Just under 5,000 Renault 5 Turbos, or R5s, were built over a six-year production run. Their legendary turbocharged performance, aided by an impressive reputation on the world rally stage, made them icons before their production ended and quickly put them in collector car territory. Today, a clean example with set you back a fair amount and project-grade cars are rare to find given their revered status. This example here on eBay is a barn find with tired cosmetics, but still commanding an impressive £44,995 Buy-It-Now.
The rear end is perhaps one of the most recognized among 80s rally icons, with a widened rear section concocted by Bertone to accept the mid-engined turbocharged four-cylinder, clearly visible behind the driver and passenger’s heads and through the rear hatch glass. Performance was stirring, returning a run to 60 in about seven seconds and far quicker than the standard front-engined model with its modest fenders and wheels. As you can see, the cosmetics are fairly tired around all sides of the R5.
These are the details you just don’t see on a car typically squirreled away as a collector’s item. Similar in intent to the Pontiac Grand Prix Aerocoupe we recently featured, Renault offered this classic hot hatch in order to comply with Group 4 homologation requirements, which effectively gave buyers a rally car for the streets. In addition to the hotted up motor moved to behind the driver’s ears, the R5 was also converted to rear wheel drive, leaving little in place besides the cheerful nose to remind you of its economy car roots.
This is technically a Turbo 2 car, as these were made after the homologation requirements were met. The earlier cars are obviously more valuable, but the later examples also benefit from several mechanical changes that likely will make reviving this one a less expensive affair – namely, the high-end alloy components were replaced with stock Renault parts. Less exotic for sure, but performance didn’t suffer for it. The seller notes this example needs paint and although it doesn’t run, the engine does turn over. Since it meets the 25 year exemption, this R5 likely has appeal for shoppers both here and across Europe.
Bought a white one that was 3 months old for £8500.00 at British Car Auctions, interesting but hard work, traded it for an Alpine A110 1600S which I still have, no it’s not for sale
The seller did the logical thing, after the car was “sold” for £34,000+ on an eBay where the transaction wasn’t completed, he raised the price by £10,000. One would figure he would have gotten the car running or painted to justify the increase.
Steve R
A great find. I am not sure if its true but I like to think I recall seeing these on French country roads while heading to the horse races where my grandparents worked the ticket booths.
Looks like a pretty cool car, certainly nothing like we saw. We had “Le Car” ( what a dumb name,,the car) the French Rabbit, as it were. Decent cars, I think, sold sparingly at AMC dealers, they lasted about a year after the initial salt bath.
Around 1990 I was still s Chevy parts guy. One of these showed up at border patrol impound car auction. One of my regular used car resellers got it for $500.00. No one else knew what it was! That was the only one I’ve seen even since then. It looked like a “Le car” on steroids!! He said everyone thought it was just a body kit on one.
I had a blk/blk T2 w/7×13 & 10×13, 3 pc. Gottis – which were the Cup Series rims. Rear hatch & doors were steel, roof alum., rest was plastic. Alum. removeable rollcage. The engine mgmt.(aftermarket) had been buggered. Never got it right so sold to Belgium. It blew flames on the overrun…..I should have kept it and battled through the problems.
These are brilliant cars. Won the Tour de Corse and other tarmac rallies at the beginning of the Group B era. Never driven one, but have driven one of the mid-engined V6 Clios. Haven’t laughed so much since I had the Volvo T5…
such an awesome rear on these…all swollen & purposeful!
i remember articles in R&T and C&D featuring them in the ’80s & being blown away at the audacity of converting a front-engine/front-drive car into mid-engine/rear-drive.
crazy!
had the opportunity to buy one in France and passed it up. Its ok though because I bought a suitable replacement that would eat it alive now for less $$$.No its not for sale either ….. yet.
Literally the first time you’ll ever read a Pontiac Grand Prix Aerocoupe being compared to a Renault R5 Turbo.
And most likely the last time…