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Renault 20/30
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The Renault 20 and Renault 30 are two executive cars produced by the French automaker Renault between 1975 and 1984. The most upmarket and expensive Renaults of their time, the two cars were effectively identical; the 30 was the larger engined and more expensive of the two. The two cars were easily distinguished between each other from their differing headlight configuration — the Renault 20 had two single rectangular headlights whereas the Renault 30 had quadruple round headlights.
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Encyclopedia
The Renault 20 and Renault 30 are two executive cars produced by the French automaker Renault between 1975 and 1984. The most upmarket and expensive Renaults of their time, the two cars were effectively identical; the 30 was the larger engined and more expensive of the two. The two cars were easily distinguished between each other from their differing headlight configuration — the Renault 20 had two single rectangular headlights whereas the Renault 30 had quadruple round headlights. Over 622,000 R20s and R30s were produced in Sandouville, Le Havre, France.
Introduction
Launched in March 1975, the Renault 30 TS was the first Renault with an engine larger than four cylinders since before World War II. It was one of the first cars (the other two being the Peugeot 604 and Volvo 264) to use the then newly-introduced 2664 cc PRV V6 engine, which was developed jointly between Peugeot, Renault and Volvo; the PRV produced and could power the R30 to a top speed of 185 km/h. The vehicle's hatchback styling was derivative of the extremely successful Renault 16.
The more affordable Renault 20, which was presented at the Paris Salon in November 1975 (exactly eight months after the Renault 30 TS), used the same hatchback body styling as the 30 but with two rectangular headlights instead of the 30's quadruple round lights. Under the bonnet, the 20 had the smaller four-cylinder 1647 cc engine (from the Renault 16 TX) rated at . Other technical differences between the 20 and 30 were that 20 used drum brakes at the rear wheels, 13 inch wheel rims, and a smaller 60 litre fuel tank. The 20 came in three different trim variations: L, TL and GTL. The two cars were effectively two different specifications of the same car despite their separate numeric classification.
Both Renaults 20 and 30 were advanced in terms of safety, featuring front and rear crumple zones as well as side impact protection.
Reliability issues, such as niggling mechanical faults (which sometimes proved expensive to fix) plagued both cars throughout their lifetimes. Shortly after their introduction, it soon became quite clear that R20 had an engine too small and underpowered to cope with the overall size and weight of the car and that the R30 was quite expensive to buy. In response to this, the R20TS was introduced, and used a new four-cylinder 1995 cc overhead camshaft engine rated at 109 bhp (which was shared with the Citroën CX and later the Peugeot 505). The new 2.0 litre engine was universally regarded as a big improvement. The following year saw the introduction of the R30TX (a more luxurious fuel-injected version of the R30TS), then the R20 Diesel.
In 1981, the 2.2 litre fuel-injected R20TX was added to the range, followed by the R30 Turbo-Diesel. Production of the 20 and 30 ceased on 16 October 1983 to make way for the Renault 25.
20/30 specifications
Production figures
R1270: 20/30 Turbo-D 27,601
R1271: 20 L/TL/GTL 187,001
R1272: 20 TS 201,401
R1273 No figures
R1275: 30 TS 68,401
R1276: 20 TD/GTD 84,801
R1277: 20 LS/TS 100,401
R1278: 30 TX 40,401
R1279: 20 TX 33,801
Dacia
In the mid-1980s, the then-nationalized Romanian manufacturer Dacia produced a small number of Renault 20s under the name Dacia 2000, reserved entirely for the dignitaries and secret police of the Communist government led by Nicolae Ceausescu.
Motorsport
A specially prepared Renault 20 Turbo 4x4 driven by Bernard Marreau won the Paris-Alger-Dakar Rally in 1982.
Timeline
- March 1975 - Introduction of the Renault 30 TS, a large 5-door hatchback available in only one specification, the TS with the 2664 cc V6 engine (developed jointly between Peugeot, Renault and Volvo), with a choice between a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic gearbox. The R30 TS had power-assisted steering, four round headlights, electric front windows and central locking.
- November 1975 - Introduction of the Renault 20, in L, TL and GTL specifications, with the smaller 4-cylinder 1647cc (90 bhp) engine and 4-speed gearbox. All three variations of the R20 had two rectangular headlights instead of the four round ones like on the R30 TS. The L had very basic trim and no hubcaps. The TL had a better equipment level, while the GTL had much the same equipment level as the R30TS. Automatic transmission was optional on the R20 TL and R20 GTL.
- 1976 - The 1647 cc engine from the R20 had the power rating increased to .
- Late 1977/early 1978 - The R20L was dropped from the range because of slow sales, its presence was only justified by its price. All models got a restyled instrument panel visor. The R30 TS had its power dropped from 131 to . Optional steel wheels with Michelin TRX tyres.
- July 1977 - Introduction of the R20 TS. It had a new 1995cc engine (rated at 109 bhp), with the choice of a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic gearbox. The equipment level remained largely the same as the R20 GTL.
- October 1978 - Introduction of the R30 TX. It had a more powerful Bosch K-Jetronic fuel-injected version of the 2664 cc V6 engine, 5-speed manual or 3-speed automatic gearbox. It also had alloy wheels, electric windows all-round, electric sunroof, velour upholstery, and front and rear head restraints.
- 1979 - Revisions to all models: left rear fog light and rear seat belts. The R20 TS got a new cooling fan, inertia reel rear seat belts, a new windscreen wiper switch, and the choice of a 5-speed gearbox. The R30 TS got a more powerful engine, and small pocket in the drivers sun visor.
- 1979 - Introduction of the R20 LS. It had the same mechanical specification as the R20 TS but the equipment specification of the R20 TL.
- September 1979 - Introduction of the R20 Diesel (in TD and GTD forms) with new 2068 cc Diesel (66 bhp) engine, 5-speed gearbox, negative offset front suspension, and larger four-stud wheel rims. The R20 TD was equivalent to the R20 TL/LS, while the R20 GTD: equivalent to the R20 TS only it added power-steering.
- 1980 - All models got a pantograph drivers side wiper, and a completely restyled interior with new dashboard and instrument panel from the Renault Fuego. All petrol models got a new type of automatic transmission option. R20 TL/GTL got new alternator with built-in electronic regulator and new 3-spoke wheel rims. The R20 TS now had the wheel rims from the R30 TS. The R30 TS/TX got a chrome grille surround.
- 1981: All R20 models got new dual-circuit braking system and negative offset front suspension. The R20 GTL was discontinued, leaving the R20 TL the only model to have the 1.6-liter engine. The R30 TX got new bumpers.
- 1981 - R30TS discontinued.
- 1981 - A new 2.2 L engine rated at is introduced in the new 20 TX. A new 2.0 L diesel engine rated at is added to the R20 range.
- 1982 - A new turbodiesel engine delivering and derived from the naturally-aspirated diesel engine is introduced in the new R30 Turbo D.
- 1983 - The R20 and R30 cease production, to be replaced by Renault 25.
TV and film appearances
- In 1985, a Renault 20 was hit by a Renault 11 taxi that was being driven by James Bond in A View to a Kill. The R20 suffered body damage, while the R11 was sliced in half.
- Also a R30 appeared in "a real movie" being driven by Yves Montand in Choice Of Arms (Le Choix Des Armes)
- A R30 was used in 2008 the Argentine movie . Alma (played by Valeria Bertuccelli) drives an old R30 all along the movie.
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