Renault 16 USA 1968
French chic and American tradition

Rare
A tour around
Rear passenger
En détail...

Rare

French cars are rare in the United States by default. This is true especially during the years when Renault served the huge country with its own network. In order to meet American requirements, the Renault 16 underwent numerous changes.

Text: Tony Vos - Photos: Losange Magazine

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Ultra-modern

When the Renault 16 was launched on the US market, it was referred to in publications as a sedan-wagon. This was Renault's way of making it clear that, for its time, the ultra-modern French five-door was somewhere between a sedan and a station wagon. And while a Renault 16 was a large car by European standards, the average American saw it very differently, perceiving the quirky French car as a compact.

Not identical

Renault entered the North American market in early 1968 with the 16 Sedan-Wagon. The specially adapted version for America was immediately fitted with the 1,565 cc engine that appeared in the 16 TS the same year. But the two engines were not identical. Whereas the TS had a cross-flow cylinder head, the American engine had intake and exhaust on the same side. Power increased from 55 to 62 bhp compared to the existing 1,470 cc engine, where the TS had 85 bhp.

Oldest surviving example

This meant that the US R1152 appeared much earlier than the European Renault 16 TL with a similar engine and the same R-number. Looking into the engine compartment of this beautifully restored example by Joseph Dedoncker, the oval plaque shows that this is the fourteenth example of the R1152 and very likely the oldest surviving example of the American Renault 16.

A tour around

Joseph takes us on a tour around and inside his car, for the differences are vast. Of course, everyone notices the twin round headlamps with custom grille. Round headlights were mandatory in America at the time. The extra bracket over the front bumper, the all-red tail lights, the side reflectors, these are the immediate eye-catchers. The side reflectors were later replaced by sidelights. The American R16 also got the rectangular tail lights. The tyres have a narrow white strip, as seen in the US brochures of the time.

Further back

But the proud owner points out details that are not noticed at first glance. The American Renault 16 was two centimetres longer than its European counterpart. The difference is due to the rear bumper, which has been moved further back. This seems like a minor change, but the bumper is completely different. There is no recess in the middle section for the number plate light, and the attachment of the corner sections has been modified.

"Ich habe die Restaurierung so perfekt wie möglich gemacht, bis ins kleinste Detail. Aber manchmal stößt man auf Unmögliches."
John Doe

At the front you can see that the indicators have been moved further forward. The city light function has been integrated into the indicators, so the front lights are orange. At the rear, the reversing lights, which appeared on the 16 TS shortly afterwards, are located under the olive-shaped light units. The parking lights on the front wings were retained, as were the Renault logo on the underside of the tailgate and the aluminium strip with the Renault 16 logo on the rear wings.

Chrome and aluminium

The chrome and aluminium details stand out nicely against the background of the bleu-gris metallic (435) paintwork, called Silver Blue in the US brochure. Joseph bought the car before restoring it in 2019 and 2020. The body was in excellent condition, but I didn't like the original dark red colour. Other than that, the car was basically just a box of parts. I did all the technical restoration myself, leaving the bodywork to a specialist. As it was far from clear how to fit certain parts, I bought another American Renault 16 to use as an example.

Rear passenger

He then opens the doors, and even this example is bursting with details that differ from what we are used to in Europe. You might not notice it at first, but the door locks are different and there are buttons on the front door panels to lock the doors from the inside. Under both front seats there is a pipe that can be used to heat the rear passenger footwell.

