At this year’s Tatton Park Classic & Retro Car Revival show, one exhibit in particular captivated visitors’ attention.
Although it wasn’t known for high performance or an exotic design, Peter Bell’s 49-year-old Renault 12 TL brought back memories of one of the most popular imported cars of the 1970s.
Today, it’s believed that only four of these models remain. For attendees of a certain age, seeing this N-registered car in person triggered memories of an era long past.
The distinctive features, from the headlight adjustment levers that allowed drivers to accommodate a heavy load, to the elaborate air vents and the expanses of black vinyl upholstery, made this car unforgettable.
In the 1970s, countless drivers practiced what is now almost a lost art: wiping the seats with a damp cloth before setting off on a summer drive.
The 12’s unique design, particularly its distinctive lines, stood out the most. Renault referred to it as “arrow-like,” and the 12 was the only car in its class with a stepped roofline over the back seat.
As noted in this newspaper at the time, the roofline aimed “to create air turbulence, producing lift to keep the wheels on the ground,” making the Renault 12 easy to spot in a crowded parking lot.
Renault started developing the 12 in 1964 to eventually replace the rear-engined R8. The company’s design goals included creating “a roomy interior and a large boot.”
A 1.3-litre version of Renault’s Cléon-Fonte four-cylinder engine series was chosen, as Renault believed “a small engine will suffice.”
Since the 12 was intended as a “world car,” its rear drum brakes and live back axle facilitated easy assembly in international factories, helping to keep the price low.
The 12 made its debut at the 1969 Paris Motor Show, marking Renault’s fourth front-wheel-drive model, following the Renault 4, the 1966 Car of the Year Renault 16, and the Renault 6.
Many observers were surprised by its “three-box” saloon design, which differed from Renault’s other front-wheel-drive models, but Renault felt that customers in southern Europe weren’t overly enthusiastic about hatchbacks, as these were often associated with utility vehicles.
In the UK, sales began in May 1970, with initial trims available in L and TL models, which featured reclining front seats, folding armrests, a cigar lighter, a heated rear window, and rear ashtrays.
Although the Renault 12 was more than three inches longer than the Ford Cortina Mk3, its smaller engine led British buyers to see it as a competitor to models like the Ford Escort Mk1, Hillman Avenger, and Vauxhall Viva HC.
Renault UK proudly highlighted the 12’s 90mph top speed, noting that it was “pretty good going” and that “it comes with an alternator.”
The TL trim level, which included amenities like reclining front seats and a cigar lighter, is featured in Peter Bell’s model.
Autocar praised the Renault 12 for its comfort and stability, describing it as “pleasant and reassuring.” Car magazine compared it to the Fiat 128 in 1971, concluding that the Fiat “laid down a new set of standards that other manufacturers have yet to equal at the price,” while the 12 “runs remarkably close behind it.”
Two years later, Motor magazine noted, “More have been sold in this country than any other foreign car in the past few years.”
By 1975, What Car? magazine evaluated the 12 TL, which then cost £1,443 compared to £1,416 for the Citroën GS Special and £1,419 for the Triumph Toledo.
The review commented: “The Renault is less futuristic than the GS, although its styling still looks odd even today,” while the Triumph was described as “simple and rugged, having no exotic components to go wrong” compared to its French competitors.
In 1975, Renault gave the 12 a facelift, and production in France ended in 1980 after around 4,010,000 units had been made. Nevertheless, the 12 continued to be manufactured in Romania until as recently as 2006.
In the UK, the Renault 12 was already disappearing from roads when the Bell family purchased this blue TL in 1985.
Since then, it has appeared on the TV show Life on Mars and became a minor sensation at the Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional, where nearly every visitor had a story about a relative or acquaintance who had once owned one.
One reason the Bell family’s Renault 12 is so beloved at car shows is because it is the humble TL model rather than the upscale TS or the sporty Gordini.
This Renault model appealed to Avenger, Escort, Viva, and Toledo drivers who were considering their first “foreign car” – and enjoyed the comfort of “soft stitched leathercloth.”