Meet the Customized Renault 12 TX from Turkey: A Restomod Masterpiece

June 5, 2023, 7:54 p.m
PiataAuto.md editors

Just as in Romania there was a Dacia 1300, in Turkey there was a locally manufactured car, called at first only Renault 12, then also Renault 12 Toros or simply Toros. A year ago, we published a detailed article about the history of this model, but today we are talking about a copy from Turkey, worked in a very curious way and now put up for sale in its homeland.

Well, we are talking about a Renault 12 TX, manufactured in 1986, equipped with the 1,397 cubic cm engine, also known to Romanians from the similar Dacia model. It developed 72 HP and sent its power to the front axle, of course.

The special feature of this Renault from Turkey is the way it is worked. The car has been restored, but not necessarily to its original appearance, although key elements on the body have been preserved. A kind of advanced restomod was made, in which it also obtained a striking red color, and rims with a central lock specific to another period, and a lot of other decorative elements.

All this has changed its appearance as substantially as possible, so that the car now attracts attention like a magnet, being impossible to go unnoticed.

Even bigger are the changes inside. The seats received an upholstery reminiscent of the newer Citroen models, much more luxurious, as neither Renault nor Dacia ever dreamed of.

In front, there is a new dashboard, but also a visually accentuated central console, thus radically changing the appearance of the passenger compartment.

The door panels and all other elements were also upholstered, so that this classic Renault almost became a sophisticated premium car inside.

All we see here is the work of a craftsman from Turkey, specialized in modifying Renault 12 Toros in this style. His name is Gokhan Karcilar and he still has a few such examples, so he has already become known among Renault 12 enthusiasts in Turkey. We also tried to contact him directly for insights into his previous works and his philosophy of working on these models, but we will eventually cover these topics in another article. It is certain that the car is causing a sensation in Turkey, especially since in this country it also evokes memories similar to those in Romania, being perceived as a local model.

Well, the red copy also has a small possible flaw, being equipped with a LPG system, not exactly honorable for a collector’s car. But, even so, its owner seems to fully enjoy it.

The car was put up for sale in Turkey with a price of 155 thousand Turkish liras, the equivalent of approximately 6,800 euros.