Renault 6

Renault 6
1974-1980 facelift model
Overview
Manufacturer	Renault
Production	1968–1986
Assembly	Boulogne-Billancourt, France Valladolid, Spain Envigado, Colombia Haren-Vilvoorde, Belgium (RIB) Santa Isabel, Argentina (IKA)
Body and chassis
Class	Small family car (C)
Body style	5-door hatchback
Layout	MF layout
Related	Renault 4
Powertrain
Engine	845 cc 800-02/B1B I4 956 cc C1C I4 (Spain) 1108 cc C1E I4
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94.5 in) (left) 2,400 mm (94.5 in) (right)
Length	3,860 mm (152.0 in)
Width	1,540 mm (60.6 in)
Height	1,500 mm (59.1 in)
Curb weight	750 kg (1,653 lb) (1970)
Chronology
Successor	Renault 5 Renault 14

The Renault 6 is a small family car produced by the French automaker Renault between 1968 and 1986.

The Renault 6 (R6) was launched at the 1968 Paris Motor Show, and was intended to be an upmarket alternative to the Renault 4 that would compete with the Citroën Ami 6 and the recently launched Citroën Dyane. It used a similar dashboard-mounted gear-lever and over-the-engine linkage to that used in the Renault 4 and the small Citroëns with which it competed. The R6 used the R4 platform as well as its 845 cc engine and was technically near-identical, but its hatchback body was larger and more modern. Visually it resembled the larger Renault 16.

In its first two years of production, the R6 was criticised by the press for the R4-derived engine's lack of power in the heavier R6. In part because of this, the R6 had worse fuel economy than the larger and outdated Renault 8, which had a bigger engine and better performance as well.

However, an additional version of the R6 using the 1.1 litre Cléon-Fonte engine (an engine used in the Renault 8 since 1962) was unveiled at the 1970 Paris Motor Show and was widely regarded as a big improvement. Power was increased from 34 to 45 PS (25 to 33 kW). The smaller engined model continued to be available until June 1979; it was sold as the Renault 6 L after August 1977.

The new car also had higher equipment levels as well a new gearbox, cooling system and front disc brakes. The new cooling system necessitated a supplementary grille beneath the original one (in the place occupied by the license plate of the R6-850), while the disc brakes meant slightly redesigned rims with openings in them. For the Spanish market the R6 was made available with a 956 cc engine, due to vehicles over 1040 cc being taxable under Spanish regulations. Later, a 1037 cc engine was fitted, and from 1981 the 1108 cc unit appeared in the 6 GTL. The one-litre version has 50 PS (37 kW) DIN and this engine was also fitted to Spanish-built 5s and 7s. The R6 continued to be built in Spain until 1986, with a total of 328,000 cars built there.