RSAE 10 Newsletter#9

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Newsletter # 9 27 May 2010

R ENAULT S port &A lpine E XPO

Brisbane – 9 July to 18 July 2010

What’s it all about? If you missed the earlier RSAE Newsletters and are wondering whatthe RSAE is all about, please read page 9.

Something Old - Renault Prairie

Something slightly newer – Renault R8 ‘Major’ 1100



Renault R8 – The Official Story:From a conventional “rear-powered” version to the sleek lines of the Gordini, the Renault 8

underwent all sorts of conversions. Let’s take a look back at one of the legends manufactured at

Renault sites.

Rear-powered style: In 1962, major changes were under way for Renault’s range of

rear-powered vehicles (engine in the trunk). Sales of the Dauphine were plummeting

and the management was in search of an innovative project to give the market new

impetus. The solution? To bring forward the launch of the R8, which debuted on

June 16, 1962, almost one year ahead of schedule!

The R8 followed on from the Dauphine but featured a bolder and more ergonomic design. The bodylines

were drawn by Barthaux and his inventive team. Innovative design features included a choice of eight

elegant body colours and a large glazed area. From a technical standpoint, the main innovation was the

Bendix disc brakes on all four wheels, a world first! The R8 nevertheless suffered teething problems and

continued to be associated with the Dauphine in the minds of the general public. But in 1964, it found a

way to make a name for itself.

From the Major to the Gordini: January 1964 saw the appearance of the Major, a beefed-up version of

the R8. With a top speed of 135 kph, it featured a new 1,108 cm3 engine mated to a fully synchronized 4-speed gearbox. The interior boasted, among other features, front seats with adjustable backrests, arm rests

on the doors, black or fawn leatherette upholstery and a courtesy mirror. The R8 thus gained enhanced

status …for a more enjoyable passenger experience.

But the best of the R8 was yet to come. In October, Renault presented the new Gordini 1100 at the Paris

Motor Show. Sold exclusively in a color known as “French blue”, with twin white lines running the length

of the body, it established a new legend: a car that brought the thrills of sporty driving within the reach of

an entire generation.

A legend is born - Renault 8 Gordini: a racing queen!

Just as it did with Jean Rédélé for the Alpine, Renault joined forces with a renowned driver and engineer to

build this new sports model. Amédée Gordini turned the

little R8 Major into a high-powered racer, virtuallydoubling engine power with a cylinder head of his own

design and two excellent Weber carburetors. With its

chassis system, steering, brakes, equipment and top speed of 175 kph, the Renault 8 more than deserved its

round dials and blue bodywork with white side stripes. In 1966 this compact racer boosted engine power

from the original 1,108 cc to 1,255 cc. At the same time, its allure was enhanced by two additional

headlights.

The “Gorde” was a huge success, notching up wins in the Tour de Corse

(Corsica), Alpine Cup and Monte-Carlo Rally, as well as in a host of amateur

events. In 1966 it even had a “Gordini Cup” created in its honor in 1966. This

brought the legend within popular reach and underlined the recognized

qualities of this car with its impressive sporting record. Many drivers started

out at the wheel of this car and still have fond memories of it. In 1970, the R8

Gordini made way for the R12 of the same name. This popular car gradually became a truly democratic

racing car. Young people from all walks of life were able to discover the pleasure of driving a sports model.

A total 12,203 units were sold: 2,623 with the 1,100 engine and 9,580 with the 1,300 engine.

The Gordini remains an unrivalled legend that made its mark on a generation.

Renault 8

Year of release - 1962

Dimensions - Length: 4.00m-Width: 1.49m-Height: 1.37m



Renault R8 – An Owner’s Story:

The year was 1963 and it was the first Sunday in October. Your Humble Scribe was at Bathurst to witnessthe first Armstrong 500 race to be run at the famous Mount Panorama circuit. This 500 mile race forsupposedly showroom standard production saloons (Series Production) was at that time, actually fourraces in one. Each race was contested by cars within a particular range of prices. There was no officialaward for an outright winner. Initially, the leaders were V8 Studebaker Larks, Holden 179 S4s, closelyfollowed by Ford Cortina GTs etc, then slower cars including three R8s entered by Renault Australia.

I soon found myself watching the action at the Esses, as the cars descended the mountain from Skyline toForest Elbow at the start of Con-Rod Straight. The Studebakers soon fell back as they ran out of brakes,and a bit later, so did the Holdens. The lead was then closely contested by a number of GT Cortinas,which were in Price Class C. Further back in the field was a close contest within cars in Price Class B. Thefront runners were 1,500cc Cortinas and 997cc Morris Coopers. But down the back of the mountain, thepecking order was different! The R8s were quickest there. One, driven by Frank Matich, was able to closeup on the Mini Coopers, which in turn, were quicker than the 1,500 Cortinas on this part of the circuit. Inthis class, the Cortinas were quickest up the mountain, but the R8s were quickest through the downhillcorners and under brakes.

