The Renault Nervasport was a straight-eight sporting luxury car introduced in March 1932 and produced until 1935. It was based on the larger and heavier Renault Nervastella, and a more streamlined Nerva Grand Sport replaced it in 1935.
Renault Nervasport at a glance
| Maker | Renault, France |
|---|---|
| Production | 1932–1935 |
| Type | sporting luxury car |
| Based on | Renault Nervastella |
| Formula | superpuissance, a big engine in a short, light chassis |
| Launch version | TG 5, March 1932 |
| Engine | 4,241 cc flathead straight-eight, 100 PS |
| Wheelbase | 3,130 mm |
| Tax class | 24CV |
| Successor | Nerva Grand Sport, 1935–1937 |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Renault Nervasport.
History of the Renault Nervasport
The superpuissance idea
The word sport in the car’s name reflected Renault’s ‘superpuissance’ formula, in which the engine of a larger model, here the Renault Nervastella, was combined with a shorter chassis and a lighter body. The Vivasport was a similar development on a smaller scale. The Nervasport also had less standard equipment and a correspondingly lower price than the car it was based on.
The TG 5
The initial TG 5 version appeared in March 1932 with the same 4,241 cc flathead inline-eight of 100 PS as the Nervastella. Weighing 160 kg less, it was appreciably faster, and it had a 3,130 mm wheelbase with a 24CV rating under the French taxation system.
The Nerva Grand Sport
A more streamlined version called the Nerva Grand Sport appeared in 1935 and replaced the Nervasport, staying in production until the summer of 1937. As with many Renaults of the 1930s, type changes and small, often cosmetic facelifts and upgrades appeared frequently.
Design and features
- Superpuissance formula: a big straight-eight in a short, light chassis.
- 100 PS from 4,241 cc: the Nervastella engine in a lighter body.
- Less equipment: a simpler specification and a lower price.
- Type changes: frequent updates through the 1930s.
Renault Nervasport versions
- TG 5 (1932): the original Nervasport.
- Later Nervasport types: facelifted versions to 1935.
- Nerva Grand Sport (1935–1937): the more streamlined successor.
The Nervasport was a shorter, lighter Renault Nervastella, and the same idea on a smaller scale produced the Renault Vivasport. More cars are in the Renault collection.
Sources
- Renault Nervasport, English Wikipedia: formula, engine, TG 5, successor
