The V6 from Peugeot, Renault and Volvo lasted longer than expected

Peugeot and Renault conclude an agreement in 1966 for the joint development of parts. In 1969 this led to the ‘Française de Mécanique’ for which a factory was set up in Douvrin. In addition to a small four-cylinder, a 3.5 liter V8 is also being developed. In the same period, Volvo is working on an engine family consisting of a four-cylinder inline engine and a V8. However, the Swedish project comes to nothing and in April 1971 Volvo joins Peugeot and Renault to work together on a V8. When the development of the V8 is already at a fairly advanced stage, the whole project is turned upside down. Renault does not think the V8 is really ideal for the planned 30 TS (a front-wheel drive), French tax rules for cars with a displacement below 2.8 liters are considerably more favorable and last but not least there was an oil crisis in 1973. It is hastily decided to shorten the V8 to a V6, still with the block angle of 90° for a V8 but not optimal for a V6. The possibility to present the V8 in 1976 is kept open.

Back to the future

With a Bosch K-Jetronic injection system, the PRV (Peugeot Renault Volvo) V6 makes its debut on October 3, 1974 in the 140 hp Volvo 264, shortly followed by the Peugeot 504 Coupé and Cabriolet (with Solex carburettors, 135 hp). At the Geneva Motor Show in March 1975, the engine will be presented in both the new Peugeot 604 and the Renault 30. A tuned version with 150 hp appears in September 1976 in the back of the A310 of Renault subsidiary Alpine.

Chrysler starts with project C9 in those days and initially has a Mitsubishi six-in-line in mind, but when project C9 debuts in 1980 Peugeot Chrysler’s European activities took over and project C9 as Talbot Tagora has a 165 hp version of the PRV- engine. Over the years, several versions have appeared, including with 2,859 and 2,975 cc, each with slightly increasing performance. A major update of the V6 comes in 1984 with the introduction of the Renault 25. Partly thanks to a new crankshaft with shifted crankpins, the engine now has a more regular run. From that time, Lancia will also use the engine to screw it into the Thema with 150 hp. At that time, an engine of comparable caliber was not available within the Fiat group. Lancia is not the only one that knocks on the door of the consortium for the PRV V6. In 1979 Porsche is interested in the engine, for the 944. However, the irregular running is one of the reasons that Porsche refrains from this. However, the engine can be found in 137 hp trim in the DeLorean DMC-12.

Airplane and armored car

To create more performance (180 to 200 hp), the engine with a slightly smaller displacement (2.5 litres) is also available with turbo from 1985 in the Renault 25 and Alpine V6. And two years later, the French sports car manufacturer Venturi also gets the turbo version. Ultimately, they manage to conjure up 408 hp at Venturi (and even up to 600 hp for racing). The WM race team (with many Peugeot technicians in the ranks) is even more extreme. During the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1988, a MW P88 with a PRV engine boosted to 900 hp recorded the highest top speed ever (405 km/h), a record that still stands. We also find the PRV V6 in various Dakar teams. In addition to cars, the PRV V6 is also used in aggregates for the French army, Panhard uses it in six-wheeled armored vehicles and in the early 1980s it even drives the propeller of the Robin DR-400, a French sports aircraft.

Panhard army vehicle with the PRV engine

As a legacy of a courtship between Renault and the American Motors Corporation (AMC), acquired by Chrysler in 1987, the Canadian Eagle Premier also receives the PRV V6. Oh, and Chrysler is contractually required to purchase another 260,000 PRV engines. In order to get rid of that as quickly as possible, the Eagle Premier is also marketed as Dodge Monaco in 1990.

bi-turbo

Peugeot 605

With a displacement of 2,975 cc and 165 hp, the engine is located transversely at the front of the Citroën XM from 1989 and a year later with four valves per cylinder even with 200 hp, just like in the Peugeot 605. Volvo presents its new six in the 960 that year. -in-line and no longer uses the V6. The French, however, keep going. In 1991 the Alpine A610 appears with a three-liter turbo version and 247 to 276 hp. The Renault Safrane even got a bi-turbo version in 1994 with the help of tuners Hartge and Irmscher. It’s the last convulsions. On June 15, 1998 – after 24 years and 970,315 copies – the curtain falls.

This article originally appeared in AutoWeek Classics issue 5 from 2016.