I wondered, how this could be? The R8s were only 956cc. Weren’t they just little underpowered Frenchcars with swing axle rear suspension which everybody knew was dodgy? Maybe, but in those days ofnarrow tyres, the camber change associated with swing axles wasn’t such a problem. Also, they did have

10.2” disc brakes front and rear. The Mini Coopers had 7.5” front discs and 7” rear drum brakes. The 1,500Cortinas had 9”X1.75” front drums and 8”X1.5” drums at the back. The Cortinas, as I later found out, wereprone to tramping and directional instability under hard braking and were not immune to brake fade andrapid brake wear. The Coopers were stable under brakes, but they had fade and wear problems too. Onlythe R8s, of all the runners in the race, were still stopping at the end of 500 miles as well they were at thebeginning of the race! If only the R8s had a bit more power ………..

In 1964, of course they did! Rather than three R8 956s, there were eight R8 1,100s! Unfortunately, thingsdidn’t go well for the R8s at Bathurst in 1964. The Morris Coopers had a new 998cc short stroke engineand a new close ratio gear box. The Cortinas now had front discs and more power. The 1,108cc R8 hadmore power than the 956cc model, but it also had higher gearing and weighed a bit more too. It was agreat road car, but did not excel on the track.It was to be several years before I owned a R8 myself. I went Series Production racing, firstly in a 105E

Anglia and then in a 1,500cc Cortina. Now, you should be aware that it took a lot of work to make thosecars “standard”! Before I started preparing my cars, I saw a Series Production legal 1,200cc Cortina easilyoutpace a showroom standard 1,500 Cortina. So my 1,500cc Cortina was Series Production legal, but notas it left the showroom floor. How would it go against a R8 on the road?

Several of my friends owned R8s and one asked me to help him modify his car. We shaved, ported andpolished the head, modified the camshaft and did a few other ‘tweeks’ It looked standard, but performancewas considerably improved, with a similar gain over a standard R8 as I had achieved with my SeriesProduction legal 1,500 Cortina. On several occasions, we ran the cars against each other. The Cortinawas significantly faster under track type conditions, but could not keep up with the R8 over winding, bumpyor loose country roads! Also, the R8 was amazingly economical, even when driven flat out. Run flat outinterstate, a R8 would still return 37MPG. Under similar usage, the Anglia gave only about 30MPG and theCortina a bit less than that. The R8 was comfortable, reliable and did not run out of brakes. It had a

heater/demister, windscreen washers, lay back seats and other features which were not common at thattime.The R8 was the logical development of the Dauphine, which in turn was a development of the 4CV. Bothof those earlier cars were good practical and economical cars with endearing personalities and goodsporting potential. All of those good qualities were transferred to and enhanced in the R8. However, the R8was so brilliant, so mechanically ‘bullet-proof’, so responsive, so endearing, charming and comfortable thatit was almost as if the R8 was completely new and owednothing to its talented forebears. The R8 seemed to be more than the sum of its parts. It had a lightness of touch andresponsiveness to such a degree that it was almost an ‘artform’! It was almost as if the R8 had inherited some AlpineA110 DNA! But the R8 1,100 was only the start!!.............................



Renault R8 Gordini:

When released late in 1962, the R8 had the new Sierra engine which had recently been used in theEstafette commercial vehicles. That sweet, powerful, durable and economical engine must be consideredone of the great engines of the last half century. The R8 had four large diameter disc brakes at a timewhen most cars in its class still had only drum brakes, and it had seats which made most other car’s seatslook like small torture chambers. It came with many other features that its competitors did not have.Amedee Gordini or ‘Le Sorcerer’ as he was known, was a brilliant engineer, with experience in the designof his own Formula 1 racers and sports racing cars, as well as previous work for Renault 4CVs,Dauphines, Alpines and others.

The Gordini version of the R8 had a tremendous advantage – it had chosen its parents very wellindeed

Renault Gordini 1300 – R1135Vital statistics The Renault 8 Gordini (R1134) was unveiled at the1964 Paris Motor Show. This 1100cc sports saloonwas a direct descendant of the 4CV 1063 and theDauphine 1093. Its capacity was increased to 1300ccin 1967.The Renault 8 Gordini Cup was inaugurated at thebeginning of 1966, on the initiative of French motor

magazines Moteurs and Action Automobile. Apromotional sports event, the Gordini Cup soonbecame the starting rung of racing careers that tookyoung drivers to the peak of motor sports. Theingredients for success: a monotype competitionbased on a mass-market series sports saloon andsuperior technical control. The Gordini Cup was botha thrilling competition and a training circuit.Jean-Claude Andruet, Jacques Coulon, Denis Dayan,Bernard Darniche, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, MichelLeclere, Jean-Luc Thérier, Jean-Pierre Jarier, JeanRagnotti, Alain Bertaut, Alain Serpaggi... A wholegeneration of champion French drivers learnt the

ropes in the Renault 8 Gordini Cup. The Renault 8Gordini was superseded in 1971 by the Renault 12

Gordini for a new formula of the Cup.

