Australian, Modern Motor, September 1971
RENAULT has released more details of the new and very exciting front-wheel-drive coupes due for October release. They'll carry the 15 and 17TL and TS nametags. Powered by various versions of the 1289 cc cast iron and all-aluminium OHC 1565cc power units, they have a range of top speeds from 93 mph to a hot petrol-injected 112 mph.
The cars look terrific. Combined with excellent performance, there is enough Latin in their fastback design to get the most dour critic excited. I'd go as far as saying that "unofficial" order books will be bulging long before the public release date aimed at the Paris Salon in October.
Production is already under way and it is possible Renault is purposely doing the "staggered" release of details to allow for a near simultaneous worldwide sales release. The cars are the first two-door Renaults since the Floride-Caravelles (same car but sold under different nametags in various parts of the world) which originally came on the market in 1959. The lowest cost version (which sounds like a honey) has the cast iron 1289cc four-cylinder with bore and stroke of 73 mm by 77 mm. In the 15TL the compression ratio goes up to 9.5 to 1 and a manual choke Weber 32 carburettor is used. The SAE rating Is 68 bhp at 5500 rpm and the din rating 60 bhp at 5500 rpm with maximum torque (SAE) of 72.3 Ib ft at 3500 (71.9 Ib ft at 3500 rpm DIN).
The R12 versions of this engine with an 8.5 to 1 compression ratio, and Solex carb give 54 (DIN) bhp at 5250 with a torque rating of 69 Ib.ft at 3000 rpm. The motor has obviously been transformed into an even sweeter unit. Ratios on the four-speed box and final drive have been altered and the mph-per thousand rpm figure has gone up correspondingly through the gears to a top gear figure of 16.8 mph (from 13.6 mph). The smaller engine is used only for the basic model, but with its top speed in the mid-9Os it's bound to be popular-as Renault can be expected to keep the price right.
The 15TS and the 17TL will both be powered by the 1565 cc unit with 9.25 to 1 compression ratio and the same Weber 32 carburettor. In this form, the all-aluminium unit with its (77 x 84 mm bore and stroke) removable wet cylinder liners and hemi-head produces 102 (SAE) bhp at 5800 rpm or 90 (DIN) bhp at 550Q rpm. Torque is a handy 95.5 (SAE) Ib.ft at 3000 rpm or 90 (DIN) Ib.ft at 3000 rpm.
Top speed for these two versions is given as above as 105 mph. The mph-per-thousand rpm is up only slightly to 17.9 mph (from the 17.8 mph of the 16TS), but they certainly sound like sweet runners to me.
But it's the 17TS which will have the enthusiast agog. Fuel injected, and using a higher lift cam and 10.25 to 1 compression ratio, the 112 mph top speed car has its 1565 cc unit delivering 120 (SAE) bhp at 6250 rpm or 108 (DlN) bhp at 6000 rpm. Torque goes up to 101.3 Ib.ft. At 4500/5500 rpm - 97.2 Ib.ft at 5500 rpm (DIN). A five-speed box looks like allowing for a fourth speed top of just under the ton with a fairly loping 19.1 mph-per-thousand rpm fifth gear taking it through to 112 mph. With almost 1500 revs on hand to maximum, a motorway cruise of around the ton should provide effortless motoring. This is the first time Renault has opted for a five-speed box.
Most basic specifications of all four versions are the same changing only for gearbox, tyre size and clutch plate size in the P1 version. All share the same twelve-gallon fuel tank, cooling system, battery and alternator and the same suspension. And here is the main change from the R16 series though it is in line with the R12. Instead of the torsion bar front-end, the new cars get independent by wishbones and coil springs with hydraulic shockers and an anti-roll bar. At the rear, the pressed steel axle is well located by two longitudinal tie-rods with a central triangular member for lateral positioning. Coil springs are used and an anti-roll bar fitted. It sounds very good. Rack and pinion steering has 3.5 turns lock-to-lock with a 33.5 ft of turning circle.
The 15TL has standard disc-drum brakes while the 15TS and the 17TL have ventilated discs at the front and drums at the rear. The higher performance 17TS has discs all round but uses ventilated discs up front. Bodywise, dimensions and boot area are the same for all four versions- length 13 ft 1.75 in. Width 64 in. Height 51.5 in. and wheelbase 96 in. Tracks aren't given. Effective boot capacity is nearly nine cubic feet.
The 17TL and TS have a full-width electrically operated sunroof which puts the kerb weight up a little more than 40 Ibs. On both cars, kerb weight of the 15TL is 2128 Ibs, the TS 2216 Ibs, the 17TL 2238 Ibs (or 2282 Ibs with the sunroof) and the 17TS 2326 Ibs (with sunroof 2370 Ibs), compared with the 16TS kerb weight of 2337 Ibs.
It sounds like a very delightful package.
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