Renault 8 Gordini
It all started with the Renault 8. In 1962 Renault presented the one that was to replace its best-seller, the Dauphine. The new car takes up the recipe and even the technical basis. The differences come from the style, with a squarer and more modern line. Above all, under the hood of the small sedan we housed the new "Sierra" engine that appeared on the Caravelle and Florida. The following year, a slightly more upscale version was added: the Major. But it still lacks an even superior version, especially in terms of mechanics. It is also from the Major that the story of the Renault 8 Gordini will start. It is she who will lend him her body and the base of her engine: the Cléon-cast iron with 1108 cm³ of displacement. Then we will affix the treatment undergone by the Dauphine Gordini: a mixture of increased performance and top of the range.
We will start with this high-end part. Because the Renault 8 Gordini is not a stripped-down bombinette ready to make any sacrifice to gain a few seconds on the clock. That's the pilots who will do it. Thus the interior is well treated: complete instrumentation with tachometer, water temperature, all with round counters which are then the prerogative of the top of the range. There is also interior lighting, a grab handle for the passenger, two-speed heating and a laminated windshield. Add faux leather or black fabric upholstery to the reclining seats and you're a long way from the stripped-down car. The sporty side, we're starting to take the measure of it on the outside. The body is identical to that of the Major. Make no mistake, the four lighthouses won't arrive until later! However, additional lights can be added, pre-wiring is standard. On the other hand, the Renault 8 Gordini is only offered in "bleu de France" (418) with white stripes. And it's sporty! But the real sport, you get it at the technical level. The body is still reinforced, at the side members, the front cross member and a reinforcement bar is added to the engine support. The trains are reinforced at the level of their triangles, the springs are shorter and the rear train receives two shock absorbers. We finish the table with a more direct direction with 3.25 turns lock to lock. And what about the "real" sorcerer's touch then? It is of course on the engine of the Renault 8 Gordini that Amédée Gordini worked. The base is therefore the 1108 of the Major. However, it is the high engine that will be the center of all attention. We start with the hemispherical cylinder head, with a spark plug in the center and a valve on each side. We do not stop there since the Cléon is force-fed by two double-body Solex 40 PHH2, the air box, the air filter and the ignition are specific. Last modification and not the least, we add an oil cooler. Everything transmits the power of 77.5 hp DIN (or 95 SAE if you want) to the rear wheels via a box 4.
Unveiled at the 1964 Paris Motor Show, the Renault 8 Gordini caused a sensation. It is a top-of-the-range car, but it is above all its performance that makes it stand out. The car exceeds 170 km / h, which no French car, apart from the Facel Vega and their big American V8, can boast. Renault has calculated its move well since the Renault 8 Gordini is also cheaper than a Mini Cooper S or a Cortina Lotus. A real masterstroke that makes it the first "bombinette", the first affordable sports car derived from a large series. The injection is far, but the name GTI not so much!
