Renault 25 V6 Turbo Baccara

Renault 25 V6 Turbo Baccara

The Renault 25 V6 Turbo Baccara represented the pinnacle of Renault's ambitions in the executive car market during the 1980s. Serving as the official car of the French President and as the flagship of the Renault range, the 25 V6 Turbo combined a turbocharged V6 engine with luxurious Baccara trim to create a car that challenged German executive sedans on performance while offering a distinctly French character.

The heart of the car was the PRV (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo) V6 engine, here turbocharged to produce 205 horsepower and 310 Nm of torque. This engine had been developed jointly by the three manufacturers and was used across a range of vehicles, but the turbocharged version in the Renault 25 was among its most powerful applications. The turbo provided a strong surge of acceleration from mid-range, giving the heavy hatchback genuinely impressive straight-line performance.

The Baccara specification was the most luxurious trim level available. Named after the famous crystal maker, the Baccara featured full leather upholstery (often in a distinctive caramel or burgundy shade), walnut veneer trim, electric seats with memory, climate control, and a premium audio system. The rear seat offered individual armrests and enhanced legroom, reflecting the car's role as a chauffeur-driven vehicle as well as a driver's car.

The Renault 25's body was a large five-door hatchback, an unusual configuration for an executive car. This provided a level of practicality that conventional sedan competitors could not match, with a vast cargo area available when the rear seats were folded. The design, by Robert Opron (who also styled the Citroen SM and CX), was distinctive and modern, if not universally admired.

Driving the 25 V6 Turbo was a characteristically French experience. The ride was soft and comfortable, prioritizing occupant comfort over sporting precision. The steering was light and required minimal effort, and the overall driving manner was relaxed and unhurried. When the turbo boost arrived, however, the car could accelerate with surprising urgency, and the top speed of 235 km/h was impressive for an executive hatchback.

The front-wheel-drive layout, combined with the heavy V6 engine mounted ahead of the front axle, could produce pronounced torque steer under hard acceleration. This was the 25's primary dynamic weakness and one that contemporary road testers regularly noted. However, for the majority of owners who drove the car sedately, it was never an issue.

The Renault 25 was the official car of French President Francois Mitterrand, lending it considerable prestige in its home market. However, outside France, the car struggled against the established German executive sedans. Values today are modest, making the 25 V6 Turbo Baccara one of the most affordable ways to experience turbocharged V6 luxury from the 1980s.