LE FLOP

Renault’s Le Car was sporty, economical, and cute. And, according to Tom and Ray Magliozzi, hosts of NPR’s Car Talk, it was also so badly engineered that it “would put you in mortal danger if you ran into anything larger than a croissant.” Here’s le story.

LE COMPANY

By 1976, French automaker Renault had been trying to break into the North American market for nearly two decades. The company had been producing cars since 1897—almost from the birth of the automobile—and knew a thing or two about selling them to fuel-conscious Europeans. But the U.S. was a different market, saturated with gas-guzzling models. Then the energy crisis of 1973 pushed Americans to trade in their Camaros and T-Birds for more-economical Honda Civics and VW Rabbits. Working in partnership with American Motors (AMC), Renault decided the time was right to introduce its 41-mpg, 55-hp supermini, the Renault 5. The car featured a sporty look that included a steeply sloped rear hatchback and dashboard, and Renault executives were confident that they finally had a winner.

LE DEBUT

The Renault 5 debuted in grand fashion at the Silverado Country Club in Napa Valley, California, in October 1975. Famed chef Paul Bocuse was on hand dishing out hors d’oeuvres and foie gras to the press, and race-car driver Marie-Claude Beaumont demonstrated a sports version of the 1976 model 5 on a track. Dealers were charmed.

But for some reason, Renault rolled out the first models in showrooms on the East Coast, not the booming California market where the car had just been so favorably previewed. And Renault decided not to put in an appearance at the influential Los Angeles Auto Expo, which specialized in trendy imports. Those two moves would prove to be marketing miscalculations of epic proportions.

LE WHO?

The Renault 5 hit the market with a thud. Of 13,458 cars sent to the U.S. in 1976, nearly half remained on the lot by the time the ’77s were introduced in September. The company blamed its advertising agency for the weak sales and promptly fired it, only to be informed by its new agency, Marsteller, that Renault’s problem was its image: It didn’t have one. The Renault name was unknown to most American buyers, so the number 5 meant nothing to them.

Marsteller convinced Renault’s director of publicity, Pierre Gazarian, to rename the vehicle, adding that “the name should not only convey the car’s French heritage, but be easily digestible for a less sophisticated American consumer.” After several names were tested—including Frog—Renault settled on Le Car.

LE SUCCESS!

A new marketing campaign inspired by Le Car’s Gallic roots began in earnest. Ads for Le Car touted “Les Features,” “Le Performance,” and “L’Economy.” Buyers could expect “Le Fantastic Ride” at a reasonable “Le Price.” It worked—Americans sick of waiting in gas lines began snatching up Le Cars. In February 1977, 862 were sold. In March, Americans purchased another 1,377. In April, the number shot up another 2,503. By the end of the year, Renault had sold 12,645 Le Cars, doubling its sales from the previous year. Five years later, annual sales had reached 37,000.

LE DEMISE

Then cracks appeared in the import’s fortunes—literally. Before long, Le Cars gained a reputation for rusting and flimsiness. Said one owner, “I’m convinced that the body metal for this car was supplied by Reynold’s Aluminum Foil.” Head gaskets were prone to failure, and owners found themselves waiting for months for expensive replacements to be shipped from France. Soon Le Car became known as “Le Throwaway Car,” as dissatisfied owners complained that they couldn’t drive what they couldn’t fix. Renault, losing money to the tune of one billion francs per month, decided to pull the plug. With little fanfare, the automaker ceased production in 1983.

By 2000, when Car Talk’s Tom and Ray named Le Car the sixth-worst car of the millennium, there were only a handful left on the road. But there may be Le Car Nouveau in the near future. In 2014, Renault will offer an all-new Le Car to compete with the popular Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Beetle. No plans have been announced for a U.S. release—yet.

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