The Renault 9 and Renault 11 are small family cars produced by the French manufacturer Renault from 1981 to 1989 in saloon (Renault 9) and hatchback (Renault 11) configurations — both were styled by the French automobile designer, Robert Opron .
118-739: Variants were manufactured by American Motors Corporation (AMC), as the Renault Alliance and Renault Encore for the North American market. The car was produced in Turkey until 2000. The models use a transverse front-wheel drive engine configuration, and feature four wheel independent suspension. They were chosen as the European Car of the Year in 1982, as well as the Car of the Year by Motor Trend and one of
236-410: A C d of 0.28, and at its launch, the 25 was easily the best in its class for fuel economy. All Renault 25 models were front-wheel drive , with four-cylinder (2 and 2.2 L petrol injection or 2.1 L diesel) and six-cylinder (2849 cc and 2458 cc turbo injection) engines mounted longitudinally forward of the front axle. The 25's performance was above average for its class, at least in
354-532: A bother some decline" actually began falling behind in share of sales. Moreover, a new line of redesigned cars in the full and mid-sized markets was launched in the fall of 1966. The cars won acclaim for their fluid styling, and Abernethy's ideas did work as Ambassador sales increased significantly. However, the dated designs of the Rambler Americans hurt its sales, which offset gains from Ambassador sales. There were quality control problems with introducing
472-554: A decade before the Big Three offered them as options. Bendix disc brakes were made standard on the Marlin and optional on other models in 1965. This made the Marlin one of the first modern American cars with standard disc brakes, while the Big Three did not offer them until the early 1970s on most of their models to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards . In the early part of the decade, sales were strong, thanks in no small part to
590-598: A definite advantage in ride and handling against other small cars available in America at the time and even had their own SCCA spec racing series, the Alliance Cup. The Renault 11 was manufactured between October 1984 and December 1994 in Renault Argentina's Santa Isabel plant with the following trim levels: GTL, RL, RN, TR, TS, TSE, TXE with the 1.4 M1400 engine by Renault Argentina and after by CIADEA . Manufacture of
708-705: A facelifted version featured fuel injection, assisted steering, and a completely new interior. After 16 years of production, the Renault 9 was discontinued in Colombia, and was replaced by the Renault 19 and the Renault Mégane . It became the quintessential family car in Colombia, reaching over 115,000 units built and sold between 1983 and 1999, a record in the automotive Colombian history up to that time. Sanfu Motors in Taiwan assembled
826-464: A full-sized Ford or Chevy. There was only an absence of largest-sized cars from the American Motors lineup in 1963 and 1964 The first cars bearing his signature were the 1965 models. The 1965 models were a major makeover of the new platform that had just been introduced in 1963. These were a longer Ambassador series and new convertibles for the larger models. During mid-year, a fastback , called
944-466: A full-sized car in 1974 and was discontinued after the 1974 model year, leaving only the Matador as American Motors' full-size offering. Nash and American Motors made Ambassadors from 1927 through 1974, the longest use of the same model name for any American Motors product and, at the time, the longest continuously used nameplate in the industry. In 1974, the first-generation Matador two-door hardtop, known as
1062-459: A joint research effort to consider producing an electric car that was to be powered by a "self-charging" battery. Sonotone had the technology for making sintered plate nickel–cadmium batteries that can be recharged very rapidly and are lighter than a typical automobile lead–acid battery . In 1959, American Motors hired designer Dick Teague, who had previously worked for General Motors , Packard , and Chrysler ; after Edmund E. Anderson left
1180-554: A new base model called the Renault 9 in Spring 1991. Power varied between 60 and 72 PS (44 and 53 kW) depending on model and year. In April 1993, the range was updated, using the Phase 2 facelift front. The 1.4-liter Broadway with 72 PS replaced the Spring and other models, while the 1.6-liter 80 PS (59 kW) Fairway model was added, using the Argentinian C2L engine with
1298-580: A particularly luxurious finish was made available on the V6 Injection: Baccara (from the [Baccarat (game)|card game] popularized in the film series "007"), available with Amber leather seats only. From April 1990 (phase 3), with the appearance of the Euro 1 anti-pollution standard requiring a catalytic converter , this finish was added to the V6 Turbo versions which will also have new electronic management of
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#17328767009331416-449: A plain brown wrapper, instead of the previous year's glossy cover. A completely new design was also slated for the larger 1967 models. This strategy added $ 60 million in retooling costs, a significant stretch for the company. The latest models shared fewer parts and were more expensive to build. Abernethy continued his objective to position the new Rebel and Ambassador designs on an equal basis with competitive economy models marketed by
1534-438: A refusal to participate in the Big Three's restyling race. This cost-control policy helped Rambler develop a reputation for building solid economy cars. Company officials were confident in the changing market and in 1959 announced a $ 10 million (US$ 104,520,548 in 2016 dollars ) expansion of its Kenosha complex (to increase annual straight-time capacity from 300,000 to 440,000 cars). A letter to shareholders in 1959 claimed that
1652-408: A result, 1958 became AMC's first year of profitability since its formation, with $ 28 million in earnings. The Nash and Hudson brands were dropped, and Rambler became a marque in its own right and the mainstay of the company. The popular British-built Metropolitan subcompact continued as a standalone brand until it was discontinued in 1961. The prototype 1958 Nash Ambassador / Hudson Hornet , built on
1770-604: A result, most 25s remaining are the five-speed manual and few automatics have survived. Three automatic transmissions were used on R25: MJ3, 4141, both three-speed, and a new four-speed AR4, later used on the Renault Safrane as AD4/AD8. Due to the poor quality and design of the ATF cooler, especially on the later AR4, these versions have gained a poor reputation for reliability. A leaking ATF cooler could lead to gearbox failure with little or no physical warning, except for ATF stains beneath
