The Renault Fuego: Renault's competitor for Mantas and Capris

There was one here in a garden nearby for years to be sad and forgotten: The Renault Fuego ('fire' in Spanish) was a compact family / sports car that, as a replacement for the Renault 15 and 17 coupes from the 1970 years, was produced by Renault from 1980 to 1992. The Renault Fuego was intended to rip off Opel Manta and Ford Capri buyers. And just as with the Mantas and Capris, the Renault Fuegos only became sporty when the buyers looked for it a bit higher in the engine range. For example, if they opted for the two-liter versions. Just like the Manta and Capri, they were not super spacious five-seater. The Renault Fuego had competitive pricing in its segment. The Fuego did quite well with Ford and Opel.

Sold worldwide

Renault Fuegos were sold to Australia and New Zealand. The car was available with a range of engine blocks and luxury options, including automatic transmission, a turbo and a diesel version. It was the first mass-produced sports model with four seats that was designed in a wind tunnel. The Renault Fuego was marketed in the United States by American Motors Corporation (AMC) and was also assembled in various countries in South America. Renault reports that a total of 265.367 Renault Fuegos were made and sold, with a production in France from February 1980 to October 1985 that represented 226.583% of the total with 85 units.

The looks

The Renault Fuego was - besides the Alpine - the only Renault with a name instead of a type designation. The exterior of the Renault Fuego was designed by Michel Jardin, and the interior by François Lampreia, both employees of Et. Robert Opron (who previously had the Citroën SM, Citroën GS and Citroën CX designed in the years 70, plus the Renault 25 in 1984). The Fuego coupé is lyrically described as "the best design that Opron produced at Renault." There were people who thought it was beautiful. And here, almost around the corner, one has been devoured in a garden for four years. Beauty is therefore not always appreciated.

Thanks to the R18

The Renault Fuego was strongly based on the Renault 18, with which he shared his floor plate and powertrain, but with a new design of the front suspension developed on the basis of the larger Renault 20 / 30. The design kept the familiar double wishbone principle of the Renault 18, but the parts were not identical. The new suspension design would later be added to the facelifted Renault 18, and later, with minor refinements, it would also be applied to the new large Renault 25. The steering with was also addressed and the more expensive types had standard power steering H. European production continued until 1985 in France and 1986 in Spain, while Renault Argentina produced the Renault Fuego from 1982 to the end of production in 1992 with the 2,2 liter "GTA Max" (the last phase III facelift introduced in 1990).

Here in the Netherlands, the Renault Fuegos have never been salesmen

If you find another one here, a stainless copy, then that is quite a hit. There are still quite a few Renault Fuegos for sale in France. And is a better excuse for going to France needed?

We also saw the photo model for sale in Arkel. Asking prices of good Renault Fuegos run to around € 3.500. And there may be requirements.