Revolutionary: Renault 16 | DW English

In the 1960s France was experiencing a baby boom. Renault CEO Pierre Dreyfus responded to the rapid population growth by developing a radically new spatial concept for mid-sized cars. The R16 revolutionized family vehicles.
For more Drive it! go to: www.dw.com/en/tv/drive-it/s-9690

[@ChrisPinCornwall]

I had a 16TS, bought new in 1973. Lovely car, so comfortable. Only real complaint was the rust, but that was true of most cars then.

[@grahamwood156]

A great car I worked at a dealer in Sydney Australia in the 70s and loved them.

[@alexanderrabagliati5872]

Those were the days without the restrictions there are now. From the 1970 model onwards the Renault 16 could seat 6 people comfortably thanks to a wonderful column gearchange. The hatchback versatility made a fantastic choice for our family of four children

[@user-mn4cc6bb7t]

The first car I ever drove (with learner plates) was my parents' Renault 16TS. I remember that the gear lever on the steering column and the 'umbrella' brake to the right of the driver's right knee (in the right-hand drive version here in the UK) took some getting used to and my driving lessons soon changed to my parents' other car, which had a standard gear lever and handbrake configuration. The seats were incredibly comfortable and the 'traditional' soft French suspension meant the car leant over quite a bit when corners were taken quickly. Hatchbacks are very common in the UK now but it is difficult to think how revolutionary this car design was in 1965.

[@mozgren]

I'm old enough to have travelled frequently on French roads in the 1960s in a British Morris Oxford estate (station wagon) en route to Italy. Dad had to stop many times to fasten things shaken loose under the bonnet. The truth is that both the 2CV, Déesse and Renault 16 had suspension to match the roads of their native France and when old enough I had 3 of each of the R16 and 2CV. The Haynes maintenance and repair manual stated that Renault "will never produce a better car" than the 16, and so far as I'm aware they were right. This was also true of the 2CV, if not the DS, in the case of Citroen...

[@kh23797]

I bought a low-miles R16TX, with twin headlights, 90+ bhp, electric windows, etc., on a whim... and later an R4/5/20/21/25... The R16 Front seats were super-comfortable, the column change precise and a dream to use, the FWD was well accomplished, making it just lovely to drive. Servicing was mostly DIY level. The mechanicals were still fine when sadly the body started to crumble away with rust, the curse of so many cars of this era.

[@angatuedward6580]

I would love one with power windows. Which year was it?

[@kh23797]

@@angatuedward6580 The range-topping 16TX emerged in Oct '73, its front power windows and central locking being European family car firsts. Mine was a '73/'74 car, second-hand to me in '76/'77. A soft bench seat, column change, electric windows... the TX offered comfort, and relaxed driving. A few years later, I bought a 2.2-litre fuel-injected R20 TX, the only car I ever drove at 100mph-then on to a R25GTX 2.2L ...

[@angatuedward6580]

Wooow! 160KPH. When did they stop producing R20s? I drove those models in East Africa and they didn't disappoint even on earth roads.

[@kh23797]

@@angatuedward6580 ... R20/R30 production ceased 16 October 1983. I too miss the soft ride of French cars I drove in the '80s/'90s. I had a Citroën BX GTi 4x4, a feather-bed, but able to grip on fast bends while staying virtually upright, thanks to those famous Hydropneumatics. Happy days...

[@angatuedward6580]

I enjoyed working on those suspensions and during a road test, the ability of a vehicle of that era to lean into a fast curve was very very impressive!

[@leokatigbak6102]

This brown Renault 16 looks exactly like my R16TL way back in 1970. What’s interesting is that the front midship engine is the same layout as the legendary Nissan GTR.

[@aris95]

They should start making Renault 16 again with modern body galvanization

[@nicnak4475]

Clever comfortable charming car and way ahead of it's time

[@notroll1279]

It would have deserved to be built properly to survive in larger numbers.

[@RayCis1]

Back in 1979 It was my first (occasion) car, the cheap 'L' model, drove it for 4 years, loved the gear change lever on the steering wheel, the hatchback type car caught on; just about every other car after this one, was a 5-doors hatchback, only in 2013 I switched to a full station model (Volvo V70, and later the Citroen C5). Only a pity that back then the French cars rusted like hell....since then they've solved that issue

[@yacinebenzerouda1312]

j'en ai acheté deux une tx 1979 et tl 1974 Je ne peux pas oublier ces jours avec cette voiture incroyable

[@carpiston2504]

Back then car launch was an event and celebrated wow Those were the days Thank you Renault and many more

[@vettivelumahinthan2424]

As I am from Ceylon like the back wheel drive car well and France designer of certain cars are making the desirable form of a car, including of Pegeot and Citron also considerable.

