Renault 19

The Renault 19 is a small family car produced by the French manufacturer Renault between 1988 and 1995.

released in 1988, the 19 was the replacement for the 9 and 11, both of which were ageing and outdated by the late 1980s. The 19 was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, featuring Renault's new E-type (or "Energy") engine in 1.4 L format and the F-type unit powering the 1.7 L and 1.8 L versions. Base models used the overhead valve C-type "Cléon" engine in either 1.2 or 1.4 litre capacities.

Intended to be Renault's last "numeric" named car, the 19 ushered in the new naming policy, with the sedan versions of the 19 being known as the 19 Chamade. However, the "Chamade" badge was dropped following the 1992 facelift. In 1991 a convertible bodystyle built by Karmann was introduced. Although the R19's exterior design, which was relatively conservative, like that of the R9/11, received a muted response it was praised for its interior comfort and handling.

In the summer of 1992, a revamped model was introduced with a substantially restyled front and rear, while left hand drive market versions received a new dashboard and interior - right hand drive models retained the original facia design.

The 19 was sold in Europe until 1995, and is still produced for South American markets in Argentina. The 19's platform and running gear would continue to be used however in its replacement - the first generation of the Mégane.

19 16v

The Renault 19 16v sports model had a distinctive air inlet on the bonnet, rear spoiler, 15" Speedline alloy wheels, sideskirts, bucket seats and a trip computer. The braking system was uprated to include 259mm vented discs on the front and discs on the rear as well as an uprated lower suspension setup. Phase 1 (-92) editions also benifited from unique front and rear bumpers, while the Phase 2 (92-) retained the original bumpers found throughout the range but added colour coded tops and a rubber inserts. A 16s version was also produced in Europe which was as above but without a bonnet vent. The gearbox ratios were also revised to allow for the extra weight found in the safety equitpment the later models carried. 0-60mph acceleration times were in the region of 7.2 seconds and boasted 137bhp; an impressive feat for a 1.8 litre normally aspirated engine in a reasonably priced mid-sized family car of its day. The 19 laid the foundations, along with the Renault 5 GT Turbo, for the Renault Sport department of the company, which develops high performance tuned versions of standard Renault cars.