Renault 21 offered in 11 versions

Press, 6 February 1986, Page 18

Renault 21 offered in 11 versions

Regie Renault, the French State-owned car maker, has just released details of the Renault 21, an upper middle range car that will be marketed in 11 versions with five different engines, two gearboxes and four equipment levels.

It will be shown at the Geneva Motor Show next month and will go on sale in France and major European countries immediately afterwards.

Details of prices of the British range will be announced when It is launched in Britain in June.

All versions are front-wheel-drive, of unitary body construction, and have all-independent suspension. The spare wheel is housed beneath the boot floor with a plastic fuel tank forward of it, immediately aft of the rear suspension.

Remarkably, there are two different engine and transmission arrangements. In order to make the most efficient use of existing components the car is equipped With either:

© A transverse engine/ transmission pack with overhung gearbox, Macpherson strut front suspension, and low-set steering rack, the layout resembling that of the Renault 9 and 11. With this arrangement the 1721 cu cm petrol engine is used.

OAn in-line engine/ transmission layout (see cutaway sketch) with the engine overhung forward of the transaxle as in the luxury Renault 25 and the Espace people carrier. These cars are powered by either the 1995 cu cm petrol or 3068 cu cm diesel engine. A new MacPherson strut suspension is used, because of the greater weight and higher performance of these versions. Also, a new steering layout, in which a high-set rack is linked to the track arms by long drop-arms, is used.

There is a six-centi-metre difference in wheelbase between the two layouts. In effect, within the same over-all length, the in-line engine/gearbox arrangement requires a shorter wheelbase.

Beyond the need for two different types of front wing and wheel arch, as well as two different subframes, there is no difference in the bodywork. However, the front track of the .in-line version is two centimetres greater than that of the transverse engine version.

All versions use rear suspension incorporating trailing arms, programmed movement and four transverse torsion bars serving as both springs and anti-roll bars.