Front-wheel drive Master chassis
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• After eight years in production, the Renault Master chassis cab is being brought in line with the rest of the range by being changed from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive.
By staying with the reardrive layout on the chassis cab, which uses a different transmission, Renault could not introduce the revised range of engines used on the frontwheel drive models since last summer, notably the Sofim direct-injection turbodiesel.
Renault UK has confirmed that left-hand drive production started late in 1989 (an example was seen last week at the Geneva show), and that righthand drive models are due to start coming off the line at the end of February.
The first change should see the improved 2,499cc naturallyaspirated Sofirn diesel take over from the older 2,445cc unit, while Renault UK is currently discussing with the factory whether the turbo-diesel power unit will follow.
The revised layout also helps Renault distinguish between the Master and the B Series covering the 3.5-6.0 tonnes range. The heavier B range drives its rear wheels.