Renault 21 2L Turbo
It looks like a family saloon, but Renault gave this 21 a turbo, two intercoolers and the electronics to keep its boost under control.
1988 Renault 21 Turbo (4322170883).jpg · Spanish Coches · 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.
Renault launched the 21 family in 1986 and added the 2L Turbo in 1987 to challenge fast German saloons. The ordinary three-box shape hid serious engineering: a light-alloy engine, electronic control, lowered suspension, four disc brakes and standard anti-lock braking. Renault built about 14,000 examples across the 1987–1992 run, but this profile is the original French, non-catalysed front-drive version.
Look a little closer.
French gendarmes used the fast saloon for rapid-intervention duty, even though it began life as a family-shaped Renault 21.
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 computer, three engine jobs
Renault's electronic controller did more than meter fuel. It coordinated ignition timing, fuel injection and turbo boost, while the water-cooled Garrett T3 and two air-cooled intercoolers helped manage heat. That integration explains how the launch car produced 175 PS without turning the family saloon into a peaky race machine.
Source: Renault Deutschland · 40 Jahre Turbo-Saga ↗Fast without pretending to be a coupé
The 21 Turbo kept four doors and a conventional three-box body. Renault instead changed the parts that mattered underneath: lowered suspension, revised running gear, disc brakes and ABS. Its later competition and ice-record relatives are fascinating, but their four-wheel drive, racing power and special tyres do not describe the road car here.
Source: The Originals Renault Museum · R21 2L Turbo ↗Where these facts come from
- The Originals Renault Museum · R21 2L Turbo
- Renault Deutschland · 40 Jahre Turbo-Saga
- Renault 21 period catalogue archive · July 1987
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed 2026-10-03.