Renault 9 & 11

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Renault 9 / 11

Renault 9 phase 1 saloon Renault 11 phase 1 hatchback
Manufacturer	Renault
Production	1981 – 1989 (France) 1983 – 1987 (USA) 1983 – 1999 (Colombia)
Assembly	Billancourt, France Valladolid, Spain Taichung, Taiwan Kenosha, United States Envigado, Colombia Santa Isabel, Argentina Bursa, Turkey Vallejo, Mexico
Predecessor	Renault 14
Successor	Renault 19
Class	Small family car
Body style(s)	3-door hatchback 5-door hatchback 2-door saloon (U.S. only) 4-door saloon 2-door convertible (U.S. only)
Layout	Front-engine, front-wheel drive

The Renault 9 and Renault 11 are two small family cars produced by the French manufacturer Renault between 1981 and 1988. It was also manufactured by American Motors for the U.S. and Canadian markets from 1983 to 1987. It was produced and upgraded in Colombia between 1983 and 1999.

Overview

Post-facelift (phase 2) Renault 11

The Renault 9 is a four-door saloon, launched in the fall of 1981. The Renault 11 was a three- or five-door hatchback, which followed in the spring of 1983.

A version of the 9 was produced by American Motors Corporation (AMC) in the United States, where it was known as the Renault Alliance (although it also bore a discreet AMC badge on its rear window). As well as the four-door model, AMC offered an Alliance with an American designed two-door saloon body (which had higher proportioned rear wheel arches than the 4-door), and from 1984, a convertible version. There were plans for a station wagon of the Alliance, although they did not materialize.

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.

Although the 9 and 11 cars had different names and body styles, they were in fact identical under the skin, and were intended to jointly replace the older Renault 14. The 11 was also distinguishable from the 9 by its front end, which featured square twin headlights, which had been introduced on the Alliance in North America. The 9 also received this new front end in 1985 and both models were face-lifted for a final time with matching nose and interior upgrades for the 1987 model year.

Rear view of the Renault 11

Phase 2 Renault 11 GTL with Turbo Alloys

Engines

At launch, both cars used Renault's ageing C-type overhead valve engines in 1.1  or 1.4 litre format, and a basic suspension design which won few plaudits for the driving experience. The exceptions were the 9 Turbo and the 11 Turbo hot hatch, which used the turbocharged engine from the Renault 5. Although the cars were heavier than the Renault 5, the power from the engine was enough to ensure higher performance, thanks to its 115 PS (85 kW). The rally-tuned version was impressively fast, producing about 220 PS (160 kW).

The newer F-type engine which had been developed in collaboration with Volvo appeared in later years in 1.7 L guise, powering the upmarket GTX, GTE, TXE and Electronic (Electronique in France) versions. The Alliance and Encore, while comparatively underpowered, had 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.

Line-up

• TC - 1.1 L - 1108 cc; 48 PS (35 kW; 47 hp)
• GTC - 1.2 L - 1237 cc; 55 PS (40 kW; 54 hp)
• TL - 1.4 L - 1397 cc; 60 PS (44 kW; 59 hp)
• GTL - 1.4 L - 1397 cc; 68 PS (50 kW; 67 hp)
• TSE - 1.4 L - 1397 cc; 72 PS (53 kW; 71 hp)
• TXE - 1.7 L - 1721 cc; 82 PS (60 kW; 81 hp)
• GTX - 1.7 L - 1721 cc; 90 PS (66 kW; 89 hp)
• GTE - 1.7 L - 1721 cc; 90 PS (66 kW; 89 hp)
• Turbo - 1.4 L - 1397 cc; 115 PS (85 kW; 113 hp)
• GTD - 1.6 L - 1595 cc; 55 PS (40 kW; 54 hp)

Different versions around the world

Colombia

SOFASA started manufacturing the Renault 9 in 1983, launching the version GTL with 1400 cc and modest 60 metric horsepower (44 kW). This model's engine capacity was reduced to 1300 cc and became the entry model when the better equipped GTS (1400 cc) was launched in 1985.

The next European face-lifted 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 much 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 TXI was launched in 1989 and introduced updated front lights, power mirrors and 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 the more sophisticated Brío RT. A more powerful variant of the RT was called Óptimo.

By mid-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, a face-lifted 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.^[1]

Last years

Alliance convertible 1987

The Alliance and Encore (renamed the Alliance Hatchback in the 1987 model year) were dropped after Chrysler's buyout of AMC in 1987. The Alliance did get one last hurrah in the American marketplace in 1987 with the one-year-only GTA coupé and convertible. These had a higher-performance 2.0 L engine, sport suspension, an aerodynamic body kit, Ronal wheels, and other "sporting" upgrades. Made in limited quantities, the GTA is something of a collector's item today. The failure of the Renault management to recognize the North American demand for more powerful engines earlier on in the Alliance's run is considered one of the contributing factors to American Motors' downfall.^{[citation needed]}

The Renault 9 and 11 continued in production until 1988, when it was replaced in Europe by the Renault 19.

Film and TV appearances

A blue Renault 11 TXE was shown in the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill, where Bond (played for the final time by Roger Moore) steals a Renault 11 taxi from a Parisian cab driver and uses it to pursue an assassin (Mayday, portrayed by Grace Jones). In a sequence coordinated by famed French stuntman Rémy Julienne, the car has its roof torn off in the resulting car chase, and is then chopped in half in a collision with a Renault 20 before Bond abandons it and jumps onto a boat on the River Seine which his enemy is escaping on. [ http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_2624-Renault-11-X37-1983.html]

References

Inline

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Renault 9

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Renault 11