With more than half a century of history, the Renault 5 is experiencing a new youth. The French manufacturer presented the latest 100% electric version of this vehicle internationally during the Geneva Motor Show last week. The new R5 has, in fact, several nods to the original design, such as the square shape of the headlights or the loading lid in the shape of the old ventilation grill. Now that the automobile market has globalized, long gone are the days when brands manufactured specific models for North America. One of them, the Renault Le Car, had a stellar appearance in The A Team, do you remember it?
The A-Team is a legendary series from the 80s, starring a four-man commando expelled from the US army for a crime they never committed, according to the introduction to each episode. The unforgettable characters of Hannibal (George Peppard), Phoenix (Dirk Benedict), Murdock (Dwight Schultz) and M.A. (Mr. T) were dedicated to defending the honest inhabitants of deep America from the abuse and extortion of the local villain on duty. In the case that brings us to this article, Team A comes to the aid of a farmer, suffocated by the ambition of Chuck Easterman, a landowner who controls most of the county.
In the episode Operation West Coast, first broadcast on April 5, 1983, the members of Team A hatch a plan to avenge the farmers for which they need a light and fast vehicle. Therefore, when Amy (Melinda Culea) enthusiastically presents them with her new Renault Le Car, M.A. He tries to convince the journalist to lend it to him. The former sergeant, who as you remember was an expert mechanic, turns this R5 into an armored vehicle after cutting and welding several metal plates to the bumper, hood or sides. M.A. He even builds a tower from which to look out and a plank covered with straw at the back to protect the occupants.
And the final chinpún of the chapter arrives, loaded with action. Hannibal drives a truck whose front bumper has also been reinforced, while Murdock and Fénix escort him aboard the R5. Being chased by Easterman’s henchmen, they set fire to the straw and throw nails into the road. Finally, both vehicles are victims of an explosion and the Renault ends up falling into a ravine. All of this is a distraction for M.A. Escape with the real truck with the cargo in the opposite direction. Luckily, Hannibal still has one final trick after being detained: he blows up the Renault with a cigar, which allows him to distract the villains and escape by helicopter with Phoenix and Murdock.
The Renault 5 that appears in the series was renamed Le Car to try to win over North American drivers. Its launch in 1976, in the midst of the oil crisis, established the Le Car as a low-consumption alternative to robust American vehicles. This car had framed round headlights, a rubber-reinforced bumper and an interior headrest among its new features.
This Renault had a 1,289 cc Cleón engine with power reduced to 58 HP due to the environmental regulations of the time, compared to the 64 HP enjoyed by its European counterpart, the R5 TS. In the United States, the TL and GTL versions of Le Car coexisted, while in Canada there was an additional L variant with a 782 cc engine and optional heating system to adapt to the cold.
Renault later reached an agreement with AMC to market the Le Car in more than 1,600 points of sale in North America. The TX version incorporated a 1.4-liter engine with 51 HP of power, while the carburetor variant for Canada reached 63 HP. Despite the introduction of the five-door model in 1981, marketing of the R5 in the United States ended after modest sales data in 1983 (the year this episode of The A-Team was broadcast) and in Canada in 1986.
