Owing to LeCar's chequered legacy in the states, most don't equate the decades-ago econobox with a checkered flag. Still, for some, the Turbo and Turbo 2 versions of the car conjure rememberances of races past, like this one, sent in by reader, Gary Shell.
One thing you didn't mention about the LeCar was it was the basis for one of the BEST (no I am NOT kidding) sports car series I have ever seen. I have been going to Mid-Ohio every year since 1967 and the years when Renault sponsored the LeCar series were great.
Basically you walked into the show room, plunked down your money and drove off with a car ready to race. Rollbars, 5 point harness, on-board extinguisher (if memory serves me), the works. The engines were sealed and you had to run 'em totally stock. Because of this, it was a pure racers series. Everyone was in identical equipment.
Lots of folks drove to the track with wife and kids, piled everybody out of the car drove on to the track and then afterwards loaded the wife (I don't remember that there were any women driving these puppies, unfortunately) and kids back up in the car and drove home.
The racing was just unbelievable. Because the cars were so close in performance the racing, too, was very close. I remember a train of 20 or more of these cars bumper to bumper going through the carousel turn on three wheels. It was a sight to behold. And a close, close, close competition series I have longed for since. Viva LeCar!!!
Related:
Slow? Not this Renault: The 5 Turbo 2 [internal]