By 1981, the classic SC10 had been in production for sixteen years without any major changes. Renault felt it was time for a facelift, so a new front end was grafted onto the existing body. The new front end was much squarer, had rectangular headlights and a more angular destination box. Apart from a few small cosmetic changes such as deeper door windows, new rear bumper and reshaped rear light clusters, the rest of the bus was left pretty much as it was. The new front certainly looks more modern, but sits a little uncomfortably on the old body design. Nonetheless, the refurbished model, known as the SC10R, was to see the type through a further six years of production.

They were six busy years. Sales showed little sign of slowing down and over the course of the SC10R's production run over 1600 new buses joined the RATP fleet alone. Provincial city fleets also continued to buy in some numbers, and right up to the cessation of production operators seemed happy to place orders for this venerable but tough design. Total production of the SC10R model was around 3050 buses. 

The axe finally fell on the SC10R in 1989, Renault's new R312 having entered full-scale production. As production was coming to a close, RATP seized the opportunity to order one last batch of open-back buses (known as type SC10RA) to replace the two earlier batches of open-back SC10s, and it's pleasing to think that these distinctive machines will probably be among the last SC10s in service in the capital. Unlike the earlier batches of open-backs delivered to RATP, these buses had three doors.

Currently the SC10R can still be found in a number of French towns, however the volume of new low-floor buses now entering service means that this situation probably won't continue much longer. In many towns, surviving SC10Rs are now restricted to schools or peak hour work.

Sadly, after nearly four decades of faithful service to the capital, the last buses of the SC10 family were withdrawn by RATP in early 2002. This included the SC10RAs which, despite a recent programme of repainting, were ousted from service on their traditional routes 29 and 56. No longer will it be possible to ride through the Marais district and out towards the Château de Vincennes on the open rear platform of an SC10RA - a great shame.

SEMVAT at Toulouse was one of the last companies to buy SC10Rs in quantity. Despite a huge explosion at a petrochemical plant next door to SEMVAT's Langlade depot, which destroyed a large number of buses, many SC10Rs still survive. Indeed, in order to cover for over a hundred buses written off in the explosion, SEMVAT took redundant SC10Rs from both Lyon and Paris on loan. 

Other strongholds are Strasbourg and Colmar in Eastern France. Both towns bought SC10Rs right up until the end of production. When I visited Strasbourg in 2001, the local routes radiating from Cronenbourg Rotonde seemed the best place to find SC10Rs in all-day service, although the Conseil d'Europe shuttle service in the city centre was keeping two buses busy. Both Strasbourg and Colmar are investing in Agora GNVs, so the SC10Rs are likely to be replaced before too long.