Data sheet Name: Renault 8 Gordini - R1135Model year: 1968Engine: Renault Type 812 (Sierra), developing 88 bhp DIN (103 HPSAE) at 6,700 rpm - four-cylinder in-line, 1255cc (74.5mm bore x 72 mmstroke). The specially developed cylinder head had hemisphericalcombustion chambers with inclined valves and special spark passageswhich gave the same effect as twin spark plugs. It was fed by twin38DCOE Weber carburettors. More highly developed competition versions had 1,297cc and 120 bhp.

Gearbox: longitudinal, Renault Type 353 – five forward synchromesh gears with plus reverse.Coachwork: Four-door three-box sedan, with room for 4/5 people - All-steel single-shell body, with specialstiffening and a special front panel to incorporate two extra driving lights.Suspension: Front – twin wishbones with stiffened springs and roll bar with heavier dampers. The rearsuspension had swing axles with two dampers per wheel with shortened and strengthened wheel travellimit straps. Tyres were 135/80/15 steel radials on 4.5J15 heavy duty steel rims. Competition cars such asBob Watson’s Australian Rally Championship winning car used 13” alloy rims and wider tyres. Therack and pinion steering was a ‘quicker ratio’ than the standard R8, giving 3 ¼ turns lock to lock in lieu of 3¾ of the standard R8. (Note: A 4CV with 4 ½ turns lock to lock did not seem to have ‘slow’ steering.)

Dimensions and weight: Wheelbase – 2.26m, Length 4.00 m - Width 1.49 m - Height 1.38 m, KerbWeight: - 855 kg, Twin fuel tanks – 38 l rear and 26 l front.Performance: Top speed: 175 km/h, Acceleration: 0-1000 m in 33 sec.



Your humble scribe owns a R1135 R8 Gordini, which to his great shame, is not currently ‘on the road’. Whenit was on the road, I had something of a ‘love-hate’ relationship with it. On a wet and windy night, it was not aparticularly forgiving car to be punting hard down a mountainside! It was not very directionally stable at highspeed in strong cross-winds ….but on tight gravel roads, what a revelation! There, you could use oversteerto great advantage and be very quick, even by today’s standards. The braking, which set the standard in the1960s, is still good today.

Back in the late 1960s and 1970s, a R1135 was almost the ultimate ‘Q-car’ – few people knew what it was,let alone anything of its performance potential. There were many owners of big 6s and even V8s who wereembarrassed by this funny looking blue sedan! Of course, the straight line performance which was

considered to be very quick over forty years ago is only average by modern standards, but the nimblenessand traction on tight gravel remain competitive – and of course, it is quite impossible to drive a R8Gordini without a grin from ear to ear!





‘The Driving Centre’ at Norwell

We guarantee that you won’t be bored at Norwell!!

Welcome to ‘The Driving Centre’ - an $8 million facility designed to help drivers really drive.

This is one of the Region's premier performance driving centres, equipped with facilities regarded as

being second to none, including:• A full 2km training circuit

• Skid pan

• An off-road, four wheel drive training course, conference room and onsite catering

• One of the only mechanical 'TurnTables' in the Southern Hemisphere (which is used to simulateoversteer)

The Driving Centre offers all this and much more. This unique facility provides every visitor with a trulymemorable motoring experience. Above all, it remains 'The' place for those looking to master the art oftechnically better driving.

We have a really great day planned for you at Norwell on Monday12 July! …… for details, see Page 9



Alpine Turbo A610

Vital statistics

The Alpine A610 coupé unveiled by Renault in March 1991 at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerlandwas a development of the GTA Turbo. It was designed to meet the demanding expectations of the mostdemanding sports coupé clientèle. The Alpine GTA and GTA Turbo were the performance car bargainsof the 1980s. The A610 took all of the virtues of the GTA and added refinement and sophistication moreoften found in luxury sedans. Even today, the Alpine A610 stands out for dynamic safety and excellentall-round comfort. Advanced aerodynamic design produced a very pure, streamlined profile. Theremodelled interior styling is dominated by smooth, harmonious, well-integrated shapes. Comfort andsilence are those of a prestige saloon.