1888-490: A sedan and a wagon, for use in his popular television series Adam-12 , increasing the cars' public profile. Matadors saw fleet use as taxis, government, police, and fire vehicles in some states. In 1973, American Motors signed a licensing agreement with Curtiss-Wright to build Wankel engines for cars and Jeeps. Starting in 1974, the Matador sedan and station wagon were mildly refreshed, with new boxier front and rear ends, making it full-sized. This second-generation model
2006-491: A small number of run-out post-facelift cars fitted with the 2.2i engine, mainly to use up stocks. Power increased marginally and these were rated at 126 PS (93 kW). The 2.2 engine was removed from French listings in 1990 but production continued for certain export markets until production of the 25 ended in February 1992, to make way for the Renault Safrane . French market specifications: In October 1988, during phase 2,
2124-531: A special edition of 500 cars called the Flash Galatasaray was produced. In 1990, there was a Fenerbahçe special edition. Both of these featured elements in the team colours and various other special equipment. In 1993, the 11 was facelifted (Phase 3), with the GTS replaced by a 1.6-liter 11 Rainbow, matching the Renault 9 Fairway. The 11 Flash S replaced the earlier Flash model, offering the exterior design features of
2242-438: A stretched Rambler platform, was renamed at the last minute as "Ambassador by Rambler". To round out the model line, American Motors reintroduced the previous 1955, 100 in (2,540 mm) wheelbase Nash Rambler as the new Rambler American with only a few modifications. This gave Rambler a compact lineup that included the reintroduced American, the 108 in (2,743 mm) wheelbase Rambler Six and Rebel V8 , as well as
2360-644: A time, both the Hornet and Gremlin could be ordered with Levi's denim interiors. The new facelifted, mid-sized AMC Matador replaced the Rebel in 1971, using an advertising campaign that asked, "What's a Matador?" In 1972, American Motors won the tender for Los Angeles Police Department cruisers, and Matadors were used by the department from 1972 until 1975, replacing the Plymouth Satellite . American Motors supplied Mark VII Limited owner Jack Webb with two Matadors,
2478-616: A twin-barrel Weber carburetor . The Fairway received the headlights and various trim parts from the 11 Flash S in September 1994 but was discontinued in the first half of 1996 due to dropping sales. A modernized, more ovoid design (phase 3) was released in Turkey in 1997 as the Renault Broadway and was sold there until 2000. From 1996, the 1.4-litre engine (now the only size available) received fuel injection in order to meet European emissions standards. These late models were initially sold as
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#17328767009332596-577: A week after Mason's death, Romney announced "there are no mergers under way either directly or indirectly." Romney agreed with Mason's commitment to buy S-P products. Mason and Nance had agreed that S-P would endeavor to purchase parts from American Motors in return, but S-P did not do so. As the Packard engines and transmissions were comparatively expensive, American Motors began development of its own V8 . American Motors also spent US$ 40 million developing its Double Safe Single Unit monocoque , which debuted in
2714-505: Is an executive car produced by the French automaker Renault from 1983 to 1992. The 25 was Renault's flagship , the most expensive, prestigious, and largest vehicle in the company's line up. It placed second in the 1985 European Car of the Year rankings. In total, 780,976 were built from 1983 until 1992. All 25s were built in Sandouville , near Le Havre , France . Introduced at
2832-415: Is imitation leather. A spoiler and "Baccara" light alloy rims (BBS spoke rims on V6 Turbo), as well as the "Baccara" monogram on the quarter pillars and the tailgate appear. The shades available are Arabica Brown, Tungsten Gray, Bordeaux Black Sherry", all decorated with a double gold-colored side stripe. Other colors such as Tyrol Green 999, Prussian Blue 447, Black 676 and Persian Red 777 without forgetting
2950-483: The 10Best by Car and Driver in 1983. There were three facelifts given to the Renault 9 and two facelifts to the Renault 11 during their careers. When released in 1983, the Renault 11 was equipped with double headlights, different from the Renault 9. In 1985 the Renault 9 was given a facelift, giving it the same front look and double headlights as the Renault 11 but only in GTS, GTD, TSE, TDE, TXE, and GTX levels. The lower end C, TC, GTC, TL, GTL, and TD models retained
3068-689: The Big Three — Ford , General Motors , and Chrysler . American Motors' production line included small cars —the Rambler American , which began as the Nash Rambler in 1950, Hornet , Gremlin , and Pacer ; intermediate and full-sized cars , including the Ambassador , Rambler Classic , Rebel , and Matador ; muscle cars , including the Marlin , AMX , and Javelin ; and early four-wheel drive variants of
3186-502: The Eagle and the Jeep Wagoneer , the first true crossovers in the U.S. market. Regarded as "a small company deft enough to exploit special market segments left untended by the giants", American Motors was widely known for the design work of chief stylist Dick Teague , who "had to make do with a much tighter budget than his counterparts at Detroit's Big Three", but "had a knack for making
3304-542: The Hornet range of compact cars. The Hornet and the later Gremlin shared platforms . The Gremlin, the first North American-built subcompact, sold more than 670,000 units from 1970 through 1978. The Hornet became American Motors' best-selling passenger car since the Rambler Classic, with more than 860,000 units sold when production ended in 1977. The Hornet platform continued to be built under various models through 1987. For
3422-476: The Marlin , was added. It competed directly with cars like the Dodge Charger , but AMC's "family-sized" fastback emphasized personal-luxury . The continuing quest "in the business world's toughest race – the grinding contest against the Big Three automobile makers" also meant annual styling changes requiring large expenditures. American Motors's management total confidence "that the new 1965 models would stem
3540-426: The Renault 5 and the Renault 14 . Opron conceived a traditional three box design to appeal to the traditional customer and avoid the poor reception that had met the Renault 14 's styling. Exhaustive consumer studies suggested that buyers rejected innovation, resulting in a rather nondescript design, albeit of modest elegance. By the time the models entered production, Renault had assigned more than 500 people to
