Okay, so you already know that the Renault 5GT Turbo is a rare and cherished car - and that the days of being able to buy dodgy examples, with their boost turned up, and sitting on inappropriately lowered suspension are now behind us, there's no harm in reminding you that numbers are still thinning out, and if you're determined, there are still bargains to be had out there. But let's rewind a step, and consider something else, which is more disturbing - have 5GTTs matured into better cars than the iconic Peugeot 205GTI?
Basic, but does the vital bits very well
The passage of time has certainly posed a few interesting questions, not least because I'm sure there are a few of you out there who would still accuse me of sacrilege for saying such a thing. And looking at contemporary evidence, you'd be right for doing so - back in the day when the 5GTT and 205GTI were both new, and subjected to a constant round of magazine group tests, these two always polarised opinions. And the result was very nearly always the same - the 5GTT was praised for its outright performance and high levels of grip, but the 205GTI would ace it thanks to better steering and a more delicate, biddable chassis. And - on 1980s tyres - the ability to do lift-off oversteer at relatively low speeds.
Back in the early 1990s, when I was in that market looking for the ultimate hot hatch, I came to same conclusion - the Peugeot did it for me. And yet, here we are - 30 years on - and revisiting the two cars, I've come to the conclusion that the 5GTT works so much better. Why? I think in modern traffic, the additional performance of the 5GTT helps it flow better with the moderns. Its bolted to the ground, high-grip dynamics, feel more connected with modern hot hatches than the tip-toey Peugeot. And most importantly, perhaps, you can exploit ever decreasing pockets of calm in traffic thanks to its lovely, boosty turbo and that capable dynamic set-up.
'Pocket rocket' was created for this
Now shorn of its Max Power image, with most of the OTT bodykitted examples gone, the 5GTT has emerged as an all-time classic car, and the fact that 4-Star Classics recently sold a
super-low mileage example
for (I assume something close to) £13,495 legitimises this view. And with very nice examples with miles hovering
between £4,000-8,000
, it's a case that rarity and demand has made the 5GTT even more desirable now than it was back then.
But it seems that not everyone has quite cottoned on yet - and if you're prepared to cast your net a little wider, and be prepared for a bit of a wait, you can still pick up a 5GTT for less than £2,000. At that money, there's more variety, and it's a bit of a risk, but since when have we been averse to throwing the dice when it comes to our cars? Considering that the 5GTT is rare, and getting rarer by the day (at the end of 2013, 484 were left on the road taxed, with a further 864 on SORN) if you want to own one of these fabulous little cars, the opportunities are becoming fewer and further between.
An icon, and the first of many great Renaults
As for the Peugeot, it could be argued that for the 1980s aficionado on a budget, the 205GTI represents the better entry ticket. The best ones going are around £10,000, but you can still pick shabby ones for shed money. And the numbers speak for themselves - there are around 1,800 taxed examples left on the road, with a further 3,700 or so on SORN. But for me, the Renault is the better choice - not just dynamically, but perhaps for long-term investment, too. Tell your wife that your 5GTT is an investment, and you might get one into your garage, too!
So going back to the original question - has time favoured the Renault over the Peugeot? The answer has to be an unreserved yes. And for so many reasons. Would I grab one if the opportunity presents itself? Absolutely. But I'm hanging on for the dream scenario - the barn find example that's being sold by someone who's not been connected with the real world for a very long time. Stranger things have happened.