Renault 9 (L42). 1981–2000 (prod. 6,300,000 approx. incl. Renault 11). 4-door saloon. F/F, 1108, 1237, 1397, 1565 cm³ (I4 OHV), 1721 cm³ petrol, 1595 cm³ diesel (I4 OHC). The 9 was Renault’s most convincing effort to produce a mid-sized saloon to fight the raft of Japanese imports being sold in Europe. It might be forgettable today, but impressed enough European motoring journalists to bag the 1982 Car of the Year award. In truth, that’s more a reflection of how quiet a year 1981 was for new car launches—and today, you’d be hard pushed to find any left. Styled by Robert Opron, conventionally engineered, and produced in large numbers across the globe—by AMC in the USA and Renault in Colombia. Closely related to the Renault 11 hatchback, which at least had the advantage of looking distinctive. Mid-term facelift in 1986. Western European production to 1989. Deleted in Argentina in 1997, but continued in Turkey with fuel injection (1996), and further front- and rear-end revisions (dubbed 9 Broadway, from 1997) to 2000.

Manufacturing locations: Billancourt, France; Valladolid, Spain; Envigado, Colombia; Santa Isabel, Córdoba, Argentina; Bursa, Turkey; Vallejo, México

Marque: Renault | Predecessors: Renault 12, Renault 7 | Successor: Renault 19

q.v. Renault Alliance, Renault Encore, Renault GTA