Renault sold 159 of them under the Renault Citybus name in 1995/6, but still featuring the Heuliez badge. This new model impacted upon sales of the R312, resulting in Renault contracting Heuliez to manufacture Renault powered models. The Heuliez GX317 is closely related, sharing a similar body shape and mechanical arrangement but introducing a low floor capability. In Australia, the Renault PR100.3 has the same visual appearance as the R312. The bus was popular in France, with over 4000 produced, and the Paris Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) operating over 1500 during the 1990s. Renault R312 with distinctive window and venting design By placing the engine in the rear, the interior was flat over the vehicle's whole length. The 12m long bus is rear-engined, powered by a 6-cylinder Renault turbodiesel engine with a displacement of 9,834 cc available with either 152 kW (207 PS/204 hp) or 187 kW (254 PS/251 hp). It succeeded the SC 10, which was originally a Saviem design from the 1960s. The Renault R312 is a class of buses produced by the bus division of Renault Trucks from 1987 to 1996. (originally Renault Véhicules Industriels)