Renner 19 appreciation

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Gotta be honest, I dont appreciate renner 19's all that much, although I'm happy to see one blezzing about from time to time. However, its not often somone puts pen to paper about why the renner 19 is a significant milestone in the history of car styling. Someone has done exactly that over on the BG however, so as i'm a nice guy I have translated it for you lot, i figured it might appeal to shiters. The text is a bit flowery, but thats because a) it started out in french and its about car styling, so some floweriness is inevitable.

 

http://www.blenheimgang.com/blenheim-sleepers-renault-19/

 

 

No, we haven't suffered a brain injury, the car we'd like to talk about today is indeed the Renault 19. Because, this car is, believe it or not, an icon of design.

 

Flashback. We're in 1988 and popular cars are still looking like brightly-coloured shoeboxes. Renault's 'cars for life' are of an extraordinary banality, Peugeot 'the lion shows its claws' has barely started to modernise itself, and the flaming chevrons of Citroën were just beginning a desert crossing which was to last a good 15 years. Basically, the French car design landscape was suffering a debilitating level of poverty.

 

 

Lets be clear of course, that Giugiaro did not desperately seek out a rescuing hand from La regie at the moment when he wanted to create a flamboyant design. His previous effort to make the Renault 21 a milestone in design, had been so mutilated internally by Renault that even by his own admission, the production car would be little more than a maladjusted version of his Audi 80 theme.

The instruction to Giugiaro was this time that the car should evoke one overriding theme: the quality of manufacture. Look carefully at our pics of the 19. You can't admittedly say at first sight that it is a strikingly beautiful car, but the lines are harmonious, with fine, simple lines, everything seeming to fit into place, without any particular feature spoiling the homogeneity of the overall look.

This is the beauty of the Renault 19 - the impressive qualities of the way the panels of the body interact with one another, all in the service of one idea; Solidity.

 

 

This solidity is above all expressed by the monolithic quality of the car, a theme already explored by Giorgetto Guigiaro with the first VW Golf. Wherever you look, the surfaces of the body are wide, smooth, reassuring, without any concentrated or isolated features to break the effect. The bonnet drops to the bumper without the interruption of a grille. The sides are of a reassuring depth, with a high waistline. The heavy C-pillar, aiding the rigidity of the shell, gives it an almost unbreakable look.

 

 

The detail which makes the biggest difference is the 'autoclave' (clamshell) doors. Again, these were not a groundbreaking feature (the Peugeot 405 was using this design 12 months before the R19), but this typically Giugiaro feature made perfect sense at last on the R19. What is an autoclave door? ON this type of door, the window surround extends right up to the edge of the windscreen and right into the roof of the vehicle, with the initial aim of rendering obsolete the rain gutter channels. Their real benefit is aesthetic however; they permit the deletion of joint lines around the doors and windows. Where previously there may have been two joints, there are now one or even none in the case of the windscreen surround. Reducing this number of joint lines contributes significantly to this impression of invulnerability. 'The Renault 19 is as strong as a safe-deposit box' - such were the words of Giugiaro himself.

 

 

Practical result: The R19 was the most popular foreign car in Germany from 1988-90. A historic success.

 

With the 19, Renault had what it needed to reassure customers of the quality, solidity and finish of its cars. Unfortunatley these values disappeared with the unsucccessful restyle, which caused it to lose all its original interest, in favour of a friendly but slightly goofy-looking face, no doubt inspired to some extent by the then-current Twingo. Volkswagen continued the original design themes into its mk3 golf, from whence the Mk4 grew, and those values of solidity and quality have shaped its entire modern image. In the meantime, Renault continued its hesitant stylistic waltz, alternating flashes of genius with cars of depressing sterility, right up to its current stylistic fiasco.

 

If you were wondering, no, we're not encouraging you to go out and buy a renner 19 for its design, or for any other reason. But at least now, you can look at the few sad survivors of the Mk1 R19, with their often flaking and tarnished paint, with a minimum of interest, and thats something at least.

[garethj]

I quite like the style of these, I think they did well to make a shape that was sportyish (or at least as sporty as a Scirocco) but with 4 doors. This doesn't seem to come across in photos.

 

They also came in a fetching metallic blue which looked great.

 

Cheers for the translation, it's the dogs errrr bollox

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I always thought the Renault 19 was very banal, but you don't see them any more. Judging by my granddad's 19 Diesel they are pretty rugged, but what's killed them off? Indifference?

