The Renault 2,500 kg, also called the 2T5, and the Renault Galion were trucks and vans with a 2.5-tonne carrying capacity, built by Renault between 1947 and 1957 and then by its subsidiary Saviem between 1957 and 1965.
Renault Galion at a glance
| Maker | Renault, then Saviem |
|---|---|
| Production | 1947–1965 |
| Payload | up to 2.5 tonnes |
| Original name | Renault 2,500 kg or 2T5, renamed Galion in 1959 |
| Plants | Boulogne-Billancourt, then Blainville-sur-Orne |
| Diesel engine | 3-litre Perkins 4 192, 52 bhp at 2,400 rpm |
| Petrol engine | 2-litre Renault, 56 bhp at 3,300 rpm |
| Output by 1961 | 50 to 60 a day |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Renault Galion.
History of the Renault Galion
Replacing the AHx
In 1947 Renault launched the Renault 2,500 kg light truck to replace the AHx series, built at its main plant in Boulogne-Billancourt. In 1957 Renault moved part of its small commercial vehicle range to Saviem’s Blainville-sur-Orne plant, built on the former Cahen shipyard site: the Goélette, with up to 1.4 tonnes, and the 2T5, renamed Galion, with up to 2.5 tonnes. The new models were still marketed as Renaults, and the Galion and Goélette names were officially introduced in 1959, before which they were sold as the 1T4 and 2T5.
Engines
By 1961 Saviem was building between 50 and 60 Galions a day. They were offered with at least two four-cylinder engines: a three-litre Perkins 4 192 diesel giving 52 bhp at 2,400 rpm and a two-litre Renault petrol unit giving 56 bhp at 3,300 rpm. The truck had rear-wheel drive through a universal joint and a four-speed manual gearbox.
The end
In 1965, after several revisions of the design, Saviem introduced the more modern and powerful Saviem Super Galion range, and the Galion was discontinued.
Design and features
- 2.5-tonne capacity: a light truck in the class between vans and heavy lorries.
- Two engines: a Perkins diesel or a Renault petrol four.
- Renault then Saviem: production moved to Saviem’s Normandy plant in 1957.
- Daily output: 50 to 60 trucks a day by 1961.
Renault Galion versions
- Renault 2,500 kg / 2T5 (1947): the original truck.
- Galion (1959): the official name, still sold as a Renault.
- Saviem Super Galion (1965): the modern replacement.
The Galion replaced the wartime Renault AHx and shared its range with the Renault 1 000 kg and Estafette. Its successor was the Renault Premium line of trucks; more vehicles are in the Renault collection.
Sources
- Renault Galion, English Wikipedia: history, plants, engines, end of production
