1984 Renault Fuego Turbo; Renault's ``halo'' car.(Brief Article)(Evaluation)

The Renault Fuego is one of those cars that we've just about forgotten, yet when we see one the words ``oh yeah...'' tumble out in a flicker of recognition. That's not surprising since Renault cast the car as the sexy flagship of its early 1980s revitalization in the U.S. market. In a 1982 review of the Fuego Turbo following its 1981 U.S. introduction, AW publisher (then Car and Driver contributor) Rich Ceppos concluded that, ``If the Fuego Turbo is any example of Renault's determination, this might just be the start of something big.'' Things didn't turn out that way for Renault but the Fuego was still a nicely executed sports coupe that today, as it did then, attracts the automotive individualist.

The Fuego first appeared in Europe in 1980, based on the Renault 18i sedan platform. Its bulbous design is reminiscent of the early 1970s Citroen SM styled by Robert Opron, who oversaw the Fuego as well. The American automotive press regarded its styling as a harbinger of European-influenced things to come in our market. The car's look was seen by the public either as sophisticated or, as frequently, odd. Still, in the fuel-conscious early '80s, the Fuego's shape lent it a 0.35 drag coefficient that marketers emphasized in every ad.

The Fuego Turbo came to our shores at the same time as the normally aspirated version, evidence of Renault's desire to bring something exciting to the AMC dealerships through which the marque was sold. For about $11,000, the buyer got a capable front-wheel-drive coupe with an attractive list of standard equipment and a 1.6-liter turbo four engine good for 107 hp and 120 lb-ft of torque. If you were conscious of Renault's contemporary F1 success, you could row through the car's five-speed box and dump it into a corner imagining yourself as Alain Prost. It was no F1 sled to be sure, but the Fuego had a pretty decent setup to get you through.

You'd be slowed by front disc/rear drum binders, your turn-in would be aided by independent front struts, coil springs and an antiroll bar trailed by a solid rear axle, coil springs and another antiroll bar. Keeping you planted were 365-mm (14.4-inch) wheels wrapped by Michelin TRX rubber, which just about everyone found lacking in ...