[Espacetic]

I had a 19 RSI a few years back, paid £70 for it as a runaround and I was really impressed with it. Handled well, good on fuel, quick enough and really comfy to drive. Very underrated car.

 

I think what killed them off was parts prices and the ability for the bonnet to rot through, plus the publics view that cars are just disposable items.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

What engine would that have in then, a 19RSi?

[pogweasel]

I think that they're stretching the realms of reality a bit there.

An R19 is a perfectly acceptable car in every sense, so just like most other french offerings between THE PAST and NOW.

Hardly a styling revolution ir a quantum leap in automotive dynamics.

Notable only for the apathy shown to them by the British car-buying public, they are increasingly uncommon and therefore interesting, in the same way as a Peugeot 304 or Renault 14 is interesting.

I don't doubt that a well-pampered highly-specc'd one is a nice way to plod about and a 16v is a much more interesting & probably better-driving product than a Escort XR3, but lets not get too carried away now...

[barrett]

I always thought the Renault 19 was very banal, but you don't see them any more. Judging by my granddad's 19 Diesel they are pretty rugged, but what's killed them off? Indifference?

 

I think so. they are just an 'old car' without any of the famous unbreakable qualities of things like 205s/405s or Bluebirds of the same era, regardless of what Giugiaro says. I can't seeing these even begin to become interesting enough to collectors or even shiteists until they reach double figure survival rates. shame as I do think they are a nice solid design, especially a really early one with grey placca bumpers.

 

On a similar note, I've started to take in interest in the Citroen ZX - Another pretty bland car that actually has a very intelligent design. What is the Shite community's thoughts on those?

[Espacetic]

RSI was a 1.8 and the 19 is quite a light car so performance was quite brisk.

I lent it to a mate while his Skyline GTR was having the gearbox sorted and he went out and bought a 19 16v because he was so impressed.

[face]

There's a decent looking black 16V one I see on my way to work - I'll try and get a snap of it.

 

Back in the late 90's a mate of mine had a blue 16V Chamade saloon - that was real nice

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Sounds nice that, I've never heard of a 19 RSi, that sounds like the kind of motor which would sell for £125 on the bay even if it was in really nice nick, sounds like my sort of motor.

 

NB you dont have to take the article too seriously, i'm certainly not rushing out to buy a 19! Just seemed interesting that someone would propose this car, which to me has always seeemed as dull as ditchwater, to be some sort of style icon.

[Mr Lobster]

I quite like R19s. The diesels do seem to keep going if looked after and the Phase 1 16v is a decent looking thing. Relatively unremarkable though and not really something you could get too excited about but in ten years I'll probably really want one but by then it'll be too late!

[CreepingJesus]

I've found myself casting a wistful glance at the odd 19. Including the local one I found on t'bay recently, which elicited a firm 'no' from herself. I slightly miss my old 1.4 pov-spec 3 dr, the styling was a bit more coherent than the Phase 1 Meg.

I get what the article's saying about the strength of simplicity in the original design, it's one of those designs I could stare at for a few minutes and really 'see it'. No feature is out of place, perfectly proprtioned, strong and simple. Personally, I think they messed it up a bit with the Meg - same idea, but a bit overdesigned for the sake of it.

What killed them would probly be what killed mine: it pretty much fell apart in a one'r. It was cheaper to send it across the bridge, and buy something else. Shame really, 'cos they were also a good bit easier to work on than the Meg!

The RSi, would be my pick of the bunch too; comfier than the 16v, but with most of the performance. Also less obvious to the lock punchers, and less likely to cause a traffic light GP, by just waiting for the lights to turn green.

[gearoil]

On a similar note, I've started to take in interest in the Citroen ZX - Another pretty bland car that actually has a very intelligent design. What is the Shite community's thoughts on those?

 

Yes, I like them. Got outbid on two different diesel estates and ended buying a V6 Vectra... PATIENCE FAIL...

 

Never noticed the front door detail on the R19, every day is a school day and all that

[ProgRocker]

There has been an F reg 19 'Energy' in pale metallic blue doing the rounds on the estate I grew up on. Remember seeing it a few years ago so its given what must have been at least 15 years of good service to its owner.

[Pillock]

There appears to be a massive difference in looks between the 16v and the base models. All they've done is paint a few plastic bits and fitted deeper bumpers and skirts yet the 16v models look pretty hard. Not a massive fan of the poverty spec models though.