[@Truthseeker1515]

My late parents switched from a walnut R16 hatchback version to a red Citroen GS saloon in 1975, a more family friendly car, I was a toddler. Never complained other than there was insufficient space for the expanded family. I love these old cars!

[@johnandmarylouwilde7882]

One of the five best of 90 automobiles that I have owned. Lives on in my 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser.

[@charlieb2176]

The pt is a shitter

[@schleppinghay]

The ashtrays in the back doors were identical to, and interchangeable with those in a Mercedes 220.

[@MrTimdriver]

Excellent car. Had two of ‘em.

[@totalowwnage91]

My father had this car!

[@worldstarrapdz9638]

Back in the past in my country Algeria 🇩🇿 it was illegal to park this car next or near to a bank 🏦 cause criminals used it a lot a getaway car and it was almost impossible to catch them some people say that u can skip gears ⚙️ and take of with the fifth gear idk 😐 about how true was that but back it used to be police nightmare

[@gorsmy]

My father had 3 of them when I was a child all r16ts with round clocks seats were like a armchair and arm rests

[@minimaxi802]

A very practical design long before the French introduced the Renault Scenic and Citroen Picasso.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

Ah,.. one note, the original design was rear engine rear wheel drive, that's why the engine a gearbox are laid out as mid-front, as it was shifted forward from the rear for better packaging.

[@alexfletcher5192]

We had a dark blue one that I was allowed to sit in and pretend to steer on the driveway, up until the point I accidentally knocked off the handbrake and it ended up slipping out of the drive and down the road...

[@martinmartin5904]

R16 : revolutionnary : YES when you think that america catch up only in 1980 for a same type of car with the mediocre torque steer challenging Chevy Citation .

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

Torque steer,... the R16TS would do it, if you dropped the clutch at 4000 rpm :D It would buck side to side but go in a generally straight line,....175 wide tyres tamed it, 195's made it fun.

[@cardigan7726]

I always assumed that the punt chassis and back to front engine/gearbox were copied from the Citroen DS. I have owned both and must admit I preferred the 16.

[@emjayay]

Yes, and the Traction Avant before it plus other early front wheel drive cars like Cords.

[@nelsamedina5103]

Quiero ver reparación de motor

[@luizcarlosbueno7527]

Otimo vídeo

[@SITRUUNASOSEOBTYAH]

MY DREAM I WOULD LOVE TO SIT ON IT CHANGE OIL FROM IT AND TYRES AND LATER DRIVE IT

[@wernerbloemwagen6878]

It had quite a pronounced "frown" at the front - but thís and the Renault 5 introduced the hatchback to the World however, because the Golf I only came out in 1974 - although it became the King of thís Class.

[@johnb.9806]

1.6 litre kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6TdYaKMbMiNmdk Such a lovely car, smooth ride and soft seats. My father had a TS in the same colour.

[@AxelWBak]

Where can I watch the German spoken version?

[@nelsamedina5103]

Videos de reparación del motor

[@robertamoyaw8812]

I thought the Renault 16 had an Oldsmobile V8 engine called the fire bolt 😂

[@robertamoyaw8812]

Is this really a 1.4 L engine driven R 16 ?!!!! It's so smooth it's unbelievable!!!! I love it even more now than when I thought it was a V8 driven car !!! ❤

[@robertamoyaw8812]

Am getting one before I pass on to the next world!!! It was always my favorite toy car back in the 60's 😂

[@gideontilahun4674]

Nice car was it.

[@Topper954]

Should have made an estate.

[@carldeithloff9412]

Looks Saab inspired, yeah?

[@notroll1279]

Nah... I like Saab a lot (drive one myself) but when Renault launched the R16 in the early 1960s, Saab only built the egg-shaped two door Saab 96 with two-stroke engines. The only thing Renault might have been inspired by was front wheel drive - but that had also been used by the Mini, Citroën and a few others...

[@nelsamedina5103]

Reparación de motor

[@nelsamedina5103]

Cómo va el motor mecanica

[@roseterrado7297]

Magic mall

[@nassermadani8109]

Peugeot

[@daweigo6851]

Sadly renult is 🤨 not what it use to be

[@roseterrado7297]

Saklo

[@chrispigott1189]

A wobbly car made from paper thin metal. I hated driving it and it was down right dangerous if you towed a trailer and wanted to go round corners !