1972 RENAULT 5 3 Doors 1.3L 3AT FWD (55 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Back at the beginning of the ’70s, the French carmakers provided two main options for the small segment: the Renault 4 and the Citroen 2CV. Then, in 1972, the R5 joined the pack and stirred the market.

The studies for the new vehicle started in 1967 when Renault’s CEO, Pierre Dreyfuss, asked the team to design a new vehicle.

The first supermini ever manufactured by the French carmaker, the Renault 5 was revealed in 1972 as a 3-door and 5-door hatchback. The 3-door body style was based on the commercial version of the R4. Its doors didn’t feature any handles. The user had to grab them from behind their edge, through a deeper dent on the bodywork.

The design was the work of Michelle Boue, a 36-year-old stylist. Renault was impressed with Boue’s drawings and quickly authorized a development program. Unfortunately, Boue didn’t get the chance to see his brainchild blossom as he died in late 1971, however, the final design was pretty much like his initial sketches.

Aesthetically, the super-chic styling of the Renault 5 featured straight lines, square headlights, and a steeply sloping rear hatch.

The Renault 5 featured wraparound plastic bumpers that were a big thing in 1971. Developed by Prost-Dame, they were high-impact resistant and the R5 was parking-proof in every crowded city.

Most of its underpinnings were carried over from the popular Renault 4, such as the longitudinal-mounted engine that drove the front wheels. The powerplants were taken from the Renault 4 and the Renault 8, a 782cc with 33.5 hp and a 956cc with 44 hp respectively.

The Renault 5 was very close to winning the European Car of the Year in 1973, however, the title was awarded to the Audi 80.