With the disappearance of the Talisman, a saga of more than fifty years comes to an end: that of the Renault family sedans and their estate derivatives. A story which unfortunately ends with several failures in a row, but which had started very well with the Renault 16.
The argus announced it to you last year: in March 2022, Renault stopped production of its Talisman in Douai. It’s not just the end of a model, the only generation of which didn’t really make an impression. It is above all the disappearance of an old line of more than fifty years, that of the family sedans with the diamond. The category being less and less popular with buyers, more inclined towards SUVs, no descendants are indeed on the program. A decision that is all the more logical since the French brand has just had a series of failures in this segment. But before this long descent into hell, started by the serious reliability problems of the Laguna 2, the Renault 16, Renault 21 and other Laguna 1 have all the same met with some success. The argus looks back on this turbulent history.
Renault 16 (1965-1980): a hatchback that changes everything
Launched in 1965, the Renault 16 is as innovative as its predecessor, the Frégate, was conventional. Its main originality is its two-volume body, with a tailgate then unheard of in the segment. It is thus located halfway between a sedan and a station wagon, offering a modularity that makes it a “car to live” before its time. It also abandons the rear-wheel drive of its ancestor in favor of a more modern and safer traction architecture. With its 4.23 m to 4.26 m long, it would now be in the compact segment. But cars have grown terribly in fifty years! It is well at the top of the Renault range that the R16 comes to be placed at the time, even if it remains more accessible than a Citroën DS. Its main rival will thus be the Peugeot 504, which appeared in 1968. A much more classic sedan in design and style. Produced for almost fifteen years, the Renault 16 even coexisted with the Renault 20 and Renault 30, which succeeded it. It was manufactured in more than 1.8 million units.
Renault 20 and 30 (1975-1984): a wide-ranging duo
In the duo formed by the Renault 20 and Renault 30, only the first was to really replace the R16 at the start. The second had more upscale ambitions. This desire earned it to be the only one to receive a V6, the famous PRV developed in collaboration with Peugeot and Volvo. But the economic crisis of 1973 will push the Losange to revise its ambitions downwards. The two models will thus ultimately be much closer than expected, with a length of approximately 4.50 m in both cases.
Most of their bodywork is also identical and remains faithful to the hatchback silhouette inaugurated by the R16. A predecessor who also gave up the four-cylinder from its TX version to the R20. The R30 was distinguished by its more opulent presentation and its grille with four headlights. Not to mention its more noble engine, which could however be replaced by a four-cylinder turbo diesel, already seen in the R20 from 1981.
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Renault 21 (1986-1996): a dual mission
With the 21, Renault changed its tune. This wagon replaces the top-of-the-range versions of the R18 and R20. The task of succeeding the R30 was entrusted to the R25 launched in 1983, which now fully assumes the role of road car. The R21 must therefore cast a wider net. It will do so in particular by offering three different bodies : the four-door with separate trunk, in a very classic style, the five-door hatchback, more in line with the R16, and finally the Nevada station wagon. With its square lines and dashboard, typical of the 1980s, the Renault 21 may seem outdated today, and scrapping bonuses have contributed to decimating it. But it was a real success in its time, and its very successful 21 Turbo version with 175 hp, almost able to hold its own against a BMW M3 E30 in a straight line, became an increasingly sought-after youngtimer.
Renault Laguna (1994-2015): grandeur and decadence
After the Clio and before the Mégane, the Laguna adopts Renault’s new naming policy: no more numbers, make way for names that are more evocative and intended to remain in the catalog. In this case, the Diamond takes up here that of a roadster concept presented in 1990, even if the production model has nothing to do with it. Three generations will succeed one another, but only the first will really experience an uneventful career. Available as a five-door saloon and station wagon, it abandoned the angles of the R21 in favor of a curvaceous body, typical of the “biodesign” movement then in vogue. Softer shapes found in the passenger compartment, with a rather neat finish.
Renault Talisman (2015-2022): last unsuccessful attempt
To turn the page on the Laguna, Renault adopts a new name in the form of a lucky charm. With its 4.85 m long, the imposing Talisman must also replace the ephemeral Latitude, the brand’s last unsuccessful attempt to offer a road car. A burden perhaps too heavy for this sedan with a fairly classic style, which even completely renounces the tailgate. In order to have this fifth door, it is now necessary to turn to the Estate station wagon. Despite its four-wheel steering inherited from the Laguna 3, capable of offering formidable behavior to the versions that are equipped with it, the Talisman will not work miracles. It had a very discreet career, with a peak of 46,341 units produced in the Douai factory in 2016, followed by lower figures each year. Renault can, however, console itself by saying that the great rival Peugeot 508 is also far from achieving commercial prowess… even if the lion brand offered for the first time a hatchback to the sedan version of its family, almost fifty years ago. after the R16!