3658-542: The Renault Encore marketed beginning in 1984. For 1987, AMC offered the one year only GTA Sedan and Convertible , which included a 2.0 L engine, sport suspension, ZENDER GmbH aerodynamic body kit, and Ronal wheels. The Encore was renamed to Alliance Hatchback in the same year. Production of the Alliance and GTA was discontinued after Chrysler 's buyout of AMC in 1987. A total of 623,573 units were manufactured. In
Renault 9 and 11 - Misplaced Pages Continue
3776-523: The V6 Turbo specification. A turbodiesel version of the J8S engine was also available. The 25 was praised for its ride comfort and spirited handling (despite slight understeer , and torque steer on V6 Turbo models). A newly designed manual transmission drew unanimous praise for its precision and smoothness (although the detent spring on fifth gear could cause misselection of third gear). The futuristic interior
3894-406: The "Big Three" introduced ever-larger cars, American Motors followed a "dinosaur-fighter" strategy. George W. Romney 's leadership focused the company on the compact car, a fuel-efficient vehicle 20 years before there was a real need for them. This gave Romney a high profile in the media. Two core strategic factors came into play: (1) the use of shared components in American Motors products and (2)
4012-1075: The "flying brick" due to its poor aerodynamics in NASCAR competition, was replaced with a sleek, smoothly shaped, and radically styled two-door coupe. The model received praise for its design, including "Best Styled Car of 1974" by Car and Driver magazine, customer satisfaction, and sold almost 100,000 coupes over five years. The Matador Coupe shared few components with the Matador sedan and station wagon other than suspension, drive train, some trim, and interior parts. In 1974, American Motors's AM General subsidiary began building urban transit buses in cooperation with Flyer Industries of Winnipeg , Manitoba. A total of 5,431 Metropolitan buses, including 219 electric trolley buses , were built before production ceased in 1979. Production of diesel buses had ceased in 1978, with only trolley bus production taking place in 1979. The AMC Pacer , an innovative all-new model introduced in March 1975 and marketed as "the first wide small car",
4130-717: The ( NASCAR ) champion during the early 1950s; the Wasp now used the former engine of the Hudson Jet. The Nash Ambassador and Statesman continued with overhead- valve and L-head sixes, respectively. Hudson and Nash cars had different front suspensions. Trunk lids were interchangeable, but other body panels, rear window glass, dash panels, and braking systems differed. The Hudson Hornet, Wasp, and their Nash counterparts had improved ride, visibility, and fuel economy because of their lighter unitized Nash body. The larger Nash and Hudson range did not sell well, and AMC lost money each year. Dismayed with
4248-588: The 11 GTX was replaced by the TXE. From October 1986 the 1397 cc engine originally reserved for the R9 was also made available in the R11 GTS, eroding its position as a sportier model, while the 1.7-liter R9 TXE was also added. In September 1987 the range received the Phase 3 facelift. After French production came to an end in 1989, Sanfu Motors had to source parts from Argentina and Colombia instead. While this did allow them to lower
4366-473: The 11 Turbo with Speedline Renault 5 GT Turbo wheels (but produced by CMS wheels) and an upgraded engine producing 103 PS (76 kW). The 11 ceased production in Turkey in 1995. The subcompact sized automobile was manufactured and marketed in North America by American Motors Corporation (AMC) as the Renault Alliance from model years 1983 to 1987, and with a three and five door hatchback variant,
4484-583: The 117 in (2,972 mm) wheelbase Ambassador. Sales of Ramblers soared in the late 1950s partly because of American Motors' focus on the compact car and its marketing efforts. These included sponsoring the hugely popular Walt Disney anthology television series and as an exhibitor at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California. George Romney himself pitched the Rambler product in television commercials. While
4602-497: The 19's interior. The Luxmore's engine was a 1.4-liter Energy SOHC unit borrowed from the Clio , producing 72 PS (53 kW). Production ended in 1996 and the revised front end became used for the Phase 4 design built in Turkey beginning in 1997. Built by Oyak-Renault in Bursa beginning in 1985, the Renault 9 retained the original "Phase 1" bodystyle until 1993. the Phase 2 Renault 9
4720-545: The 1956 model year. In mid-1956, the 352 cu in (5.8 L) Packard V8 and TwinUltramatic transmission were phased out and replaced by American Motors's new V8 and by GM Hydra-Matic and Borg-Warner transmissions. American Motors combined the Nash and Hudson product lines under a common manufacturing strategy in 1955, with the production of Nashes and Hudsons consolidated at the Nash plant in Kenosha. The Detroit Hudson plant
4838-494: The 1968 model year cars, which required a neutral position between reverse and drive, while General Motors still offered a shift selector that had reverse immediately next to low gear (PNDSLR) well into the 1960s. Unique in the U. S. automotive industry, American Motors offered adjustable front seat backrests from their Nash-origin, and in 1964, the Classic and Ambassador were equipped with standard dual reclining front seats nearly
Renault 9 and 11 - Misplaced Pages Continue
4956-515: The 1985 James Bond film " A View to a Kill " a Renault 11 TXE taxi plays a significant role. Renowned stuntman Rémy Julienne coordinates a sequence in which the roof of the Renault 11 is torn off and the car is cut in half during a collision with a Renault 20 . [REDACTED] Media related to Renault 9 at Wikimedia Commons [REDACTED] Media related to Renault 11 at Wikimedia Commons American Motors American Motors Corporation ( AMC ; commonly referred to as American Motors )
5074-451: The 2.7 L V6 for RHD markets) was dropped from the range of Renault UK, within two years of its introduction in 1985, but continued in other European markets. Coachbuilders, such as Boonaker, provided bulletproof variants as well as fitting 2.5 L V6 Turbo engines. For a time, the President of France used an armored limousine variant of the Renault 25. A station wagon project from
5192-472: The 9 by its front end, which featured square twin headlights, which had been introduced on the North American Alliance . The 9 also received this new front end in late 1985 for the 1986 model year. The 11 deliberately aped the styling of its larger brother launched almost at the same time - the executive Renault 25 (also styled by Robert Opron) - featuring the signature wraparound rear window and