Indicator lights

Sitting behind the wheel, your eyes fall on the dashboard. The more you look at the details, the more differences you notice. For example, the frame of the instrument cluster is much wider. Also, in addition to the speedometer, the odometer, the fuel gauge and the narrow bar with the indicator lights, houses the cigarette lighter, the sliders for adjusting the airflow and some control buttons that are arranged horizontally instead of vertically.
The US version also has the ignition switch in a completely different position. Not to the right of the steering column, because space had to be reserved there for a unit with outlets for the air conditioning, if ordered. The ignition is therefore on the far left of the dashboard frame. The central spoke of the steering wheel bears the design of the 16 TS. In good American custom, the high beam is controlled by a large foot switch to the left of the pedals, so the lever on the steering wheel has no high beam position. A keen observer will also notice that the bars of the light and gear levers are not chrome, but matte. The black knob at the end of the gear lever also appears thicker. The armrest between the front seats is higher and has a large storage compartment. Renault seems to have gone out of its way to please the American buyer.

Made in France

A look under the bonnet shows that changes have also been made here. These include the fitting of a thicker radiator, known as the 'grand froid' version.
The power-assisted braking system is dual on the front wheels and single on the rear. There are two pots of brake fluid on the master cylinder. If there was a pressure difference between the front wheels, a light on the dashboard would illuminate. An early version of an emission control system was also fitted. On the inside of the bonnet is the familiar 'Special USA Renault Made in France' sticker that adorns all French-built cars for North America.

Sweden

Joseph: "I tried to make the restoration as perfect as possible, down to the smallest detail. But sometimes you come up against the impossible. For example, the side reflectors are hard to find. I managed to find the red ones, but I had to make the orange ones myself. I had to go to Sweden for some parts because the Renault 16 has been modified for that country.

Designers in Detroit

According to Joseph, there are about six or seven American Renault 16s known to exist in the world. Its career on the other side of the ocean was relatively short. With the arrival of the Renault 12, 15 and 17 in late 1971, the five-door's days were pretty much numbered. The same was true of the Renault 10, which joined the 16 in the range. In 1972, the sedan and the five-door were discontinued. In the last full year, 1971, Renault sold 5,999 units of the R16; in 1972, 1,391 left the modest Renault dealer network.
The American magazine Road Test wrote very positively about the Renault 16 in 1969, both for its five-door concept and its handling. They suggested that all designers in Detroit should drive a Renault 16 for a compulsory two weeks. They even compared the suspension characteristics with the hydro-pneumatic systems of Mercedes, Rolls-Royce and Citroën. No wonder Renault was only too happy to quote them in their own publications.

Joseph has a fine collection of Renault 16s. He has just found this American version in Europe. The story goes that a French engineer had specifically ordered an American Renault. After getting his licence, Joseph drove a Renault 16 TX automatic. This was followed by a Renault 4 and another 16 TX, a manual with a sliding roof, which he drove for three years. The next car was a green TL, which he still keeps in his garage as a spare part donor. Twenty years passed without driving an R16. But for his 50th birthday he started his collection, which now includes a TA, TS, TX and this American. ‹›

En detail..


Renault 16 USA (R1152)


Engine:
Type 821-05, 4-cylinder petrol, 8 valves, Solex 26/35 DIDSA3 double carburettor, bore x stroke 77 x 84 mm, capacity 1,565 cc. Power 62 (DIN) bhp at 5,000 rpm, torque 113 Nm at 3,000 rpm, compression ratio 8.6:1. 12-volt electrical system.
Gearbox:
Type 336-05. Manual gearbox with 4 synchronised forward and 1 reverse gear, ratios 1st - 3.61, 2nd - 2.25, 3rd - 1.48, 4th - 1.032, reverse - 3.08, final drive 3.77. Optional 3-speed automatic gearbox. Independent suspension all round with torsion springs (front longitudinal, rear transverse) and hydraulic shock absorbers. Tyres 145 x 355.
Dimensions/weights:
Length 4.277 metres, width 1.650 metres (without mirrors), height 1.460 metres, wheelbase 2.650/2.449 metres. Track width front 1.280 metres, rear 1.244 metres, ground clearance 0.115 metres. Turning circle 9.75 metres (between kerbs).
Weight: 1,020 kg, maximum permitted mass 1,420 kg. Fuel tank capacity 50 litres.

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