1980 Renault Master
They are pretty much the first front-wheel drive transporters, the Trafic up to 2.8 tons and the Master up to 3.5 tons. And with choice between front and rear-wheel drive certainly without peer. The advantages of the
particularly low floor are obvious. It makes the loading easier and also any height can be better utilized. Three petrol engines with 35 kW (48 hp) up to 59 kW (80 hp) and two Diesel engines with 44 kW (60 hp) and 49
kW (66 hp) are offered.
| Front wheel drive |
| Van | Chassis cab | Minibus |
| Wheelbase | 3.200/3.840 mm | 3.200/3.840 mm | 3.840 mm |
| Length | 5.000/5.640 mm | 4.856/5.496 mm | 5.780 mm |
| 2.370 - 2.690 mm |
| Rear wheel drive |
| Tipper | Chassis cab | Double cab |
| Wheelbase | 3.200 mm | 3.200/3.840 mm | 3.840 mm |
| Length | 5.315 mm | 5.164/5.804 mm | 5.570 mm |
| 2.370 - 2.690 mm |
However, there is one without front-wheel drive, the flatbed truck. Too much load can cause the wheels to loose traction at the front, the more e.g. it goes uphill. Only for the van and the Chassis cab, there are both
possible types of drive, and even in two wheelbases.
Master and Trafic share another circumstance not usual for the time. They both have not only a short hood but also a windshield. which connects in principle without kink. And all that, long before the first vans hit the
market. From 1982, the cab of the flatbed truck is also used for light trucks (B-series).
| Still in the eighties comes a four-wheel drive variant. |
1989 there is a facelift: grille and air intake in the hood is changed. In the picture below you can see the difference. The gasoline engines now have up to 66 kW (90 hp) and the diesel engines up to 65 kW (88 hp) and
69 kW (94 hp) a year later. From then on, the Master is only available with front-wheel drive. 03/18
| From 1989 with lambda control and OBD socket. |
| 
