When buying a small commercial vehicle, the question often arises of choosing a brand - domestic or “foreign”? Many come to the choice of domestic "GAZelle". They are more affordable and cheaper than the German Sprinters. However, in the commercial vehicle market there are many other interesting offers. So, meet the Renault Mascot truck. Reviews, photos and technical specifications of the car - further in our article.
General acquaintance
This truck first appeared in May 1999. At that time, the French manufacturer produced only a few commercial vehicles. This is Renault Master and Messenger. Renault Mascott is the successor to the Messenger. In this case, the car had a similar appearance with the "Master".
Nevertheless, the car has gained great popularity not only in the domestic market, in France, but also far beyond its borders. Series production of Renault Mascott ceased in 2010. However, the car is still actively used by Russian carriers.
Design
The car has a semi-hood layout, where the engine is a little "recessed" in the cabin. Renault Mascott has never been distinguished by sophisticated design forms.
Still, this is a working car, and it should have advantages in a completely different way. Note that the French truck was produced in two generations. The first was mass-produced - from 1999 to 2004. The car had such a design as in the photo above. A large unpainted bumper, two-part optics and a huge area of glazing - all these are the features of the Renault Mascott commercial vehicle. Responses of owners note that the car has a comfortable fit, which is ensured by the footrest. Drivers also praised the Mascot for its large and informative mirrors.
Mascott-2
In 2004, the car went through restyling. Take a look at what the second generation Renault Mascott looks like.
The design of the car closely resembled the Renault Master of the 2nd series. Unlike the first generation, the new "Mascot" has got more rounded optics, another grille and a bumper. It is still not painted in body color (however, like mirrors, which have not changed in shape). On the side, the first and second generation have practically no differences - even the turn signal repeaters are located at the same level. In this form, the Renault Mascot truck was produced until 2010. During this time, the manufacturer did not make changes to the design of the machine.
Reviews note good corrosion resistance of the metal. Even after winter operation, the body remains intact. However, this applies only to trucks. For minibuses, the thresholds and the bottom of the rear doors are problem areas. If the metal is damaged, corrosion pockets immediately spread. In the native paint, the car does not rust for a long time.
Salon
The truck interior is both modest and ergonomic. A distinctive feature of the "Renault Mascot" - a special location of the scenes of the checkpoint. It is at the panel level, not in the floor. This significantly saves cabin space.
On the center console there is a tachograph (since it is a light-duty truck of increased capacity), a control unit for the stove, a radio tape recorder, and a pair of air duct deflectors. Below is an alarm button and a small niche for documents. Steering wheel - three-spoke, without additional remote control buttons. The dashboard includes all the necessary scales, as well as an on-board computer that displays fuel consumption, errors and other useful information.
On the left side of the driver is the power window control unit. From the passenger side you can see a roomy glove box. Above it is another niche. The seats at the Renault Mascot are quite comfortable, according to reviews. Equipped with torsion bar suspension and have a separate stiffness regulator with a weight scale. There is also an armrest. At long distances, the back does not flow, which is very important for the driver of such a vehicle. Regardless of which Renault Mascott was equipped, the car from the factory was equipped with a hydraulic power steering.
The owners are very pleased with the presence of many pockets and niches in the cabin. Indeed, commercial vehicles have to carry a lot of accompanying documentation. In this regard, the interior of the French truck "Mascot" thought out very well - say the reviews. The only drawback in the cabin is too hard plastic. But even with it, the level of sound insulation is at a height.
Specifications
The car was equipped with different powertrains. The youngest in the lineup is a 4-cylinder diesel engine with 86 horsepower. Such an engine was installed on shorty vans. The next in the line is also a turbocharged diesel engine from SOFIM (these were installed on Iveco Daily and Fiat Ducato).
With its volume of 2.8 liters (the same as in the previous version), it gave out 125 horsepower. What is noteworthy, all power units during production were constantly being developed. So, by the end of production, Renault Mascot was equipped with a 2.8-liter engine already at 146 horsepower.
Renault and Nissan
Also in the lineup were powertrains from Nissan. The basis was taken on a diesel engine P4, which with a volume of 3 liters gave out 115 horsepower. In 2004, the engine underwent changes. So, its maximum power increased to 130 horsepower. The most powerful in the lineup is a 156-horsepower engine from the same Nissan. Motors have excellent traction from one and a half thousand revolutions. Even at full load, the car confidently goes on the rise and accelerates perfectly from the spot.
Since 2001, all power units have complied with the Euro 3 environmental standards and used the Common Rail injection system. The main difference between this system and conventional diesel engines was the supply of fuel under high pressure (about 1500-1800 bar).
In the second generation of Renault Mascott trucks, specifications have improved significantly. So, in diesels, piezoelectric injectors were used. This allowed to reduce fuel consumption to 12 liters per 100 kilometers when fully loaded. By the way, the maximum mass of the car was different. Depending on the modifications (there were both front-wheel drive minibuses and full-fledged trucks with dual wheels on the rear axle), it ranged from 3.5 to 6.5 tons. What is noteworthy, their fuel consumption was kept at approximately the same level. He never went beyond 14 liters (at a speed of no more than 100). An interesting fact: as soon as the speedometer needle goes over 120, the flow rate increases by 20-30 percent. The most economical mode for a French truck is 90-100 kilometers per hour.
Transmission
The French Renault Mascot truck was equipped with two transmissions. This is a five- and six-speed manual gearbox. The transmission also underwent changes after 2004.
Reviews say that the updated design of the gearbox minimized fuel consumption and provided high torque even at low revs. In terms of service, this transmission does not cause problems to the owners. The only thing is the oil change, which needs to be done every 70 thousand kilometers.
Conclusion
So, we found out what a Renault Mascot truck is. As you can see, this is very good, and most importantly - reliable commercial equipment. The machine is easy to maintain and comfortable to travel, especially over long distances. In the secondary market, the cost of a car is about 5 thousand dollars for the first generation and 7-10 for the second. Renault Mascot in the back of a minibus costs the least - sometimes there are offers for 3-4 thousand dollars.