5310-560: The 9/11. The 11 Turbo was introduced first, originally only with three-door bodywork. Compared to the 5 Turbo and the 205 GTi , the 11 Turbo had a more comfort oriented focus. Although the cars were heavier than the Renault 5, the increased power in later models was enough to ensure higher performance, thanks to its 115 PS (85 kW; 113 hp). The rally tuned version was impressively fast, producing up to 220 PS (162 kW; 217 hp). The newer F type engine which had been developed in collaboration with Volvo appeared from
5428-554: The A-pillar forward, the Ambassador was redesigned and stretched 7 inches (178 mm) to become the biggest ever, just as the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo sparked gasoline rationing across the nation. The additional length was due to a new front-end design and more substantial energy-absorbing bumpers required of all automobiles sold in the U.S. Sales of all large cars fell due to economic problems and rising gasoline prices. The Ambassador became
5546-537: The AR4 transmission are rare today. The car underwent a facelift in June 1988, with a new front end, taillights, interior materials, and front suspension. Essentially, every panel was changed on the facelifted car, with the intent to smooth the styling. The new version also featured more powerful engines, the 2.2i engine being dropped and replaced by a 12v version of the 2.0i engine which produced 140 PS (103 kW). There were
5664-533: The Alliance as a four-door sedan, two door sedan (with higher rear wheel arches than the four door) and as a convertible , beginning in 1984. The Renault 9 and 11 continued in production in France until 1989, a year after the launch of the Renault 19. However, production continued in other countries, with the end finally coming after nearly twenty years when production in Turkey was discontinued in 2000. The Renault 11 Turbo
5782-449: The Big Three as an equal. The "frantic 1953–54 Ford/GM price war" devastated the remaining "independent" automakers. The reasons for the merger between Nash and Hudson included helping cut costs and strengthen their sales organizations to meet the intense competition expected from autos' Big Three. One quick result from the merger was the doubling up with Nash on purchasing and production, allowing Hudson to cut prices an average of $ 155 on
5900-423: The Big Three. American Motors did not have their own electric car program as did the Big Three, and after some negotiation, a contract was drawn in 1967 with Gulton Industries to develop a new battery based on lithium and a speed controller designed by Victor Wouk. A nickel-cadmium battery powered 1969 Rambler station wagon demonstrated the power systems that according to the scientist was a "wonderful car". This
6018-634: The Bleu Sport 449 for the Turbo were offered almost until the end of marketing. An extended-wheelbase version of the initial Renault 25 was called the Renault 25 Limousine. It was 22.7 centimetres (8.9 in) longer than the standard car and was available in two variants. The standard 25 Limousine had the same rear bench seat as the standard-wheelbase model whereas the Executive version had two individual seats with electric adjustment. The limousine (only available with
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#17328767009336136-645: The Heuliez company based on the limousine was proposed to Renault, which refused it. Called the "Sologne", it was never even turned into a prototype. A kit from the Belgian company EBS (Ernest Berg Systemes) which also produced the R25 Cabriolet, made it possible to quickly transform a Renault 25 into a Renault 25 shooting brake (station wagon) with a rear tailgate. (French-market specifications unless indicated otherwise. All hp metric.) 91 92 Txi 2,2 136BG 179 The 25
6254-514: The Pacer and Matador Coupe drained capital that might otherwise have been invested in updating the more popular Hornet and Gremlin lines so that toward the end of the 1970s, the company faced the growing energy crisis with aged products that were uncompetitive in hotly contested markets. However, "AMC used cars, as far back as 1967, had the advantage of good warranty coverage … so most owners were conscious of low-cost car maintenance … AMC units became some of
6372-503: The Pacer instead. The fuel economy was better than the expected rotary engine's, but the I6's gas mileage was relatively low in light of the new focus on energy efficiency. Also, as the Pacer shared few components other than the drivetrain with other American Motors cars, it was expensive to make, and the cost increased when sales fell steeply after the first two years. The Pacer line was discontinued in mid-1980. Development and production costs for
6490-451: The RNi, later simply 1.4i, and produce 80 PS (59 kW). The five-door Renault 11 was built in Turkey in 1.4-liter GTS trim from 1987. The following year the 92 PS (68 kW) 1.7-liter TXE version was added, better known as the 11 Flash. The three-door 11 was never assembled by Oyak-Renault. To celebrate Galatasaray reaching the semifinals in the 1989 European Champions Clubs' Cup ,
6608-582: The Renault 25 chassis, although the suspension was derived from the Eagle Medallion (Renault 21). The body was a true 4-door sedan with separate trunk lid, rather than a lift-up hatchback. The interior was designed by American Motors. When introduced, the car was branded as the Eagle Premier, subsequent to Renault selling its 47 percent stake in AMC to Chrysler in 1987. From 1990 to 1992, Chrysler also marketed
6726-500: The Renault 9 began in 1987 until 1997 in the same versions and engines, plus the 1.6 like the R11 and according to ADEFA 144,262 vehicles made (R9) and 79,037 (R11). Today, the R9 is a very popular car in the country, like in the small and the big cities. All versions of the R11 and R9 manufactured in Argentina, as well as in Colombia and Turkey, suffered the problems that the material with which
6844-450: The Renault 9 from 1983 until 1996. An automatic-equipped version became available in January 1985. In 1985 the five-door Renault 11 also became available, initially only in sporting GTX trim with alloy wheels and equipped with the 1,721 cc (105.0 cu in) F2NA engine with 95 PS (70 kW). As of April 1986 the Renault 9 gained the twin headlight front design of the 11, while
6962-549: The TIR – An infrared remote control to operate the locks. In 1990, SOFASA marketed a 50 vehicle, 50th special edition Prestige with leather seats and alloy rims. In 1992, these versions ceased production and three models were introduced: The basic Brío (1.3 L), the mid range Súper (1.3 L) and the Máximo (1.6 L). In 1995, the Brío was renamed Brío RN, so it could be differentiated from
