The Renault 5 was originally marketed as a three or five-door, front-engined front-wheel drive passenger hatchback. It was produced the R5 during the first generation from 1972-1985, and then later the second generation as Super 5 (if you prefer French ‘Supercing’), for the years 1984-1996. The R5 was marketed in the US and Canada as the ‘Le Car’, from 1976 to 1983.
The Renault 5 van (not to be confused with the Renault Extra van, that’s a different story altogether) went on sale in the UK during September 1986, it was basically a Renault 5TL hatchback a car derived van (CDV) with itsto the rear behind the seats that aided in stopping the load from shifting forwards. The standard tailgate was retained, so loading the rear cargo area meant negating over the rear sill some 8in high. The Renault 5 van was a surprising choice some would say by Renault, as it was less than four months after the launch of its Extra van (marketed in Europe as the Express), Renault UK decided to launch onto the (CDV) market, extending their coverage in the light commercials. The small R5 CDV was therefore in direct competition with likes of the Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 205 and Austin Metro 310.
