The Renault 19 Europa is a popular mid-size C-class car developed in the 1990s by a French concern led by renowned designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. It was produced in four body styles: a 3/5-door hatchback, a convertible and a 5-door sedan. In Europe, it was produced from 1988 to 1996. In Turkey and South America, production was carried out until the beginning of the next century. It was the most common foreign car in Russia at the turn of the 1990-2000s.
History of creation
In the early 1980s, all French car manufacturers were in deep crisis. In November 1984, Renault began developing a new model. The X53 project, later known as Renault 19, was designed to become a competitive European Class C car in the most popular mid-size family car segment.
The project was implemented in record time - for 42 months. By July 1985, the passenger compartment was almost ready. It took another 5 months to finalize the internal space. Fully work on the project was completed in April 1986. After 7 million kilometers of testing, in May 1988, the car was put into mass production at assembly sites in the cities of Douai, Maubeuge (France), Valladolid (Spain), Setubal (Portugal).
Exterior
The appearance of the Renault 19 did not cause enthusiasm among the public, although it corresponded to the spirit of that time. Moderate angularity can be traced in every detail. At the same time, specialists from the Italian car design studio Italdesign sought to achieve the best aerodynamics. The result was half. On the one hand, the drag coefficient is 0.31 Cx. In general, a good indicator. However, for comparison, the Cx of its direct competitor Opel Calibra was much lower - 0.26 units.
The design of the hood and front bumper changed from restyling to restyling, but the head optics remained unchanged. A much greater change in generations affected the back. The rectangular block of taillights over time acquired an elongated horizontal position. Unfortunately, despite the involvement of well-known specialists in the development of the model, Renault 19 was not able to repeat the achievements of its predecessor Renault 9, which was once recognized as “Car of the Year”.
Interior
Salon is a model of utility. The interior (this applies to the dashboard, and the center console, and door trim) is divided into rectangular sections. Plastic used for finishing hard, cheap. Everything is done for the sake of cost reduction.
A bright spot Renault 19 is the trunk. It has a low threshold, so it’s very convenient to load things. Net volume is more than decent: 385 liters. When absolutely necessary, by folding the rear seats, it transforms into an 865-liter van.
Renault engineers paid great attention to the safety of the new model. A series of crash tests of frontal and side impacts were performed. According to their results, further modifications received shock-proof beams in the doors and airbags. Surprisingly, despite the lack of some zest, from a commercial point of view, Renault 19 is one of the most successful models of the French company throughout its existence.
Specifications
In order to meet the requirements of as many buyers as possible, the French have developed all possible body options specific to the C-class. A convertible Renault 19 1.4 L Convertible was even released, created in collaboration with German car studio Karmann. At the beginning of the 1990s, the car became one of the most popular in its class. Despite its modest size and a symbolic trunk (255 liters), up to five passengers were placed in the car - the most for a fun company.
Options for the hatchback and sedan were equipped with 1.4 and 1.7-liter gasoline engines, as well as a 1.9-liter diesel engine. The most prestigious and high-speed modification developed in early October 1990 is the Renault 19 GTI 16V. Its maximum speed is 215 km / h. The sports car is equipped with:
- A 1.8-liter 16-valve engine rated at 135 horsepower;
- three reinforced doors;
- additional spoilers;
- sports suspension.
In order to maintain customer interest and consolidate success, in 1992 Renault 19 was updated to the second generation with minor design changes. Distinctive features are more elegant front and rear lights, a refined radiator grille, a new look for the front and rear bumpers. Another dashboard and steering wheel appeared in the interior, the shape of the seats and other minor improvements were improved.
Since the end of 1992, all cars have been equipped with airbags and, depending on the version, a power steering, rearview mirror heaters, and a sunroof. Two new 1.8-liter gasoline engines (90 HP and 107 HP), as well as the economical 1.9-liter turbocharged 90 HP engine, became available. from. In August 1994, the Eco Series engine was introduced with a capacity of 75 liters. with., replacing the old 1.4-liter units.
Reviews
Renault 19 has become one of the best-selling European cars. There were more than a dozen assembly sites around the world. Renault 19 became the car of the year in Spain and Germany (1989), Ireland (1990), Argentina (1993). The successful platform and chassis of R19 were used to create the successor to the popular brand - the first generation Megane, which was produced for seven years. The secret of success lies in the perfect combination of quality, performance and price. Reliable, unpretentious, with a good line of high-torque motors - the car has become a cult, the best in the history of the French car industry.