Romania kept building it as the Dacia 1310 until 2004, a quarter century after Renault itself moved on.
Lead trim: 1.3 L / TL (1,289 cc, 60 PS SAE) · up to 111 hp
Renault 121969–1980
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Renault 12 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactRomania kept building it as the Dacia 1310 until 2004, a quarter century after Renault itself moved on.
Introduced at the Paris Motor Show in October 1969 as a roomy, cheap-to-build small family car (project 117) bridging the Renault 8 and 16, with a front-wheel-drive layout that put the engine longitudinally ahead of the front wheels, a floor gear lever and, controversially, a rigid rear axle. It launched as a saloon in L and TL trims with an enlarged 1,289 cc version of the old iron Cléon engine; the estate and the Gordini followed in 1970. The Gordini used the R16 TS's all-aluminium block with two twin-choke Webers for 113 PS, reached 185 km/h in blue with double white stripes, and sold 5,188 before production stopped in 1974. The TS arrived in October 1972, the automatic TR in October 1973 and the whole range was facelifted in 1975. It was built under licence around the world (Romania as the Dacia 1300, Turkey as the Toros, Argentina, Australia, Colombia and others), the last Renault 12 leaving a Turkish line in 2000, and Dacia's R12-based 1310 continued until 2004. Some 2.5 million were sold.
Collectors Spotted in the Renault 12 Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Renault 12 yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
3 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 L / TL (1,289 cc, 60 PS SAE) | 1969–1980 | 1.3 L Inline-4 | 59 hp | 72 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| Gordini (113 PS) | 1970–1974 | Inline-4 | 111 hp | 103 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| TS (64 PS) | 1972–1980 | 1.3 L Inline-4 | 63 hp | — | — | FWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Rivals
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