The Renault 16 - The world's first hatchback (I don't care what you think)

Much like the Fiat 128 in the last post, probably no other car has had such an impact on modern car design that the subject of this post - the Renault 16 from 1965. This was arguably the world's first hatchback–perhaps Renault's own 4 from 1961 would be the only other likely contender–and commanded this unique market segmentuntil the arrival of the Austin Maxi in 1969.

The R16's technical specification was somewhat peculiar–though nothing unusual to those familiar with Renault's traditional methods. Firstly, the rear suspension was independent by transverse torsion bars and trailing arms. Because the torsion bars were positioned one in front of the other, the result was that the left wheelbase was longer than the right by 70mm! This unusual setup would appear on several Renault models throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Another peculiarity was that the 1.4 litre 54bhp engine was positioned longitudinally, behind the gearbox. This allowed for excellent handling and balance by placing the weight of the engine closer to the centre of the car, at the expense of some interior room

The R16's interior space and comfort were a cut above anything else at the time. The rear seat could be folded in numerous ways or even removed completely, and the front seats could slide forward and fold flat to provide a rudimentary double bed.

The R16 was replaced by the Renault 20/30 in 1975, but remained in production until 1980.