7080-638: The United States had ended, and its Canadian operations ceased in 1966. The "Big Three", plus the smaller American Motors, Kaiser Jeep , International Harvester , Avanti , and Checker companies were the remaining North American auto manufacturers. Abernethy believed that American Motors's reputation of building reliable, economical cars could translate into a new strategy that could follow AMC buyers as they traded into larger, more expensive vehicles. American Motors, in reality, had produced large cars throughout its history. The Rambler Ambassadors were as large as
7198-635: The Wasp line, and up to $ 204 on the more expensive Hornet models. After the merger, AMC had its first profitable quarter during the second three months of 1955, earning $ 1,592,307, compared to a loss of $ 3,848,667 during the same period in the previous year. Mason also entered into informal discussions with James J. Nance of Packard to outline his strategic vision . Interim plans were made for American Motors to buy Packard Ultramatic automatic transmissions and Packard V8 engines for certain American Motors products. In July 1954, Packard acquired Studebaker . The new Studebaker-Packard Corporation (S-P) made
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#17328767009337316-645: The above list & used the 123 hp 2.2i engine. For the facelift versions the equivalent to the GTX was the TXI, with the 2.0 12v engine of 140 hp. The 12v head from the 2.0 engine was latterly used in the J7T 2.2i engine in Safrane. The 2.2 engine in the Safrane is effectively a long-stroke version of the 2.0 engine – with better torque but less free-revving. For the United Kingdom,
7434-434: The brake system. Only Cadillac also included this safety feature six years before U.S. safety regulations required it on all cars. Rambler also was an early pioneer in offering an automatic shift indicator sequence (P R N D2 D1 L, where if one selected "D2", the car started in second gear, while "1" began in first gear) on its "Flash-O-Matic" transmission which is similar to today's "PRNDSL" shift pattern, made mandatory for
7552-406: The bumpers and boot lid, which aimed to give the car a more modern look. The front design was originally developed for the 1993 facelift model assembled in Taiwan under the name " Renault Luxmore ." These later Turkish-made cars carried a "Broadway" badge as well as the Renault 9 designation, but note that "Broadway" had already been used on special editions of the earlier phase models. The Renault 9
7670-403: The company in 1961, Teague was named principal designer and in 1964, vice president. To stay competitive, American Motors produced a wide range of products during the 1960s and added innovations long before the "Big Three" introduced them. For example, the Rambler Classic was equipped with a standard tandem master cylinder in 1962 that provided stopping ability even if there was a failure in
7788-404: The company saw a $ 11.8 million loss. In response, Romney launched a massive public relations campaign, traveling 70,000 miles (112,654 kilometres) nationwide in 12 months. Romney spoke at union halls, dinners, churches, fairgrounds, and radio and TV stations. He was anywhere where he could get the word out about Rambler. Rambler sales took off in 1958, up 58.7%, and 425 new dealers were signed up. As
7906-464: The company to reach an agreement on August 26, 1961, with the United Auto Workers for a profit sharing plan that was new in the automobile industry. Its new three-year labor contract included generous annual improvement pay increases, and automatic cost-of-living raises. However, in 1962, Romney resigned to run for Governor of Michigan . His replacement was Roy Abernethy , American Motors' successful sales executive. By 1964, Studebaker production in
8024-438: The company's history of building small cars, which came into vogue in 1961. In both 1960 and 1961, Ramblers ranked in third place among U. S. automobile sales, up from third on the strength of small-car sales, even in the face of a lot of new competition. Romney's strategic focus was very successful, as reflected in the firm's healthy profits year after year. The company became completely debt-free. The financial success allowed
8142-432: The dashboard is made degraded with ultraviolet rays, and ends cracking (especially on the right side, since it doesn't have the steering column that supports it). SOFASA started manufacturing the Renault 9 in 1983, launching the version GTL with 1400 cc and 60 PS (44 kW; 59 hp). This model's engine capacity was reduced to 1300 cc and became the entry model when the better equipped GTS (1400 cc)
8260-423: The de-emphasis of the Rambler brand because he believed the public associated it too strongly with economy cars and that it was hindering the sale of American Motors' other models at a time when mid and luxury car sales were robust. As a result, he ordered that for 1966, the Ambassador and Marlin were to be badged purely as a product of American Motors. The strategy shift at first seemed to be working because sales of
8378-471: The decade's muscle car boom, most notably the AMX . At the same time, the Javelin served as the company's entrant into the sporty pony car market created by the Plymouth Barracuda and the Ford Mustang . Additional operating cash was derived in 1968 through the sale of Kelvinator Appliance, once one of the firm's core operating units. The Kelvinator divestiture left American Motors a downsized company solely manufacturing automobiles. The Rambler marque
8496-496: The dramatic hooded dashboard design, which had the option of an 'Electronique' trim level which featured a digital instrument cluster and a voice synthesis trip computer - similar to those on the 25. The 9, by contrast had a simpler and more conservative looking dashboard and the digital instruments were never available. Both models were facelifted one more time for the European market (Phase 2) with matching nose and interior upgrades for
8614-495: The driver's seat. The 11 Turbo also won the national Polish Rally Championship in 1985 and 1988, and both the Swiss and Portuguese rally championships in 1987. Its last result of importance was Oreille's fourth place overall in the 1988 Rallye Monte Carlo. At launch, both cars used Renault's ageing Cléon-Fonte overhead valve engines in either 1.1 or 1.4 litre format, and a basic suspension design which won few plaudits for
