Except for the nameplate, the fuel cap and the position of the steering wheel, most cars are neatly symmetrical. A deliberate exception has been made here and there. For example, in the Renault of the 1970s, the wheelbase on the left side of the car did not have to be the same as the one on the right.
Of course, when it comes to asymmetric cars, there are much more striking examples. The Nissan Cube immediately comes to mind, as does the equally stubborn Hyundai Veloster. Both cars were also available in two versions, with the right-hand drive variants completely mirrored compared to the left-hand drive units.
Renault did not proceed that drastically, but a number of models on the left and right were different. That started and ended with the legendary Renault 4, but also concerns the larger Renaults 6 and 16. Those who are somewhat at home in these models have of course already known what we mean: the wheelbase of these cars is not the same on the left and right.
The three hatchbacks mentioned have a motor mounted in the length direction behind the front axle and front-wheel drive. Another similarity is independent suspension by torsion axles, which brings us to the reason of the uneven wheelbases. Where the front wheels are neatly arranged next to each other, in all three cases the rear wheels are not neatly lined up. The transverse torsion bars were placed here in front of each other, so that it was simply impossible to position the wheels exactly against each other.
Seven centimeters
The exact centimeter depends on the model. With the Renault 4, the wheels on the right side were 4.5 cm further apart than on the left, with the larger “6” the difference is 50 mm. The Renault 16 makes it even more colorful, with a round 70 mm difference between left and right. Moreover, the distribution of roles is exactly the opposite here: where the left and right wheels are the closest to each other on the 4 and 6, the right wheels seem to like each other best on the 16.
It all sounds a bit silly, but in practice this construction reportedly offered no serious disadvantages for the handling. What’s hot: Thanks to extremely long suspension travel and this independent suspension, all three models are known for their high level of comfort.
Optically it is not too bad
Visually, the damage is not too bad, although Renault does not get rid of it by simply putting the wheel a little further forward or back in the wheel arch. The cut-out in the body is therefore actually left and right different. In three-door models, this difference would probably even be almost invisible to the naked eye, because the cut-out of the rear door serves as an important starting point for all three. As a result, it is visible in all cases that the distance between that cut-out and the wheel housing is greater on one side than on the other.
The 6 makes it even easier, with a striking fold that accentuates this difference here. Renault seems to be particularly impressed by the “short” side, because pictures of the right side are hard to find. Therefore, we make a subtle bow to Wikimedia Commons user Oxyman, for the plate of the orange Renault 6.