San Francisco, but after owning it for 2 years, it started having issues with the electronic system; took it to the Renault shop 3 times (I traded it in the end for a 1982 Renault Reliant K with a Mitsubishi 4 cylinder 2.4L Hemi engine that I drove for 13 years).

[@pascalcs]

What kind of electronic system was mounted on a 1980 car?

[@MisterMikeTexas]

Did you do a video on the Ford Mondeo/Contour and Mercury Mystique yet? Back in the 90s, I wanted to buy a Zetec Four powered Contour with 5 speed. A colleague in my employer's mailroom owned a 96 with that powertrain.

[@marks6663]

I live in Toronto. My family bought a used 1974 Renault 12 back in about 77. We kept it for at least 13 years. It was a very crude tin can. But I learned how to drive stick on it. Do not know what happened to it after 1990. In the 70s were also had a Peugeot 304, a BMW 2002, and a Mercedes 300D. My father being French preferred European cars. In the 80s I got a Mazda RX-7, a FIAT X1/9, and an Audi 5000S. They were all used but great cars. I had an interesting childhood. You can't drive old used European cars in the 70s and not learn about cars along the way. In the FIAT, on hot summer days, the fuel line would vapor lock and I had to pull over, and suck gasoline through the fuel line. I kept a can of pop to wash the taste of regular unleaded out my mouth! Good times. Kids today have nothing but an iphone on wheels.

[@stephencannon3140]

These videos are very informative and interesting……good research and even better use of old film clips and photos. Great videos keep ‘em coming…… Just think in about 20 years this narrators children will be making videos of…Cars from the 90’s and early 2000’s…..great trip down memory lane

[@BloggsyMalone]

Thanks for making one on the car I (and many others!) suggested!

[@rtwice93555]

Back in 1986 when I was working as a mechanic at the Ford dealer in my home town, the much bigger Ford dealer in a nearby city moved into an even bigger facility. An AMC, Jeep, Renault dealership opened in the old Ford dealership building. It was a huge success since there had never been a Jeep dealer in the area. The dealership was owned and operated by an employee of the former Ford dealer. But what made him a fantastic guy was who he hired in the shop. In that same town is a detention center for inmates that had about a year left of there prison sentence. They could leave the facility to work during the day and return at night. Rick (the owner of the AMC, Jeep, Renault dealer) hired several of the inmates to work in the garage. Rick believed if the inmates had steady work, they would be less likely to re-offend when they released. Most stayed working there after their release. Eventually the dealership moved into the new automall so I lost track of how well that worked out. But I always thought that was cool of Rick

[@nickgee7291]

great video! my father used to have a renault 5!

[@racekar80]

I had a LeCar in Boston during college. Fantastic suspension, soaked up potholes and crappy road, easy to park, those big rubber bumpers were perfect for Boston parking by feel.