Fabricación de Automóviles

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F abricación de A utomóviles SA (until 2001 FASA or FASA-Renault), i.e. Fahrzeugproduktions AG , today only Factoría Carrocería Montaje Valladolid Renault España as a subsidiary of Renault España , was a license manufacturer of the Renault models in until the takeover by Renault Post- Civil War Spain. FASA-Renault vehicles shaped the streetscape in Spain during the Franco era and in the period after that until well into the 1980s.

Competitors on the domestic market were all licensees or joint ventures of foreign companies. a. from Fiat (in Spain Seat ), Citroën , Land Rover / Suzuki (in Spain Santana (Metalúrgica de Santa Ana )). During the Franco era , high tariffs and tiny import quotas made the import of new foreign cars almost impossible; the Spanish market for independently developed product lines would have been small.

For the region around Valladolid , the FASA Renault plant in the 1950s in the completely destroyed post-civil war Spain was a blessing because of the jobs. Even today, the region is proud of the Renault plant in Valladolid.

In addition to the main Spanish plant in Valladolid, where engines and vehicles are produced, Renault now has plants in Palencia and Seville , where gearboxes are assembled. The Valladolid plant is currently producing the Renault Modus exclusively . The Renault Mégane rolls off the assembly line in Palencia .

Founding history

In 1950, Renault started in Spain with the FASA plant in Valladolid. Further plants follow in Palencia and Seville. FASA was founded by Spanish private capital and then handed over entirely to Renault over the years. The name FASA-Renault remained until the beginning of the 21st century, after which the plant operated as an integral part of Renault España .

Production history

FASA was founded in 1950 by Manuel Jiménez Alfaro. Despite resistance from the Franco regime , FASA produced the Renault 4CV in Valladolid from 1953 to 1959 as a license under the name Renault 4/4 , of which 26,294 vehicles rolled off the assembly line. The main visual distinguishing feature from the French original was the six chrome-framed openings located on the rear to the left of the license plate. They were used for additional ventilation and were placed in two horizontal rows with three puffs each.

In 1959 the 4/4 was followed by the more grown-up Renault Dauphine . With the Dauphine, Renault's middle class reached Spanish buyers. The noble version of the middle class model called Renault Ondine was also offered there, it clearly showed the better processing of the materials. The sportier Dauphine models were also sold, as in France with the addition "Gordini", which was also the last Dauphine model before the type was discontinued in 1967.

The Renault 4L was built in Valladolid from 1963 to 1988 to compete with the Citroën 2CV , which was also very popular and sold well in Spain . The model known there as "Cuatro latas" was a big seller on the Spanish market.

In 1965, shortly before the Renault 8 went on sale, FASA became a Renault subsidiary while retaining the name FASA-Renault . In December 1965, the R8 with the new “Sierra” engine also appeared in Spain. The engine was used with various modifications up to the Twingo .

Renault 6 rear view

On the Spanish market, the R8 was a direct competitor for the Simca 1000 , which Barreiros produced there, and the SEAT 850 4P (4P stands for "cuatro puertas", ie four-door). After a facelift in 1973, R8 production continued until 1976, when it was discontinued for corporate reasons. The sales figures, however, definitely spoke in favor of the R8. The larger version of the R8 was launched in 1966 as the Renault 10 , but its success was very limited.

From 1969 to 1986 FASA produced the Renault 6 , which was technically based on the R 4 and which claimed to be its luxurious variant. From 1970 one of the most famous Renault models in Spain was produced, the Renault 12 , which is also very popular in Romania and Turkey . This was the main competitor to the SEAT 124/1430 in the Spanish market . The R12 ran in Valladolid as normal and S from the belt. In 1975 the nomenclature was changed to N , TL and TS ; the R12 was then also available as a station wagon.

Renault 7

Almost at the same time, the production of the Renault 5 started in Spain and in France in 1972, which sold very well in Spain until 1984 when it was replaced by the Renault 5 Supercinco (known in France as Supercinq or in the rest of the world as Superfive ).

In 1974 the Renault 7 , also known as Renault Siete or R-Siete , which was also very popular in Spain , was produced, which was a four-door variant of the R5 with a larger trunk. This model found no equivalent on the French market; They preferred to buy larger four-door cars there.

In addition to the Renault 5 Supercinco (1984), the R21 (1986), R9 (1982), R11 (1983), R18 (1978), Clio (1990), R19 (1988) and many more were very successful .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Renault 4/4; El Gran Olvidado, in: Coches Clásicos, issue 53 / July 2009, Grupo V, Alcobendas (Madrid), p. 84 f.