We had a Renault dealer at the bottom of the road years ago, my mum test drove a 19 but got an Astra instead. Liked the 19 but just felt outdated, in 1994 it hadn't aged well and was close to the end of it's life. The Astra was still pretty fresh, being a much younger design.

 

I'd have a sporty one, no questions. I'm a bit scared of french quality but I guess if I'm constantly looking at 20-year-old cars they're all going to have the same faults. I also like the ragtop models with the "speed humps" on the hard cover.

[boobydoo]

I always liked the ZX. The last ones in 1997, were called Temptation....a 1.4 5 door family hatchback for £5995...nowt short of a bargain in my book!!

[oldford]

I remember when they first came on to the fleet at Europcar, lots of F plate 1.4s. We had a bulletin on them for some recall work on them, I took one to our local Renault dealer along with the bulletin which ran to something like 200 cars listed by (consecutive F---RLF) registration number to be told that 'We ain't doing that lot'.

 

A few years later on new years eve I had a trip out in a Europcar 16V where I had to go from Ipswich, drop my boss off in Croydon to get a Volvo and leave the 16V at Heathrow to bring back a Peugeot 605 SVE, 3 litre V6.

 

Europcar in the 80s was half owned by Renault, so they always had them on the fleet.

[garycox]

I like seeing the old 19s, there's not many about now. I wouldn't mind an early one, they're not something I'd 'want' but I'd be up for saving an early one if it was desined to be scrapped.

 

Thanks for the translation Mr_B.

[timmyteapot]

Im no big Renault fan but always like the 19, though it was a nice design and very well proportioned, the 3dr 16v was really smart in an 80s tacked on bodykit kinda way, they drove well too, and even the 1.4 went ok and seemed pretty rust resistant, dont know about reliability though, I imagine it wasnt too toyota standard!

 

You do see the odd minter buzzin about driven by an old duffer.

[seth]

The R19 was the most popular foreign car in Germany from 1988-90.

 

I'm trying to decided how much that is a compliment, if at all.

[Gompo]

I think the '16v' looked bloody great, I saw one recently and had to stop and had to turn around and get a snap. I dont really like the 5 doors but then I rarely do. The cabriolets were also quite nice, paved the way for the 306 cab in a way. Possibly the most resolved converted hatch of the last 30 years.

 

Interesting 'article'.

[fiatdaft]

i took a very tidy phase 1 chamade 16v in p/ex for a gsxr i was selling about 10 years ago,i wish i had held out for the cash!

[Pete-M]

I've driven a few 16v ones and while they do go pretty well, they feel like they're about to explode any minute.

 

Back int' Avis days they had a load of 19 Diesels which were absolutely horrifically bad. Really bloody awful. They had R21 Savanna 7 seaters at the same time, which weren't anywhere near as hateful. When the Laguna was launched it was as if Renault had suddenly jumped forward 10 years.

[Negative Creep]

On a similar note, I've started to take in interest in the Citroen ZX - Another pretty bland car that actually has a very intelligent design. What is the Shite community's thoughts on those?

 

Yes, I like them. Got outbid on two different diesel estates and ended buying a V6 Vectra... PATIENCE FAIL...

 

Never noticed the front door detail on the R19, every day is a school day and all that

 

 

I had the 1.9d estate and grew rather fond of it. Of course it was incredibly slow, noisy and the steering was stupidly heavy. Yet I liked the fact it was completely unpretentious and the only minor problem I had was having to clean some gunk from the fuel filter housing. After a run of unreliable cars it was nice to have something I didn't have to worry about

[trigger]

I've always liked the R19, and my claim to fame is being one of the first people in the country to get ran over and put in hospital by one .

 

I used to live opposite a Renault garage on the corner of a junction, Back in March 1989 when i was 8 my mum would watch me across the road on my way to school which was around the corner, One morning she told me cross which i did but i never saw the Renault garage's Boss, Jock, coming across the road in a brand new unregistered R19 straight out of the showroom, he managed to break my left leg in two places in the progress.

 

I still smile when i see one! How sad is that!.

 

On a different note I've driven a few blue 16v's and they are a stonkingly quick car and don't half look the part especially the 16v Cabriolets with them two humps when the roofs down.

[Bren]

The ZX is a cracking little car, especially the 1.9 TD. I was looking for one of these a few years back, bought a Xantia Estate with the same motor (fantastic car). The rear wheels on the ZX have passive steering, so it handles really well. If I was looking for a cheap hack I would look for one of these, just watch for rot at the front of the car - chassis members and inner wings.