Renault Super 5
A supermini that succeeded the Renault 5 and competed in rallying.
The Renault Super 5—also sold as the Renault 5, Supercinque, or Supercinco—is a B-segment supermini built by the French automaker from 1984 to 1996. Its silhouette echoes the earlier Renault 5, though it is slightly longer and lower, having been designed to succeed that model in Renault’s lineup. This lineage explains why the car always wore “Renault 5” badging on its rear. The Super 5 measures 3590 mm in length (3750 mm for five-door versions), 1590 mm wide, 1390 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2407 mm (2467 mm with five doors). Depending on the variant, curb weight ranges from 760 to 860 kg.
Over twelve years, more than three million units rolled off assembly lines in Billancourt, Dieppe, and Flins-sur-Seine (France); Brussels and Vilvoorde (Belgium); Palencia (Spain); Setúbal (Portugal); Mariara (Venezuela); and, from 1989, Novo Mesto (Slovenia). Annual production hovered around 500,000 vehicles, tapering off after 1990, with a final tally of 3,436,650 units. The best sales year was 1988, when 518,910 cars were sold across Europe. The model came in twenty-two versions and over thirty-five limited editions. Its competitors included the Citroën AX, Ford Fiesta, Opel Corsa, Peugeot 205, SEAT Ibiza, and Volkswagen Polo.
Development began in 1978 under the codename Project 140 and stretched more than six years, as early proposals failed to gain consensus. The breakthrough came when designer Marcello Gandini—known for Italian sports cars of the 1960s and 1970s—joined the project. His approach was straightforward: adapt the R5 to evolving market needs, using a technique long employed by luxury brands: creating a car that visually recalled its well-liked predecessor. The Super 5 rides on the Renault 9/11 chassis, offering more interior space than the original. It is front-wheel drive, with a transverse front-mounted petrol engine. Outputs ranged from the 1.1-liter, 48 bhp C version to the 1.4-liter, 120 bhp GT Turbo. The fastest variant, the GT Turbo2, reached 204 km/h and accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 8 seconds.
Between 1986 and 1991, the 5 GT competed in the World Rally Championship before being succeeded by the Renault Clio Williams. Notable drivers included Gustavo Trelles, Jean Ragnotti, and Alain Oreille, who won the World Rally Championship for Production Cars in 1989 and 1990 driving a Super 5 GT Turbo, and also took victory in the 1989 Rallye Côte d’
Quick Facts
- Manufacturer
- Renault
- Production
- 1984–1996
- Aka
- Renault 5 / Supercinq / Supercinque / Superfive
- Assembly
- France: Billancourt, Flins-sur-Seine, Dieppe / Belgium: Haren, Vilvoorde / Spain: Palencia / Portugal: Setúbal / Venezuela: Mariara / Slovenia: Novo Mesto
- Predecessor
- Renault 5
- Successor
- Renault Clio
- Class
- Supermini (B)
- Layout
- Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
- Length
- 3590 mm (3-door) / 3650 mm (5-door)
- Height
- 1390 mm
- Wheelbase
- 2407 mm (3-door) / 2467 mm (5-door)
- Weight
- 760 -
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The development of the Renault Super 5 began in 1978 and was codenamed Project 140. The plan lasted for more than six years, as the proposals presented lacked the necessary consensus to be carried out. This situation remained unchanged until the designer Marcello Gandini, who authored many Italian sports cars of the 1960s and 1970s, joined the project. His proposal was simple: to adapt the R5 to the new needs of the automotive market. To do this, he applied the technique that luxury brands had been using for decades: creating a vehicle whose appearance reminded one of its predecessor, which already had public favour.
The Super 5 is based on the chassis of the Renault 9/11, so it has greater interior space than its predecessor. It is front-wheel drive and its petrol engine is in a transverse front-engine layout; the range includes from the 1.1-litre displacement, two valves per cylinder and 48 bhp maximum power of the C version to the 1.4-litre displacement, two valves per cylinder and 120 bhp maximum power of the GT Turbo versions. The top speed of the Super 5 was achieved by the GT Turbo2 model, with 204 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 8 seconds.
Between 1986 and 1991, the 5 GT version participated in the World Rally Championship, until it was replaced by the Renault Clio Williams. Notable drivers who competed with it include Gustavo Trelles, Jean Ragnotti and Alain Oreille; the latter was twice champion of the World Rally Championship for Production Cars (1989 and 1990) at the wheel of a Super 5 GT Turbo, in addition to obtaining victory with it in the 1989 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire. It has also competed in continental, national and regional championships.
Reader's Guide
Over the years, for some it has become an icon of the 1980s. Numerous associations attest to this and many people still drive one of these French utility cars daily. However, various factors, such as the time that elapsed between its launch and the arrival of the Clio, the variety in the sector at the time as well as the similarity of its design to the R5, meant that it did not become as memorable a vehicle as its predecessor. Even so, it is present in multiple collections of scale model cars and has appeared in songs, in cinema, on television and in some video games. The Super 5 was the best-selling car in France from 1986 until 1990, when the Peugeot 205 regained first place and the Renault Clio replaced it. Its year with the highest sales in France was 1988 (241,849 units sold). In other countries it did not lead the sales charts, but remained among the top ten. It became the fourth best-selling car in Europe in 1988 (518,910 units), only surpassed by the Volkswagen Golf, the Fiat Uno and the Opel Kadett. Its commercial rivals included models such as the Citroën AX, the Ford Fiesta, the Opel Corsa, the Peugeot 205, the SEAT Ibiza and the Volkswagen Polo.
Did You Know?
- The Super 5 was designed by Marcello Gandini, who also authored many Italian sports cars of the 1960s and 1970s.
- Alain Oreille won the World Rally Championship for Production Cars twice (1989 and 1990) driving a Super 5 GT Turbo.
- Over twelve years, more than three million units were produced at plants in France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Venezuela and Slovenia.
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