Tuesday 2nd November 2010

You Know You Want To: Renault Sport Spider

Is an affordable French filly the sporting gent's choice?

---

Every Johnny-come-lately has been looking for that surefire moneymaker since the first classic car boom of the 1980s. As a result, barn finds and vulnerable widows who let you tow away their late hubby's 'old car' for a fiver are now about as commonplace as talented folk on X Factor.

That's why Shed thinks out of the box. He's been on the prowl for a stylish roadster in the 10-15k bracket for a while now, with a view to hanging about outside the Grosvenor Hotel during the Christmas Party season and offering a lift to one of those falling-down-drunk fillies who do something in advertising. (An unseemly aspiration, it must immediately be noted, and one inspired by an oddly antipathetic article in the Daily Mail with photography Shed could only describe as 'gratifying'.)

Always astute to the main chance (in love as well as motoring), Shed would never dip his slightly cheesy toe in the roadster market in the summer when prices are stupid. But bitter experience has taught his usually meagre £1k budget won't cut the mustard with the target audience, and purse-strings must be loosened before anything else will be.

Now that canny 'wait and see' strategy looks like being rewarded, with the appearance in the PH classifieds of this Renault Sport Spider. Like the scantily-clad party girls inhabiting Shed's fevered imagination, this quirky little Frenchie sneers at the very idea of weather protection. More importantly, at a fiver under £13k, it could be the best motoring investment since Jerry Lee bought a (now) £2.9m 007 Aston for $12,000 in 1969.

That may be overstating it slightly, but this little beauty does hold a certain promise for the sportingly-inclined gent.

If you ask any half-sober classic car dealer for the three big secrets of motoring investment potential, two of his answers should be 'rarity' and 'racing heritage'. The Sport Spider ticks both boxes. Only two hundred or so were sold in the UK. Admittedly, their racing career was in Renault's own one-make series, but Spiders gave both Jason Plato and Andy Priaulx a useful leg-up into the BTCC races they supported.

Many of the Spiders that escaped the track were thrashed to overcome a performance deficit which the journos of the day thought they had identified. In fact, the first 930kg road cars delivered 6.5-second 0-60 times and a top end of just over 130mph, about as quick as you'd want to go in something with no side windows. But the common perception in the mags was that the performance supplied by the Clio Williams 148bhp 2-litre motor didn't match the wild (for then, anyway) styling of the scissor-doored plastic bodywork.

The journalists' misconception could be your gain. Renault refused to sully the car's styling with any form of weather equipment, so surviving Spiders really should be in good nick as they've all lived in garages. This particular 19,000-miler looks primed to supply a fulfilling and very different fair-weather or late evening drive experience. The chassis is aluminium, the lines have almost come back into fashion, and it's got that spartan Elise thing going on, albeit with properly comfortable leather seats, easier access for the ladies and a lot more body-popping room in the cabin. If you're cracking on a bit, like Shed, these factors take on special significance.

The third secret of classic car value? Celebrity butt syndrome, or 'provenance' as it is sometimes more grandly known.

But as Shed (a rueful investor in the odd West End musical) says, it's not about guessing whose bum might once have graced your passenger seat - it's always about the next one.

[Insight]

Love it, Shed should get £10k to spend every week.

[skint_driver]

Meh. It's like an S1 Elise only less practical, slower, heavier, more expensive, and French.

[Roo]

There's a PHer with one of those with about 300 miles on it.

[Dodgey_Rog]

I recall someone trying to part exchange one of these back in the last 90's for a TVR we had, no one would touch it with a barge pole, and it was the metallic blue so not offensive as yellow.

The only bid i got was from the local Renault dealer boss who wanted it for for his "private collection", and by christ did he give it a kicking. No deal was done as the bloke seemed quite offended by the values people were suggesting. A quirky look but the mere impractically would put me off.

[snorkel sucker]

spooky! was having a gratuitous browse through the classifieds only last week and spent a good lunchbreak reading up on these fine machines.

Sure, the contemporary elise had it covered but, as shed says, having now gone Michael Palin to where obscurity rocks, to drive one of these could only be equalled, in rarity terms at least, by rocking upto a trackday in a 340r

[DJC]

I dont know which one of the ph monkeys wrote that article but it read superbly. I think that is the first thing Ive seen from the inhouse monkeys which Ive genuinely thought was well scripted. Well done lads, look forward to more of the new found ability

Oh and agree with article, think you might have found a winner.

[ZOLLAR]

Saw one up close at a car show a couple of years ago, thought it looked brilliant!

Edited by ZOLLAR on Monday 1st November 15:43

[Garlick]

DJC said:

I think that is the first thing Ive seen from the inhouse monkeys which Ive genuinely thought was well scripted.

Have you missed my sheds? I'll mail some classics to you

[soad]

Nicely shaped!

[CooperD]

I like that. It's something a bit different.

[theyoungupstart]

I'm going to get rinsed by the rest of the users of PH cyberspace: but if you've got the cash, either a K-Tec turbo conversion or if you've got real dosh to spend... plumb in a VAG 20vT?

Yes yes alright go on, say I'm a member of the lesser-taste 'Barry' community. Go on. You know you want to.

[sato]

Brings back memories of Plato overdriving one in the Touring Car support races.

[peteA]

skint_driver said:

Meh. It's like an S1 Elise only less practical, slower, heavier, more expensive, and French.

Less practical....and the one in the photo has a windscreen! Sure some have none and are fitted with a deflector? ...and then theres the heater issue...

Yet...somehow I quite like it...but would not buy one...

[The Donster]

Not the most aurally-gifted engine either, but if you're looking at it from an investment perspective then they've been holding their value for a few years now and it would be a wise move to snap this one up.

Plus the fact it's priddy...

[BOBBY G]

If you want something fun and French, save your Cash and get a GTI-6 !

[andyp74199]

i always liked these, rarity value makes it more special than an elise imo, although I wouldnt want to put too many miles on it, and yellow wouldnt be my choice

[forzaminardi]

Please post the gratifying pictures which provided the inspiration.

[Porkie]

The Crack Fox said:

I don't get why anyone would have one of these over an Elise, styling aside. They're not that quick, not at all practical, and have that badge.

Anyone on here driven one ?

yep. Driven one. So so so underwhelming!

really unimpressive and clumsy and slow compared with an Elise.

but I still REALLY want one.

and am seriously thinking about buying that one. Just looks SO cool and wont go down in value at all.

[Agent Orange]

Always liked these. Very, very briefly considered one a good few years ago. Never driven one but they do have a certain presence I like. Would prefer it in the metallic blue and I've no doubt a likely candidate for "future classic".

I'd imagine the race versions were good fun but is it much of a drivers car though in road spec? I'm guessing a bit like the MX-5 and Elise - fun but lacking a little soul?

I appreciate they are poles apart in price but if I were in the market for something like this I'd be looking at a Lotus 340R instead.

Edited by Agent Orange on Monday 1st November 16:29

[crostonian]

May not drive as well as an Elise but looks so much cooler and more up to date in my opinion. Don't see what's wrong with the Renault badge especially when you look at contemporary F1 performance.