RENAULT 5

One of Europe’s longest-lived superminis and a best seller for many years, the Renault 5 range offers everything from runabout to hot hatch.

PAUL GUINNESS

BUYING GUIDE Launching in 1972 and surviving for 12 years, the first-generation Renault 5 proved to be a major success. Unlike the Fiat 127 and most later rivals, the Renault employed a longitudinallymounted engine rather than a transverse one, but in every other respect was a genuine supermini with neat looks, an entertaining driving style, hatchback versatility and a wide range of derivatives. Although the French-spec 782cc version was never imported, UK buyers would be offered 5s with 845, 956, 1108, 1289 and 1397cc engines over the years, as well as a wide range of trim levels and – in later life – a five-door version. It even helped to invent the hot hatch segment thanks to the launch of the Gordini (known as the Alpine in France), featuring a…

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Classics World (Digital) - 1 Issue, August 2024

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