Renault 5 Turbo 2 | Spotted

The follow-up to Renault's homologation special was cheaper and more attainable - but no less exciting

It's a sign of just how mad the first Renault 5 Turbo was that its successor enjoyed a somewhat mixed response. The Turbo 2 was a hatchback with a mid-mounted engine, proper boost and blistered arches. It was wonderfully French. Yet the lack of aluminium doors and roof, Bertone seats and, of course, direct rally homologation, meant it felt less exotic. The 2 was a softer, less specialised follow-up, but that did at least mean it could be sold for less, and with 3,167 cars produced, it became more attainable. And let's face it, at road speed, the differences could hardly have been noticeable.

It remained a sub-one-tonne, 160hp rear-driver, with boost so substantial that it felt more like the arrival of a second engine than a rise in cylinder pressure. PH's 2019 drive in Renault's historic fleet Turbo 2 affirmed it; the turbocharged 1.4-litre needs to be kept on the boil, otherwise it feels every bit as sluggish as you'd assume a four-pot from the mid-eighties would be. After 3,000rpm, though, 163lb ft of torque lands, with peak power pushing through the rear axle at 6,000rpm. It really gets up and goes.

62mph came in under eight seconds and top speed was 130mph, numbers that make the little 5 warm by today's standards. In 1983, combined with a chassis that, thanks to the forgiving suspension setup, unassisted steering and middling weight distribution, handles brilliantly, the 5 Turbo 2 offered a truly exciting driving experience. One that still rewards the harder you drive it; the car doesn't bite or snap like the Mk1 Clio V6 that spiritually succeeded it.

Still, the Turbo 2's closer relation to the cheaper (and front-engined) Gordini meant that despite its many talents, collectors always lusted after the 1980 Turbo more. Not surprising, given that it was Jean Ragnotti's 1981 Monte Carlo Rally winner. But those who enjoy boosted 5s for everything else, the squared off lines, wide wheels and butch stance means it's still easy to fall for. The interior, while lacking those Bertone seats, is typical of the era and its Renault's flair - and the placement of that four-cylinder just over the shoulder makes every journey feel special. And hot.

That's why even the less exotic take on Renault's mid-engined Turbo still commands top-end sports car money these days. Today's Spotted is up for £80k, which is nearly five grand more than a new Cayman GT4. But it's immaculate and in a rare shade of Black Noir paint. It's a time warp example of why Renault was among the coolest brand's in the eighties, and why its decision to place an engine in the middle of a shopping car remains one of the most alluringly leftfield decision ever. It also drives like a miniature supercar - and when you put it like that, eighty grand doesn't sound so bad.

SPECIFICATION | RENAULT 5 TURBO 2

Engine: 1,397cc, inline-4 turbocharged
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 160@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 163@3,250rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1986
Recorded mileage: N/A
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £79,950

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