The Renault 14 is a small family car produced by the French manufacturer Renault between 1976 and 1983. It was first shown in January 1976 with production beginning in June of that year.
It was the first car to be produced in large volumes at the company's then new plant at Douai, although small pilot runs of the Renault 5 had preceded the 14's production in the factory.
History
250px|thumb|left|Renault 14 rear
250px|thumb|left|Renault 14 engine bay
Featuring front wheel drive, the 14 was developed to compete in the small family hatchback sector, which had been popularized by the launch of the Volkswagen Golf in 1974. Initially, the 14 was available in L and TL trim levels with a 1.2 L single overhead camshaft engine and later 1.4 L versions with (R14 GTL) or (R14 TS) joined the line-up. Both units were the X-type engine (commonly known as the "Douvrin" or "Suitcase Engine") jointly developed with Peugeot, although the 14 turned to be the only Renault vehicle that used the unit. The design was generally well thought out and practical with interior space a major selling point, including a rear seat that could either be folded or removed completely. In addition, the spare wheel was carried at the front, under the bonnet and above the transverse 4-cylinder engine that was inclined backwards by 72°. Although all Renault cars were by now front wheel drive, the 14 was the first of the manufacturer's models to incorporate a space saving Mini-like transversely mounted engine.
For 1979 Renault sought to compensate for a slow start in the marketplace, widening the range upmarket with a "GTL" version of the car, taking its wheels and some other ornaments and interior styling cues from the newly launched Renault 18, and a "TS" with twin chamber carburetor and claimed power increase from to . The TS model also included halogen headlamps and electric windows in the front, the latter being a first for this class of car in the French market. units sold over a period of just under seven years. Initial production was 325 cars per day, which had been scheduled to increase to 700 in 1977 and to nearly 1,000 in 1978. This never materialised, as sales peaked very early in the R14's life. Sales in the domestic French market did improve somewhat with the redesign.