Standard equipment includes power steering, air conditioning, ABS, and radio with steering-wheelcontrols. One important technical innovation is a microprocessor-controlled central accessories unitmanaging functions such as power windows, perimetric alarm, wipers, and ceiling light timing.The Alpine A610 is powered by a new 3-litre V6 turbocharged injection engine that develops 250bhpat 5,750rpm, consistent with the most extravagant performance demands of motorists fortunate enoughto find themselves at the wheel of this exceptional supercar.

Motor Sport Magazine, in a road test in 1993 said:

“The serenity of the muscular motor and the remarkable chassis allow rapid progress that is much less tiring than itwould be in the fabled Porsche 911” and “Thanks to the redeveloped suspension and power steering, piloting the

A610 is a joy comparable to that of taking the helm of a 911”.

Data sheet Name: Renault Alpine Turbo A610Model year: 1990Engine: V6 Turbo - Capacity: 2,975cc - Three-way catalyser - Bore: 93mm - Stroke: 73mm, 7.6:1 cr., 2valves/cylinder, SOHC, intercooled, electronic ignition and multipoint fuel injectionPower & Torque: 250bhp @ 5,750rpm, 258 lb ft @ 2900rpmGearbox: Five-speed manual – Ratios/KPH/100RPM 1st 3.36/ 9.8, 2nd 2.05/16.1, 3rd 1.38/24.1, 4th 0.96/34.5, 5th 0.75/44.0Brakes: Ventilated discs with five-sensor ABS, front 300mm, rear 300mmCoachwork: Coupé 2 + 2, Body in resin and fibreglass bonded to backbone frame

Tyres & Wheels: Front – 205/45/ZR16 on 7 X 16 rims, Rear – 245/45 ZR16 on 9 X 16 rimsDimensions: Length: 4.33m - Width: 1.75m - Height: 1.20m, Wheelbase – 2340mm, 80 l fuel tank,Weight: 1,380kgPerformance: Top speed: 265kph, 0 – 100kph in 6.1s, 0 – 400m in 14.5s et & 160kph tv.

Ken Melville’s beautiful A610 will be at RSAE!!



What is RSAE 2010 all about! In June 2004, six members of the Renault Car Club of Queensland (RCCQ) attended the Alpine

Recorde du Monde at Zolder racing circuit in Belgium. That event involved 667 RenaultSport,Gordinis, Alpines etc, from 52 car clubs and 16 different countries!

With the Alpine Recorde du Monde as inspiration, the RCCQ held the very successful RenaultSport & Alpine Expo – 2005! We now plan an even larger event, the RSAE – 2010!

The Planned Itinerary for RSAE 2010 is:• Friday 9 July – Welcome Function 7.00 – 9.00 pm.

• Saturday 10 July – Scenic Drive on some picturesque SE Qld roads with an official assemblyphoto shoot and lunch at the destination.

• Saturday 10 July Evening – Gala Dinner 7 pm Robertson Gardens - includes an interestingguest speaker and a Renault memorabilia auction.

• Sunday 11 July – A Grand Display of French Cars starting at 9:30 am at Brookfield Pony ClubShowgrounds, followed by a casual dinner for RSAE participants.

Optional additional events are:

• Monday 12 July – Track Day at ‘The Driving Centre’ at Norwell.The following activities will be available before lunch:* Safety Training on Skid-pan* Circuit training lead by experienced racing drivers* ABS braking training* Motorkhana novelty event* Tour of V8 Supercar workshopIn the afternoon, this will be followed by the opportunity to drive your car on thischallenging 2 km circuit for timed laps – What a day!! Thanks to generous sponsorship from RENAULT AUSTRALIA, the cost for the whole dayis only $50 per person.

• Tuesday 13 to Friday 16 July – Tour to Sydney along some interesting back roads.• Saturday 17 July – Day run around Sydney, organised by our RCCA colleagues.• Sunday 18 July – Sydney All French Car Day.

Anybody with an interest in Renault, Alpine, Gordini or related cars is very welcome. You don’t

need to own the latest RenaultSPORT or any other sporting Renault to attend!However, we do NOT expect to see the 1935 Monte Carlo Rallye winning RENAULT Nervasport atRSAE 2010, although it would be very welcome!



However, we hope to have a couple of Alpine A310s!

Interested?

RSAE is only a few weeks away, so PLEASE register straight away. Please complete aRegistration Form and send it to us as soon as possible. If you are interested in RSAE2010 and want more information, please get in touch.

Also, determine your work/holiday plans & make your accommodation bookings early.It may help to keep an eye on the various forums, including:http://renaultinaus.17.forumer.com/

To provide everyone with regular updates and Newsletterson RSAE 2010, we need your name and email address!!

Questions? Contact us at ‘[email protected]’ or telephone Ian Both (07) 3279 0509 or

Phil Harrison (0419 885513).

RSAE 2010 - the best RENAULT event in

Australia ever. , PLEASE bring it to Australia soon!

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RSAE 10 Newsletter#9