This nameplate was introduced for the 1983 model year as Renault’s North American small-car offering, built by American Motors Corporation in Kenosha, Wisconsin and adapted from the European Renault 9. It was part of Renault’s effort to establish a stronger presence in the United States and Canada during the early 1980s, when the company was closely tied to AMC. The car was notable for bringing a French-badged front-wheel-drive subcompact to a market then dominated by domestic and Japanese rivals, and it quickly gained attention by winning major U.S. automotive honors in its debut year.
The nameplate was used on the sedan body style, while the related hatchback version was marketed separately for much of the run under a different model name. For 1987, the final model year, Renault added a higher-performance GTA version that gave the line a more enthusiast-oriented sendoff. After the 1987 model year, the nameplate disappeared as Renault’s North American AMC-era strategy unraveled and the model was discontinued.
The car remains remembered as one of the most visible Renaults ever sold in North America, both for its ambitious market role and for the mixed legacy of Renault’s partnership with AMC.