The car rocks like a sailing boat in rough seas. The gears are hard to find with the clunky manual transmission. Still, I’m grinning broadly as I gondola through the French countryside northwest of Paris.
I’m behind the wheel of a 1974 Renault 5 TL from the French manufacturer’s collection. Its bright yellow paintwork stands out strongly against the green forests and meadows and the blue sky on this beautiful summer’s day. Such bright colors were en vogue when the R5 was presented for the first time in 1972 at the Geneva Motor Show. The sale of the small car started immediately after the trade fair – in orange, sky blue or bright green.
Meets the zeitgeist
The cheerful colors matched the hippie era of the time and brought joy to a decade marked by crises, upheavals and the Vietnam War. At the same time, they were intended to appeal to women, who increasingly began to work and drive themselves in the 1970s.
With its charming and new forms, the R5 received the joie de vivre, the joie de vivre, for the French. The plastic bumpers, which replaced the classic bumpers for the first time, provided a fresh design. Because they were more practical, they quickly became the new industry standard. Also new was the wide and low tailgate for easy access to the 215 to 900 liter trunk.
But not only because of its fresh look, the R5 has been sold over nine million times in 22 years. The small car also scored with low maintenance costs. In this way he kept the Grande Nation mobile during the 1973 oil crisis and the subsequent recession. At the same time, in the 1970s, the number of medium-sized companies that were able to enjoy new freedoms with cars grew.
This is how the 50-year-old drives
Even today, the R5 conveys freedom. It frees me from the digital world for a few hours. There are no screens here, and even the built-in radio was only an optional extra 50 years ago. A few buttons, mechanical slide controls for the ventilation and analogue displays – there is nothing more in the cockpit.
I’m sitting in black cloth seats with no headrest and I’m looking at a black rubber cover in the dashboard. The yellow sheet metal of the bodywork often flashes, but everything still looks coherent. The Renault 5 is tiny, but the sense of space fits. In today’s Clio I don’t have much more space, but the center console separates me from the passenger.
44 HP is so much fun
A four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 956 ccm and 44 hp (32 kW) and 69 Nm of power provides more than enough propulsion. Also because the R5 is only 970 kilograms light. So I rattle loosely and fluffy over the country roads. Although it leans to the side in curves, it surprises with good road holding. In tight corners we have to crank the steering wheel (no servos, of course) and the pedals want to be pushed hard. But that doesn’t detract from the driving pleasure.
Of course, when it comes to safety, the 1974 R5 is hopelessly outdated. But the short journey through time makes it clear to me: You don’t need a big or powerful car to have driving fun – and certainly not for everyday use.
Electrifying rebirth
Exactly 20 years after Renault stopped producing the R5 in 1994, the little friend is set to return. The French have announced a purely electric successor for 2024. The Renault 5 Prototype study (image) presented last year already arouses anticipation of the production model. It cites the shape of the cult model from the 1970s and 1980s in a modern way. The new edition should build on the success of the original R5 and electrify the general public.
Exactly 20 years after Renault stopped producing the R5 in 1994, the little friend is set to return. The French have announced a purely electric successor for 2024. The Renault 5 Prototype study (image) presented last year already arouses anticipation of the production model. It cites the shape of the cult model from the 1970s and 1980s in a modern way. The new edition should build on the success of the original R5 and electrify the general public.
