Renault 16 TS
The faster Renault 16 TS kept the flexible five-door cabin and added stronger power, larger front discs and power-assisted brakes.
1971 Renault 16 TS · Dennis Elzinga · CC BY 2.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
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More than a set of wheels.
The Renault 16 had already redrawn the family-car rulebook when the faster TS arrived in 1968. By 1971, the TS combined the practical five-door body and rearrangeable cabin with a stronger 1.6-litre engine, larger front discs and power-assisted brakes. A period Motor Sport test treated it as a roomy, high-speed continental tourer rather than merely a utility-minded hatchback.
Look a little closer.
Its left and right wheelbases differ because the two long rear torsion bars sit one behind the other.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
One car, several rooms
The 16's hatch was only the beginning. Its cabin and rear seating could be rearranged for people, long objects or holiday luggage, which made the car behave more like a small room than a fixed-purpose saloon. The TS kept that flexibility while adding enough performance to make long motorway journeys a central part of its character.
Source: www.motorsportmagazine.com ↗Why one side is longer
The rear wheels spring on transverse torsion bars. Two long bars cannot occupy exactly the same line, so Renault placed one slightly ahead of the other. That shifts one rear wheel relative to the other and creates unequal wheelbases. The car is intentionally asymmetric—a surprising example of packaging taking priority over visual neatness.
Source: historicdb.fia.com ↗Where these facts come from
- www.motorsportmagazine.com
- historicdb.fia.com
- presse.renault.de
- presse.renault.de
- www.automobile-catalog.com
- renaultownersclub.com
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed October 4, 2026.