Renault 21

Renault

Company type	Public
Industry	Automotive
Founded	February 25, 1899 (1899-02-25) in France
Founder	Louis Renault, Marcel Renault, Fernand Renault
Headquarters	Boulogne-Billancourt , France
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Automobiles, commercial vehicles
Owner	Groupe Renault
Website	www.renault.com

Renault 21

The Renault 21 represents a large family vehicle manufactured by the French company Renault between 1986 and 1994. In the North American market, it was initially sold through American Motors as the Renault Medallion and subsequently distributed by Jeep-Eagle dealers under the name Eagle Medallion. Production numbers totaled around 2,096,000 units.

Introduced in early 1986, the Renault 21 saloon succeeded the Renault 18, followed by the launch of the R21 Nevada station wagon, which featured seven seats and was marketed as the Savanna in the United Kingdom. The model earned several accolades: in 1987, What Car? awarded the Renault 21 GTS the title of Best Family Saloon, while the Savanna secured honors for both Car of the Year and Best Family Estate.

Design

The Renault 21 was notable for its distinctive engine arrangements: the 1.7-litre variant utilized a transverse engine setup, whereas higher-powered models incorporated longitudinally mounted engines due to constraints with the gearbox design. This configuration led to slight variations in wheelbase length; however, the engine compartment was designed to accommodate either arrangement without compromising interior passenger space.

This dual-engine architecture introduced complexities in manufacturing and parts inventory, which adversely affected profitability for both Renault and its dealer network.

The Nevada/Savanna estate was marginally longer than the saloon and provided an optional seven-seat layout featuring a fold-down bench intended for children, which when deployed reduced available luggage capacity. Roof rails were standard equipment on this model.

History

First revealed on 20 November 1985 and launched in February 1986, the Renault 21 replaced the outdated R18, aiming to compete effectively in the mid-size segment with a distinctive design that set it apart from competitors such as the Ford Sierra and Opel Ascona.

Right-hand drive versions became available for the UK market starting in June 1986.

A major redesign arrived in May 1989, refreshing both styling and technology to align with the updated Renault 25. This update introduced a liftback body style that rapidly gained traction in France, surpassing saloon sales. The lineup expanded to include a performance-oriented 2.0 L Turbo variant. Certain saloon models (TXi 2.0 12v and 2.0 turbo) featured four-wheel-drive via the Quadra system. For Nevada wagons, four-wheel-drive options were offered with eight-valve 2.0 petrol and naturally aspirated 2.1 Diesel engines; however, more powerful versions were not available in this body type. The front-wheel-drive Turbo model achieved .

At the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1989, a fuel-injected 2.2i version was introduced specifically for Germany, designed to benefit from local insurance and taxation policies favoring larger-displacement engines with moderate output. These powertrains employed a Renix engine control unit, created through a collaboration between Renault and Bendix Corporation. Four-wheel-drive capability remained exclusive to Nevada models.

Production of petrol-powered liftback and saloon variants ceased in early 1994 following the debut of the new Renault Laguna. Diesel engines and Nevada/Savanna estates continued production until they were succeeded by Laguna derivatives at the close of 1994 (diesel) and late 1995 (Nevada/Savanna).

A notable historical footnote includes a Renault 21 TSE being presented as a gift to Václav Havel by Portuguese President Mário Soares prior to the Velvet Revolution, briefly serving as Czechoslovakia's presidential state car during 1989.

Argentina

Renault's Santa Isabel plant in Córdoba Province, Argentina, produced the R21 from late 1988 until early 1996, extending its local availability beyond the European market discontinuation. The model was offered in two variants: a saloon and the Nevada station wagon. Initially, both petrol and diesel engines utilized carburetors, with fuel injection systems introduced later on.

Available engines comprised a 1.8L unit delivering 92CV with carburetion and 95CV when fuel-injected; a 2.0L engine producing 110CV without a catalytic converter and 105CV with one; a 2.2L option rated at 120CV without catalytic conversion and 110CV with it; plus a 2.1L diesel generating 72CV. The liftback version, imported from France under the "Alizé" designation, was eventually phased out and replaced by the Laguna.

Turkey

During the early 1990s, Oyak-Renault manufactured the R21 in Turkey, offering it in three trim levels: the entry-level 21 with a 1.7L engine, the mid-tier 21 Manager equipped with a 1.7L engine producing 90 PS, and the premium Concorde featuring a fuel-injected 2.0L unit. Subsequently, additional trims were introduced including the affordable 1.6L "Optima" and the "Manager 2000," which housed a more powerful 2.0L engine rated at 122 PS. Production and sales persisted until late 1996.

United States and Canada

From 1987 to 1989, the R21 was sold in North America as the Renault Medallion before being rebranded as the Eagle Medallion. This market received only the 2.2L engine variant. Initially distributed by Renault, sales transitioned following Renault's divestment of its stake in American Motors Corporation (AMC) to Chrysler. AMC dealerships became part of Chrysler’s Jeep-Eagle network, which maintained sales of this model until its discontinuation in 1989. The North American R21 featured unique styling modifications to comply with local safety standards and lighting regulations.

Colombia

The Renault 21 made its debut in Colombia in 1987 as a four-door saloon powered by a longitudinally mounted 2.0 L engine. Later that year, in October, the Renault 21 Nevada station wagon was introduced, sharing the same powertrain configuration. In 1989, SOFASA launched the RS variant equipped with a 1.6 L C2L engine, also found in the Renault 9 TXE model. By 1990, the vehicle was rebranded as Étoile and became Colombia’s first car assembled with electronic fuel injection technology. The available versions included:

• TS Saloon, Break, Penta (hatchback) fitted with a 1.6 L engine producing 73 PS; production lasted until 1994
• TX equipped with a 2.0 L engine delivering 100 PS
• TXi (later renamed Bravo) powered by a 2.2 L engine rated at 128 PS

Engines

• Petrol OHV I4, 1.4 L (1397 cc); output between 68–70 PS; maximum speed approximately 165–168 km/h; used primarily in Turkish and Portuguese models
• Petrol OHV I4, 1.6 L (1565 cc); rated at 73 PS; top speed around 165 km/h; utilized in Argentina and Colombia
• Petrol SOHC I4 carbureted or SPI, 1.7 L (1721 cc); power range from 75 to 90 PS; capable of reaching speeds up to 185 km/h; offered across various trims such as TL, TLE, TS, RS
• Petrol SOHC I4 MPI, 1.7 L (1721 cc); delivering up to 95 PS; top speed up to 185 km/h
• Petrol SOHC I4 MPI, 2.0 L (1995 cc); power output varying between135 and175 PS; maximum speeds reaching up to230 km/h; available on GTX, TXE, TXi, Turbo variants
• Petrol SOHC I4 MPI, 2.2 L (2165 cc); producing110 PS; top speed roughly192 km/h
• Diesel SOHC I4 engines ranging from1.9 to2.1 L displacement; outputs between65 and88 PS; top speeds from160 to177 km/h; fitted in SD, GSD, TD, GTD trims

This diverse range of engines catered to different market demands spanning fuel efficiency to high performance, illustrating Renault’s approach to serving varied consumer preferences across Latin America and Europe.