Renault 12 Gordini
The Renault 12 Gordini was a masterclass in the French tradition of transforming humble family cars into genuinely exciting performance machines. The base Renault 12 was a straightforward, practical sedan — designed as much for export to developing markets as for the French domestic buyer. But when Amédée Gordini's engineers got their hands on it, the unassuming 12 became one of the most entertaining front-wheel-drive sedans of the early 1970s.
The transformation centered on the engine. The standard Renault 12's 1.3-liter unit was replaced with a 1,565cc version, fitted with a cross-flow cylinder head and fed by twin Weber 40 DCOE side-draft carburetors. The result was 113 horsepower — a remarkable output for a 1.6-liter engine in 1970, and enough to make the lightweight 950 kg sedan genuinely fast. A five-speed manual gearbox was fitted, unusual in a family car of this era and essential for keeping the engine in its narrow power band.
The Gordini treatment extended beyond the engine. The suspension was lowered and stiffened, wider wheels were fitted, and disc brakes were specified for the front. The exterior announced its intentions with a distinctive two-tone paint scheme — most commonly blue with white racing stripes — that became iconic in French motorsport culture.
In competition, the Renault 12 Gordini proved formidable. It was a regular competitor in French and European rally championships, where its lightweight construction and willing engine made it competitive against more powerful machinery. The car's front-wheel-drive layout was an advantage on slippery surfaces, and its relative simplicity meant that privateer teams could prepare and maintain it without factory-level resources.
The Renault 12's broader significance extends far beyond France. The car's platform and mechanicals were licensed to Romania's Dacia, becoming the Dacia 1300 — one of the most important cars in Eastern European history. The Dacia 1300 and its derivatives were produced in various forms until 2004, making the Renault 12's architecture one of the longest-lived in automotive history.
Today the Renault 12 Gordini is a rare and desirable classic. The car was produced in relatively small numbers, and few have survived decades of rallying, daily driving, and neglect. Clean examples command strong prices, particularly in France where the Gordini name carries enormous emotional weight among enthusiasts.
Originality is the key criterion. The distinctive blue-and-white paint scheme is the signature look, but many surviving Gordinis have been repainted or modified. Verify the engine — the twin Weber 40 DCOE setup is correct for the Gordini, and replacement with a single carburetor reduces value significantly. The five-speed gearbox is a Gordini identifier. Rust is a serious concern — check floors, sills, front strut tops, and boot floor. Mechanical parts are broadly shared with the standard Renault 12 and are available, but Gordini-specific items (carburetors, cam, five-speed box) are rare. French Renault clubs and Gordini specialists are the essential support network.
The Renault 12 Gordini was produced from 1970 to 1974 at Renault's Flins factory. Exact production numbers are not well documented but are estimated at approximately 5,000-6,000 units. The base Renault 12 was produced in much larger numbers and was manufactured under license in Romania (as Dacia 1300), Turkey, Argentina, Colombia, and other countries. Total Renault 12 family production exceeded 2.5 million units worldwide.