8732-468: The driving experience. The exceptions were the 9 Turbo and the 11 Turbo hot hatch , which used the turbocharged engine from the Renault 5 . The C1E 1.1 liters engine was available only on the Renault 9 and for the three-door body of the R11. The five-door Renault 11 TC and GTC became available with the C1G, 1.2-litre engine in 1985. The C1E was phased out from phase 2, leaving the C1G the smallest engine for
8850-435: The end of 1983 for a March 1984 start of sales, the Renault 25 was a large step forward in nearly every aspect from the Renault 20 / Renault 30 range it was replacing. Its five-door liftback body was penned by designers Gaston Juchet and Robert Opron of Citroën SM fame, and the unconventional style was aimed at giving the car a notchback look in order to overcome customer preference outside France for formal sedans in
8968-493: The end of 1983 on in twin carburetted 1,721 cc guise ( F2N ), powering the upmarket GTX, GTE, TXE, and TXE Electronic (Electronique in France) versions. These larger engined versions were specifically developed with American needs in mind, although they also happened to be well suited for a changing European market. Later iterations also received fuel injected engines. The Alliance and Encore, while comparatively underpowered, had
9086-576: The iconic Jeep brand of light trucks and SUVs, as well as Kaiser-Jeep's government contracts – notably the M151 line of military Jeeps and the DJ-Series postal Jeeps. American Motors also expanded its international network. The military and special products business was reconstituted as "American Motors General Products Division", later reorganized as AM General . In 1970, American Motors consolidated all passenger cars under one distinct brand identity and debuted
9204-422: The introduction of new compact cars by American Motors' large domestic competitors (for the 1960 model year) "signals the end of big-car domination in the U.S." and that American Motors predicts small-car sales in the U.S. may reach three million units by 1963. American Motors was also beginning to experiment with non-gasoline-powered automobiles. On April 1, 1959, American Motors and Sonotone Corporation announced
9322-565: The model year of 1987. At the Brussels Motor Show in January 1985 Renault showed the 11 Société, a light commercial version of the three-door hatchback with a cargo platform replacing the rear seat. A version of the 9 was manufactured and marketed by American Motors Corporation (AMC) in the United States as the Renault Alliance and bearing a small AMC badge. With 623,573 examples manufactured for model years 1982–1987, AMC offered
9440-474: The more sophisticated Brío RT. A more powerful variant of the RT was called Óptimo. By the middle of 1996, SOFASA decided to experiment a much more flexible way to offer cars to the market. Called R9 Personnalité, the idea allowed customers to choose from different engines and accessories so they could assemble the car they wanted within their budget. This was possible through special software in dealerships. A year later,
9558-594: The most of his employer's investment". After periods of intermittent independent success, Renault acquired a significant interest in American Motors in 1979, and the company was ultimately acquired by Chrysler in 1987. In January 1954, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation began the acquisition of the Hudson Motor Car Company (in what was called a merger ). The new corporation would be called the American Motors Corporation. An earlier corporation with
9676-409: The new 320 cu in (5.2 L) Packard V8 engine and Packard's Ultramatic automatic transmission available to American Motors for its 1955 Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet models. When Mason died in 1954, George W. Romney succeeded him. Ironically, Romney had once been offered Nance's job. In 1948, Romney received offers from Packard for the post of chief operating officer and from Nash for
9794-575: The new corporate logo. However, "American Motors" and "AMC" were used interchangeably in corporate literature well into the 1980s. The branding issue was further complicated when the company's Eagle all-wheel drive passenger cars were marketed as the American Eagle in the 1980s. In the late 1960s, Kaiser Industries Corporation decided to leave the automotive industry and sought a buyer for its money-losing Kaiser Jeep division. American Motors' vice president for manufacturing, Gerald C. Meyers , headed
9912-529: The new full-sized cars and persistent rumors of the company's demise because of its precarious cash flow. Consumer Reports ' negative ratings for American Motors' safety did not help. During this time, AMC's international sales were expanding. From only 18,000 cars five years ago, the 1965 model year AMC sold 74,420 vehicles in Canada, Europe, and Latin America. AMC remained the most significant U.S. seller of autos in both France and Germany. Abernethy also called for
10030-454: The number two position in the company. Although the Packard offer would have paid more, Romney decided to work under Mason because he thought Nash had a brighter future. Studebaker-Packard president James Nance refused to consider merging with American Motors unless he could take the top position (Mason and Nance were former competitors as heads of the Kelvinator and Hotpoint , respectively), and
10148-409: The phase 1 front. The later Renault 9 Broadway series also had the 4 headlight front of the phase 1 Renault 11. The more aerodynamic Phase 2 appeared in 1987 and the 9 and 11 now only differed at the rear of the cars. Finally, the Phase 3, which was not sold in most of Europe, was released in Turkey in 1997. This final revision had more rounded head and tail lights, as well as ovoid body cladding around
10266-446: The pre-facelift range included TS, Monaco (being a special edition with metallic brown paint, Monaco badging on the boot and C-Pillar insert panels, Leather interior, and some other changes from the TS spec), GTX, V6 & V6 Turbo. The facelift cars were TX (2.0 12v/2.2i special order), TXI (2.0i 12v/2.2i special order), V6, V6 Turbo for a short period, and Baccara (2.8i V6/2.5i V6 Turbo) which
10384-511: The price, it had a negative impact on quality and thus on Renault's reputation in Taiwan. After the 1990 introduction of the Renault 19 to Taiwan, production of the R11 was halted, with sales coming to an end in February 1991. In 1993 a facelifted version of the 9 was introduced, now called the Renault Luxmore (雷諾銀鑽). Sold as a sedan only, this had a restyled front end combined with the Renault 19 Chamade's taillights, and also adapted much of
