RE: (Not) Spotted: Renault Sport Spider

RE: (Not) Spotted: Renault Sport Spider

Author
Discussion

aelord

337 posts

226 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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Redgate said:
I was lucky enough to drive a 'press' model a few years back thanks to a friend of mine who used to work for a car magazine.

It was quiet a pleasant experience. You can imagine people's face when we were pulling alongside at traffic lights with full-face helmets on.

But to be honest I was expecting much more, so much more. What I remember of that day above everything else is taking home the feeling of being very underwhelmed by the engine ....
Yes the press reviews and general consensus when they came out was one of disappointment. They did not live up to the trailers Renault put out, they were slower than expected and heavier, and really were/are more show than go.

castex

4,936 posts

274 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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Fab cars, I had a proper rag in one some years back. Fitting a hairdryer was a popular mod, iirc.

dandarez

13,293 posts

284 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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From same era late 90s on (and of course a lot earlier - ie 1961 onwards - (and still available today), another (better) option if spending that sort of money is a G4 (again, if you are quick enough when one comes up for sale).
Amazing how few people seem to have ever driven one. Absolute hoot, on road or track, with added super looks that never date.

Option of hardtop or open.

For a change looks like the PH Sunday Service might see a couple turning up, including this one.









Ddouble

81 posts

188 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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I find them fascinating!

A liquid yellow one with no screen for me please. Would love one sat next to my clio v6.

Only ever seen one in person and that was a road legal trophy version. Looked amazing!

pj77

42 posts

152 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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Really like 'em

There's a guy in Japan with a Spider who still drives it very regularly and posts some nice pics on Flickr every couple of weeks. Here's an example:

His full Spider Flickr set (705 pictures) is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/m_and_jiji/sets/72157...

pj77

42 posts

152 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
quotequote all
Ddouble said:
A liquid yellow one with no screen for me please. Would love one sat next to my clio v6.
Here's how that would look: http://www.flickr.com/photos/m_and_jiji/6368577679...

RonnieH

75 posts

255 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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I saw one on saturday eve........... tucked up in an underfloor heated oak framed barn...!!! very nice,.... the garage that is, the car doesn;t really appeal much!

TaylotS2K

1,964 posts

208 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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Quite liked these back in the day. Not so sure now. Looks like a beach buggy.

A Scotsman

1,000 posts

200 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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In 98 or 99 I was in Pau visiting the Elf R&D centre and was invited to watch the Pau GP from the Elf hospitality suite.

Included were about six laps of the circuit in a race prepared LPG powered Spider driven by some French rally champion bloke whose name I can't remember. It was mighty impressive..

PS.. The food was good as well cool

mikEsprit

828 posts

187 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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TaylotS2K said:
Quite liked these back in the day. Not so sure now. Looks like a beach buggy.
A fun beach buggy.

Johnston

249 posts

181 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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Some have dropped the Megane 225 2.0T engine into Spiders. An extra 75bhp makes a big difference. ;-)


Redgate said:
I was lucky enough to drive a 'press' model a few years back thanks to a friend of mine who used to work for a car magazine.

It was quiet a pleasant experience. You can imagine people's face when we were pulling alongside at traffic lights with full-face helmets on.

But to be honest I was expecting much more, so much more. What I remember of that day above everything else is taking home the feeling of being very underwhelmed by the engine ....

digger the goat

2,818 posts

146 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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One on Ebay.....£ 29,888 !!!

bashful

171 posts

231 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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Do I remember correctly that an LHD no-screen one was used in the Paul Ripley driving instruction column in the Telegraph? A photographer would sit in the right-hand seat and get a driver's-eye shot of a road scene which would be analysed for driver awareness in the column.

P2BS

3,611 posts

144 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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I remember passing one in a showroom in Gronau on my way to Enschede (NL - where Grolsch is brewed); I used to pass it weekly, a yellow one. Loved it!
Not sure if I've seen one since mind. According to t'internet, there's 77 in the UK either taxed or sorned at the moment.
I think I'd prefer an Elise...

Steve_W

1,495 posts

178 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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405dogvan said:
Crusoe said:
That website a model example of 'dodgy dealer' wink
Give them a break, they hardly ever sleep. According to their "contact us" page they're open most days from 9am to 5.30 am!

http://www.arjunauto.com/contact.php

anonymous-user

55 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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A Scotsman said:
Included were about six laps of the circuit in a race prepared LPG powered Spider driven by some French rally champion bloke whose name I can't remember.
Presumably Jean Ragnotti?

BangernomicsAndy

38 posts

143 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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Must dig out the pics I took at the Le Mans classic, spider with a fabric roof. Not a good look.

stephendell

73 posts

228 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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Here's a pic of mine:



And if you think they're slow watch this video from approx 1:45 as it passes the 911 at Brands Hatch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvcTdhIdKCg&fea...

X5TUU

11,946 posts

188 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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I would love one of these, a guy not to far from me has one garaged and it occasionally comes out to be polished, and is sans windscreen which is quite cool

Didn't realise thy still commanded that kind of moolah mind!!

....oh and the pics of the yellow spider (http://www.arjunauto.com/view.php/e9abee2c-3980-43dc-b3f5-8657107a7b65) are not their pictures, they are from another dealer from a couple of years back, so definitely the height of dodgy dealing there!!

stephendell

73 posts

228 months

Thursday 31st January 2013
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And another angle: