The Renault Fuego was a French-built car offered in the U.S. between 1982 and 1985. You could get one at your local American Motors dealership, as the makes were in cahoots at the time. The seller has a pair of these “sport hatchbacks” available, a running 1984 model and a 1982 parts car. The running car needs some attention, so perhaps the donor might be helpful. Located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, this due goes together here on Facebook Marketplace for $2,999. Thanks for the tip, JDC!
Fuego is a Spanish word for “fire.” It was built by Renault from 1980 to 1986, and more than 265,000 copies were produced, the majority in France (some in Spain). To improve its market share in the U.S. (which was minimal), Renault bought into AMC to have access to their dealer network and some production capacity. Cars made for U.S consumption had some modifications from their French counterparts, such as bigger bumpers, rectangular headlights, and side marker lights. A 1.6-liter engine was offered at first, later upgraded to a 2.2.
The Fuego generally got good reviews but never sold well in the States. The seller has owned the burgundy one for many years, and it was his ongoing project. After being stored for a time, it was extracted and started up. The car has a rebuilt transmission, new brakes, and an aftermarket cooling fan for the engine. It has a pull-back sunroof that needs a new seal, so we assume it leaks. And there’s a grounding issue the seller has yet to sort out. But the mileage is said to be a scant 37,000.
Coming with the sale is a complete parts car from 1982 (silver in color). It has a full leather interior, and two extra transmissions have been kept that go with the combined sale. The seller needs funds to support a college education (attaboy), so that’s why the cars have to go. When was the last time you saw one Fuego, much less two?
“First price is a Fuego – and second prize is Two Fuegos”.
Fuego = Fire…
Neat looking cars, sad powertrains…
Le Pew… If I’m not mistaken one of the first cars with a timing belt, no chain. Very helpful if you are left handed, double jointed, and have the hand size of a 5 year old. Turns out it wasn’t the timing belt, the catalytic converter had collapsed on it’s self… Go buy a spare metric tire… They wanted 200 for 1 tire back in the early 90s. For about the same price I got 4 rims from the junkyard that were standard size and new tires… No, I forgot what car the rims came off of… Getting old…
I’m pretty sure the first car with a rubber timing belt was the 1962 Glas. First in the U.S. was the 1966 Pontiac OHC six.
I read, the 1st timing belt was used in 1945. In 1954 Bill Devin made a Panhard Devin race car with a timing belt, and oddly, the Fiat 124 in late 1965 also pioneered a timing belt. I can’t think of a single more important way of planned obsolescence than those belts.
The first production car using a rubber timing belt was indeed the Glas 1004 in 1962… the Aurelio Lampredi designed Fiat twin cam (used in the 124 Spider was the first to use a rubber timing belt in a production twin cam set-up. Was introduced in 1966.
The early 1.6L engine is unrelated to the later 2.2L, so doubtful the parts car would help much if at all in getting the other one running.
The 2.2L was more powerful than the turbo version of the 1.6L, explaining why they dropped the turbo option when the 2.2L became standard in the US.
Pal just got an ’86 Capri RS. I can’t help but notice that the Feugo kinda looks a lot like that era of Capri, but given a tsantsa treatment.
Loved these when they came out. Wish I was younger and had space for them. This looks like a great project. The interior in the photo presents well. Shouldn’t be real hard to get one nice car out of all this for a dirt cheap price.
I drove one once, a cute french brunette was too tipsy, so I was her chauffeur home from the pub 🍻.
Fun driving car, it was black and grey I remember and a standard… I didn’t even know an automatic was optional. Every one of these I remember seeing was a manual. 🇫🇷
And it’s the CAR you remember!? 😆
Lol…JDC we don’t kiss and tell at BF 💋
A fellow truck driver co-worker had one of these, it was a really nice car, that I remember. Got him to work on the coldest days. He was kind of a doofus, and figured that type of person would buy a car like that, I’m sure it rusted to bits before its time. Took a certain kind of person to buy these. Someone probably not interested in ever buying another. THIS is the low our beloved Rambler dealers had stooped to? For shame,,,
French Ford Pinto.
Buy a parts car expecting it to supply parts so you don’t have to wait overseas shipment, which is sound logic until the same thing breaks for the second time.
i am sorry i saw these 2
My father bought a Fuego as his daily driver, after trading in his 330 Ferrari for a pile of genuine Bugatti T35 parts (from which he reconstructed a formidable historic racing car).
The Fuego didn’t disappoint. It was amazingly reliable, performed well, handled in a predictable if rather French manner, and delivered the goods. It’s only significant downside – in Australia – was that its extensive glass area meant that its interior heated up unbearably in a matter of minutes whenever it was stationary.
Maybe the nicest one still running? :)
Was built not only in France (bien sur) and in Spain, but in Argentina too!!
Being a Michigan based car(s), I would want to check the undersides for rust. Still well priced for two cars with the hope of getting one decent running car.
I remember I sat in one late 80’s. I didn’t think they were anything special back then. But the owner was telling me it had a “racing clutch”. So it was going slow faster than other fuego’s
The 1.6 was useless at altitude (Denver), you had to turn off the AC in order to have enough power to merge on to the Interstate.
My daughter had a 86 manual trans., fun car to drive loved the looks of the back hatch ,,handled well .
I was on the local AMC lot and was chatting with the salesman, after a 10
Minutes of bantering back and forth, he
Said, “there is an ass for every seat!”
I was about 22 at the time and thought,
That’s True!
Was doing business with a guy who owned a local motorcycle shop. He asked what we do with the leftover vehicles when the new model year rolls around. I said, There’s someone for everyone. He replied that they have a saying like that in the bike business.
I was on the local AMC lot and was chatting with the salesman, after a 10
Minutes of bantering back and forth, he
Said, “there is an a__ for every seat!”
I was about 22 at the time and thought,
That’s True!
I was on the local AMC lot and was chatting with the salesman, after a 10
Minutes of bantering back and forth, he
Said, “there is an a__ for every seat!”
I was about 22 at the time and thought,
That’s True!
That’s two too many.
I remember waaay back in the mid ’80s it was time to replace my daily driver ’80 VW Scirocco…. It was toss-up between a new Scirocco, a VW GTI, an Isuzu Impulse, and a Renault Fuego… I remember really liking the Fuego and it being the most comfortable and wonderfully quirky… but I went with the GTI.
Is the parts car a 1.6L or a 1.6L Turbo? Also, is it a manual or an automatic? What type of transmissions are included? Thanks.