10502-482: The project, logging 14,500,000 hours of study and testing, constructing 44 prototypes, testing 130 engines, and test driving prototypes more than 2.2 million km. Both cars were also more conservatively engineered, although they retained front wheel drive, Renault abandoned the Douvrin (or "Suitcase") transmission in sump engine which it had shared with Peugeot-Citroën in the Renault 14, in favour of its in-house power unit –
10620-399: The rear parcel shelf, colored leather seats Amber or Cinder exclusively, the "Ergomatic" pack (with airbags for the front seats, memory and electrical adjustment of the driver's seat positions), the doors, pillars and roof receive upholstery in [Alcantara (textile)|alcantara ], door strip and gear lever knob are in real elm burl, the 3-spoke leather steering wheel signed "Baccara". The dashboard
10738-409: The redesigned 1965 and 1966 Ambassadors improved, even as AMC's overall production decreased from the record level achieved in 1963. However, corporate earnings per share were a meager 27 cents per share, the lowest since AMC made its famous compact car comeback in 1958. Investors received a message of the changing fortune of the automaker when the company's 1966 annual financial report was delivered in
10856-500: The results, Romney decided in 1956 that the company's future lay with the compact Rambler line. Romney halted production on the new large cars and focused entirely on the new Rambler Six and V8 introducing them in 1956, despite being scheduled for a 1957 release. Sales of the new Ramblers were poor, and sales of the Hudson and Nash models were almost non-existent, resulting in a $ 31.7 million operating loss for 1956. Sales improved in 1957, but
10974-578: The same name, co-founded by Louis Chevrolet , had existed in Plainfield, New Jersey, from 1916 through 1922 before merging into the Bessemer–American Motors Corporation. The Nash-Kelvinator/Hudson deal was a straight stock transfer (three shares of Hudson listed at 11 + 1 ⁄ 8 , for two shares of American Motors and one share of Nash-Kelvinator listed at 17 + 3 ⁄ 8 , for one share of American Motors) and finalized in
11092-574: The segment outside of France. The wraparound rear window was one of Opron's signature design features, used on many of his earlier designs such as the SM, the Renault Fuego , and the Renault 11 . The 25 was one of the first cars designed from the start for aerodynamic efficiency giving a drag coefficient (C d ) of 0.31, a key factor in improving fuel economy . The TS model briefly held the unofficial title of "world's most aerodynamic mass production car" with
11210-523: The spring of 1954, forming the fourth-biggest auto company in the U.S. with assets of US$ 355 million and more than $ 100 million in working capital . The new company retained Hudson CEO A.E. Barit as a consultant and he took a seat on the board of directors . Nash's George W. Mason became president and CEO. Mason, the architect of the merger, believed that the survival of the U.S.'s remaining independent automakers depended on their joining to form one multiple-brand company capable of challenging
11328-436: The team sent to evaluate Kaiser's Jeep factories. Although opposed by AMC's top management, Chapin made a significant decision in February 1970 to purchase Kaiser Jeep for $ 70 million. Although it was a gamble, Chapin believed Jeep vehicles would complement American Motors' passenger car business. The Jeep market was also a market in which the Big Three had no presence, and therefore there was no competition. American Motors gained
11446-458: The turbo among others. Thus the V6 Turbo will see their power increase from 182 to 205 PS (134 to 151 kW), while power dropped from 160 to 153 PS (118 to 113 kW) for the V6 Injection. The Baccara phase 3 offers as standard: ABS, front and rear electric windows, automatically regulated air conditioning, cruise control, height-adjustable headrests, leather cover for clothes under
11564-420: The vehicle to which not all drivers paid attention or not quickly enough. The first transmissions started failing within a few years, while the model was still in production. Renault then prepared a package that was to replace the original poor-quality cooler regardless of vehicle age and mileage. However, the cooler location in front of the right wheel could not be changed. As a result, Renault 25 Automatics with
11682-459: The venerable C-type "Cléon" engine with an end on mounted transmission. This mechanical layout, along with the 9/11's suspension design, was to become the basis of all small Renaults for the next 15 years or so. The Renault 9 was awarded the 1982 European Car of the Year , while the Alliance appeared on Car and Driver 's Ten Best list for 1983, and was the 1983 Motor Trend Car of the Year. The well-equipped Renault 11 TSE Electronic of 1983
11800-565: The very best buys on the used car market" by 1975. The 1977 Gremlin had redesigned headlights, grille, rear hatch, and fascia. For economy in the fuel crisis, American Motors offered the car with a more fuel-efficient Volkswagen -designed Audi 4-cylinder engine 2.0 L (122 cu in). The engine was expensive for American Motors to build, and the Gremlin retained the less costly but less economical 232 cu in (3.8 L) as standard equipment. Renault 25 The Renault 25
11918-409: The world's first remote stereo controls, mounted to the right of the steering column (controlling volume +/–, station search, station select (jog wheel) in radio mode with volume +/–, mute and track advance (if supported)). For the first time since World War II , Renault had an entry in the full-size market segment outside France. The Renault 25's least durable part was the automatic transmission. As
12036-728: The year before Tax Credits and deferred Tax Assets. By this time the board had lost confidence in Abernethy due to his vast spending which had unstabilized the company and each year under his leadership the company had suffered substantial financial losses. As a result, Abernethy was forced into taking an "early retirement" from American Motors on January 9, 1967. Abernethy was replaced by Roy D. Chapin Jr. (son of Hudson Motors founder Roy D. Chapin ). Chapin quickly instituted changes to American Motors's offerings and tried to regain market share by focusing on younger demographic markets. Chapin's first decision
12154-766: Was a subcompact designed to provide the comfort of a full-sized car. Its pre-production development coincided with tightened U.S. federal passenger emissions and auto safety regulations. The Pacer sold well its first two years with 262,772 combined units sold in the US. With the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973, General Motors aborted the Wankel rotary engine around which the Pacer had been designed, as its fuel consumption exceeded that of conventional engines with similar power. Therefore, American Motors's existing 258 and 232 cu in (4.2 and 3.8 L) AMC Straight-6 engines were used in
