Renault didn’t reinvent the rear-engine saloon—it polished it until it sold 1.5 million units.
The Renault 8 is a four-door saloon car with a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, launched in June 1962 and produced until 1976 in various countries including France, Spain, Bulgaria, and Romania. It was powered by a 956 cc Cléon-Fonte engine at launch and shared its basic architecture and wheelbase with the Renault Dauphine.
It is a small family saloon—not a sports car, not a microcar, not a hatchback.
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How it’s built
Its rear-engine layout shares the Dauphine’s wheelbase—same bones, new skin.
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How long it lasted
Launched in 1962, it stayed in production in France until 1976—longer than most rivals.
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Where it was made
It was built under licence in Spain, Bulgaria and Romania—proof of its adaptable, export-ready design.
Worth your time?
Yes. Drive the whole thing.
3.5/ 5
What works
usable interior space in compact footprint
four-door access without compromising chassis discipline
What does not
front-wheel drive
disc brakes as standard at launch
cabin noise isolation
road shock absorption
Drive it if
students of automotive continuity
drivers who value compact saloon practicality over dynamic polish
Skip it if
drivers who prioritise steering feedback
drivers who expect crash protection or thermal management
The written brief1 min read
What the car is and where it came from
A small family car produced by the French manufacturer Renault. A four-door saloon with rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Launched in June 1962.
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
It places the engine behind the rear axle. The driver sits ahead of the driven wheels. The layout demands careful weight distribution to avoid oversteer in corners.
What it gets right
It delivers usable interior space in a compact footprint. Its four-door saloon body gives practical access without compromising the Dauphine’s basic chassis discipline.
What it does not
It does not offer front-wheel drive. It does not have disc brakes as standard at launch. It does not isolate cabin noise or road shock effectively.
What it changed
It replaced the Dauphine as Renault’s mainstream family saloon while keeping the same wheelbase and rear-engine architecture—proving that evolution could be incremental, not revolutionary.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for students of automotive continuity—those who see value in how a company refines an idea across generations. It is not for drivers who prioritise steering feedback, crash protection or thermal management.
Is it worth your time
Yes—if you want to understand how Renault moved past the Dauphine without abandoning its rear-engine logic. No—if you expect modern handling, refinement or safety standards.
