Anyone looking for an almost forgotten Renault 19 with a 16-valve engine will regularly come across examples on the internet. Mostly it is a three- or five-door hatchback that has not withstood the test of time very well. Collector Robert Jansma doesn't allow himself to be discouraged in his search for rare low mileage examples. A patient search resulted in this red first series car.
The emphasis of Robert's Renault collection is clearly on the R4 and Supercinq but other models with attractively low mileage also attract his attention. His eye was caught by a rather rare Renault 19 Chamade 16S which was advertised on the French site leboncoin.fr. The red car, which was registered on 24 October 1990, was offered for sale by Renault dealer SARL Darnault Automobiles in Le Teil, a town in the Ardèche. It had the 16-valve car for sale on consignment from a customer, the first owner.
Robert: "The car has covered 88,307 kilometres and has a pretty immaculate interior. I also noticed that there were barely any dents or rust. The problem with a red car’s paintwork is the pigment that fades over the years. After I picked up the 19, I had the car professionally polished and this restored a lot of its original shine".
It is not easy to find a Renault 19 16S or 16V in immaculate condition. Robert: "After all, this model was launched almost 30 years ago and often ended up with a less caring second or third owner. Patient researching is necessary to find models in original condition. I set a high threshold, interested only in cars with a nice interior in an original, undamaged condition. There are plenty of 19 16-valve cars with lowered suspension, incorrect wheels, non-original spoilers and modified skirts. When I see the outside of these cars, I immediately know what I will get in terms of interior and mechanical condition".
Robert has special memories of the 19 Chamade. "As a youngster, I saw one of these cars at a petrol station and immediately thought it special and more attractive than a hatchback. The design of this model is simply right in my eyes, the greater length suites the Chamade and, of course, I used to get brochures from the dealer. When you start looking for such a car so long after it's launch, you'll come across a lot of well worn cars that are for sale for little money. It's nearly impossible to restore a car like that back to its original condition. A lot of switches and small parts of the interior and exterior trim are hard to be found anymore".
Robert justifies his purchase by arguing that the Chamade is a real family car with, for example, four seatbelts. He chooses to ignore the fact that his wife's first reaction wasn't very positive
It is evident that this 19 16S is a good example from its original features and the modest list of work Robert has done or commissioned. "I had the centres of the alloy wheels sprayed, a few dents knocked out and I had some lacquer damage repaired but nothing else. I am very happy with this French version because it was supplied without a catalytic converter in 1990. The cars without a catalytic converter don't have the air intake on the bonnet which spoils the lines for me".
To show that Robert Jansma takes Renault 19’s seriously is demonstrated by the fact that he also owns a 19 Cabriolet 16V - a low mileage, first series car, of course, and entirely perfect down to the smallest detail.
The Renault 19 appeared on the market in 1988 as the successor to the Renault 11 and in late 1990 the Chamade appeared to replace the Renault 9. The sporty version of the 19 is the 16S (S for soupapes in French-speaking countries) and 16V (V for valves, outside France). This was shown in the introduction year (1988) of this model.
At the beginning of 1990 Renault launched the 19 16V/16S as three- and five-door hatchbacks and later that year as a Chamade saloon. Under the bonnet is a modified version of the F-series (1764 cc) with a new cylinder head featuring four valves per cylinder. The first version produced 140 hp and achieved a torque of 161 Nm – this was the version without a catalytic converter. The addition of this environmentally friendly technology reduced the power to 137 hp, while torque was also slightly reduced to 158 Nm. The versions with a catalytic converter can be recognised externally by the air intake on the bonnet.
This 19 Chamade 16S is distinguished by numerous detail differences to the bread and butter Renault 19. These include the 15 inch alloy wheels, which were initially offered as an option, as well as the front fog lights, the on-board computer, power-operated front door windows and two electrically operated and heated exterior mirrors. The boot spoiler is, of course, included as standard as are the special bumpers and skirts and sporty seats with special upholstery.