12272-464: Was also exported to Australia. Introduced in 1985, it was priced at A$ 35,000 without cruise control. It had a disc drum brake setup, rather than four-wheel discs as on the Renault 18 . The R25 was exported to the United Kingdom from the beginning of 1984, where its hatchback body style helped it to stand out compared with conventional saloons. GTX in the United Kingdom was equivalent to Level 3 in
12390-469: Was also the start of other "plug-in"-type experimental American Motors vehicles developed with Gulton – the Amitron city concept car and later the similar Electron . Although the new models were well received by the motor industry media, the last quarter sales for AMC ended September 30, 1966 (AMC was not on a calendar fiscal year) were disappointing. The company recorded a balance sheet loss of $ 12,648,000 for
12508-427: Was an American automobile manufacturing company formed by the merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company on May 1, 1954. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history. American Motors' most similar competitors were those automakers that held similar annual sales levels, such as Studebaker , Packard , Kaiser Motors , and Willys-Overland . Their largest competitors were
12626-640: Was continued with the Nash Statesman restyled as the "new" Hudson Wasp and the Nash Ambassador restyled as the Hudson Hornet . Although the cars shared the same body shell, they were at least as different from one another as Chevrolet and Pontiac. Hudsons and Nashes each used their engines as they had previously: the Hudson Hornet continued to offer the 308 cu in (5.0 L) I6 that had powered
12744-476: Was converted to military contract production and eventually sold. The separate Nash and Hudson dealer networks were retained. The Hudsons were redesigned to harmonize with Nash's body styles. The fast-selling Nash Rambler model was sold as a Nash and a Hudson in 1955 and 1956. These badge-engineered Ramblers, and similarly the small Metropolitans, were identical except for the hubcaps, nameplates, and other minor trim. The pre-existing full-size Nash product line
12862-415: Was discontinued for the larger 1968 domestic models, leaving only the small Rambler American as the last product to bear the name through 1969. The Rambler brand continued to be used only for export markets, with Mexico being the last market to use it in 1983. From 1970, American Motors was the brand used for all American Motors passenger cars, and all vehicles from that date bore the American Motors name and
12980-508: Was executed by Italian designer Marcello Gandini (of Lamborghini fame) and was somewhat controversial, but the 25's passenger compartment was considered quiet, spacious, and well lit. Equipment levels were high and set new standards for French cars, the 25 including among other features, an express up and down feature on the driver's power window, voice alerts (covering items such as improperly shut doors/bonnet/boot – oil pressure, engine temperature/charging circuit and blown bulbs), and one of
13098-497: Was launched in 1985. The next European facelifted versions of the Renault 9 in the country were known as the Gama 2. In 1987, the TL (1300 cc) was introduced followed by the more advanced TSE 1.3 and GTX 1.4 in 1988. The latter featured front power windows, a spoiler, and a better interior. The new top of the range TXE was launched in 1989, and introduced updated front lights, power mirrors and
13216-551: Was launched in October 1981 as a four-door saloon (in right-hand drive form for the UK market in March 1982), while the 11 was launched at the beginning of 1983 (in the UK from June that year) as a three or five door hatchback . Both had been developed under the Renault code name L42 , and were designed by Robert Opron . Renault had begun the conception of the Renault 9 in 1977, as a "four metre" model (referring to its length) to fit between
13334-510: Was not built there, although a number of minor external and internal changes were carried out over the years. In 1986 the diesel-engined GTD joined the GTL in local production, becoming the first diesel-engined passenger car to be built in Turkey. There followed the petrol-engined GTC (1987) and the Broadway replaced the GTL in 1988. A Broadway GTE model also appeared around this time. The GTC was replaced by
13452-505: Was produced virtually unchanged until 1978. Sagging sales and tight finances resulted in the discontinuation of the Matador line after the 1978 model leaving American Motors to focus almost exclusively on its Hornet platform -based cars and the Jeep line. From 1970, the Rebel and Ambassador were identical from the A-pillar back. The Ambassador continued as AMC's upmarket model with higher trim, more equipment, and air conditioning as standard. From
13570-399: Was the first car in its class to have a synthetically voiced trip computer , but only because Renault moved up its launch date by a few days in order to get ahead of Austin's Maestro Vanden Plas . Although the 9 and 11 cars had different names and body styles, they were identical under the skin, and were intended to jointly replace the older Renault 14. The 11 was also distinguishable from
13688-506: Was the top of the range. The 2.2i (123 hp) engine in the Phase 2 cars was only available 'while stocks last'. The lower compression 108 hp 2.2 was not sold in the United Kingdom. The Renault 25 was the basis of the car platform for the Canadian-built, full-sized Eagle Premier that was developed by American Motors Corporation (AMC) and introduced in 1988. The Premier featured exterior styling by Italdesign Giugiaro using
13806-452: Was to cut the price of the Rambler to within $ 200 of the basic Volkswagen Beetle . Innovative marketing ideas included making air conditioning standard on all 1968 Ambassador models (available as a delete option). This made American Motors the first U.S. automaker to make air conditioning standard equipment on a line of cars, preceding even luxury makes such as Lincoln , Imperial , and Cadillac . The company introduced exciting entries for
13924-521: Was used extensively by Renault Sport for their Group A car in the 1987 World Rally Championship. Frenchman Alain Oreille managed a Group N victory in the 1985 Rallye Monte Carlo , followed by the Group A victory in 1986 (enough for an eighth finish overall). A Renault 11 Turbo was, however, piloted to a second and third-place finishes in the 1987 Portuguese Rally and San Remo Rally respectively with Jean Ragnotti in
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