Renault ABx
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Predecessor | Conventional cabin trucks by Renault |
| Founded | 1934 |
| Defunct | 1937 |
| Successor | Renault AGK model |
Area served | France and other markets including trans-Saharan routes |
| Products | Medium-weight forward control trucks (ABF, ABG), ZP bus/coach |
| Parent | Renault |
The Renault ABx series consists of medium-weight forward control trucks manufactured by Renault between 1934 and 1937. This lineup featured the ABF and ABG variants. Additionally, Renault created the ZP bus/coach, which utilized the identical cab design.
History
In 1934, new regulations from the French government imposed limits on the size and weight of commercial vehicles: a maximum width of 2.35 metres, length restrictions of 10 metres (extended to 12 metres for tractor-trailer combinations), a gross vehicle weight capped at 15 tonnes, and an axle load limit of 10 tonnes. These rules motivated Renault to transition from conventional cabin layouts to forward control configurations.
Renault debuted the ABF model—a forward control truck with a 5-tonne payload capacity—at the Paris Motor Show in September 1934 for the 1935 model year. Subsequently, at the Brussels Salon in November of the same year, Renault presented the ABG tractor unit capable of hauling loads up to 10 tonnes, thereby broadening its medium-duty vehicle portfolio.
ABF
The ABF marked Renault’s initial venture into forward control truck design. In 1937, the French military commissioned versions of the ABF adapted to operate on natural gas as part of initiatives to reduce dependence on petroleum-based fuels. During the early 1940s, experimental modifications equipped ABFs with trolley poles and electrical systems to test electric truck technology. Production ceased by late 1937, with the ABF succeeded by the AGK model.
ABG
Primarily engineered as a tractor unit, the ABG was customized for specific clients such as the Société Algérienne des Transports Tropicaux, which required extended cabins and seating accommodations for three to four passengers for trans-Saharan operations. Renault discontinued the ABG model by the end of 1937.
Technical details
Both ABF and ABG models are powered by inline-four engines: a 5.9-litre petrol engine and an 8.4-litre diesel engine, delivering power outputs at 2,000 rpm and 1,600 rpm respectively. The ABF is equipped with servomechanical brakes exclusively, whereas the ABG combines servomechanical braking with air brakes. Suspension systems employ leaf springs; wheelbase measurements are 2.4 m for the ABG, 2.6 m for the short-wheelbase ABF, and 3.4 m for its longer variant.
Each truck includes dual rear wheels paired with a four-speed manual transmission.
Gross combined weight limits stand at 6 tonnes for the ABF and up to 13 tonnes for the ABG tractor with trailer configuration, corresponding to payloads of 5 and 10 tonnes respectively.
Renault ZP
The Renault ZP bus/coach was introduced concurrently with the ABx truck range and shared its cabin design. Initially powered by the petrol engine used in the ABx series, it produced between and at 2,400 rpm. In 1936, a diesel engine option was incorporated, rated at – at 1,600 rpm. The ZP was offered in two lengths, reaching a maximum length of 8.57 metres: shorter models accommodated between 23 and 28 passengers, while longer versions seated from 31 to 36 individuals. Both variants utilized leaf spring suspension complemented by hydraulic dampers and featured a four-speed manual gearbox.
By 1937, the ZP adopted the cabin design from the AGK model. Versions fitted with gasifiers served urban transit routes, while others were employed in trans-Saharan transportation.
Following World War II, Renault introduced a bus/coach based on the ZP platform named the 215 D (later rebranded as the R-series), which was manufactured between 1946 and 1949.