Renault 1 000 kg
| Renault 1000 Kg | |
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Renault |
| Also called |
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| Production |
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| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Van |
| Body style | Various light van and light truck configurations. Available as a chassis cab for specialist body builders. |
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Related |
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| Powertrain | |
| Engine |
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| Dimensions | |
| Length | 4,540 mm (178.7 in) |
| Width | 1,920 mm (75.6 in) |
| Height | 2,250 mm (88.6 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,835 kg (4,045 lb) |
The Renault 1 000 Kg is light van, initially of a one ton capacity, introduced by the manufacturer in 1947. A 1,400 Kg version followed in 1949, and the Renault 1,400 Kg soon became the more popular choice. A name change in 1956 saw the vans branded as the Renault Voltigeur (1,000 Kg) and the Renault Goélette (1,400 Kg), but in retrospect the Renault 1,000 Kg name is frequently preferred.
The 1000 Kg was originally presented in 1945 as a prototype light van designed for the military, and was offered for general sales from February 1947.
In the summer of 1944 the French Ministry of Industrial Production set out a prescriptive plan for the post war motor industry. It was headed by Pons Plan and so it was known as the Plan Pons. Under "The Plan", Renault and Peugeot (along with their Chenard & Walcker debtor/subsidiary) were restricted to making vans for the 1000–1400 kg market, while Citroën was to make small trucks of between 2 and 3.5 tonnes. In the event Citroën, which had already developed a van in the 1000 kG class before the war, went ahead with the design of the Citroën H Van, which was launched in 1947. It was the Citroën which would be the Renault's most effective rival in this sector, although the Renault would in the early years beat its rival on volumes thanks in part to the large number of Renaults produced for military and police use and for other public sector vehicle operators such as the French postal service. Police versions gained the informal appellation “panier à salade” (“paddy wagon”), appearing in newsreels removing arrested suspects following instances of civil disturbance during the troubled 1950s or, more memorably for many United States and UK film-goers in the 1960s, removing Inspector Clouseau following his arrest in the wake of a successful bank raid.
Renault followed the Plan Pons agreement and designed the 206 E1 following general pre-war design ideas. It had a chassis onto which the van body was bolted and the body was made, until 1950, by fitting metal panels to a wooden frame. At a time when French industrial wages were low, the Renault was quick and inexpensive to produce.
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Wikipedia