Renault Sport Spider | Spotted
The Lotus Elise is 25 years old next year; don't forget the Spider is, too...
Given it's nigh on impossible to discuss the Renault Sport Spider without also mentioning the Lotus Elise, let's get that out of the way first. In principle, they were remarkably similar: mid-engined, two-seat, four-cylinder roadsters first shown to the world in 1995 (the Renault at that year's Geneva show, the Lotus at Frankfurt) and released for sale in 1996.
But, as is well known, that's where their respective trajectories changed somewhat. The Elise saved Lotus and is still being made to this day; meanwhile the Spider is little more than an interesting footnote in Renault's long history, with around 1,800 made in three years and just 96 right-hand drive cars believed to exist. To think there must have been 96 different Elise special editions over the years...
Though the Renault clearly had weaknesses when measured against its Lotus adversary (a 200kg weight disadvantage not least among them), the timing of its launch must have affected its success as well. It was a similar situation to that which Lotus had experienced a few years earlier, its front-wheel drive Elan M100 never likely to capture the imagination when the Mazda MX-5 had already done a better job of evoking the manufacturer's storied past.
A quarter of a century later, the Sport Spider is a rather different proposition. Because anyone after an Elise is going to buy an Elise - particularly with nice S1s available for half price of this Renault. Instead the Spider is a collectible curio, looking and driving like nothing else on the road. We've had however many years of hearing about what the Sport Spider isn't, so maybe it's time to celebrate what it is. Because it still weighs less than a tonne, and is still powered by a Clio Williams engine driving the rear wheels. It might not be the mid-engined sports car doyen that the Elise is, but it is still a mid-engined sports car. And one that looks a good deal of fun.
As a UK supplied Mars Red car, this must be an exceptionally rare example even by Sport Spider standards. With the Chromodora race wheels and white roll bar fitted, it's perhaps as smart a Sport Spider as there ever was. Yellow looks a tad obvious and blue quite plain by comparison.
Having covered less than 30,000 miles in more than 20 years, the car presents really nicely; it's come from a Renault collection in fact, something its condition attests to. There is history to back up the slender mileage, though it'll want a good fluid refresh now given the last recorded service was in 2016. That this car has also been fitted with a marine-grade stereo implies it's been used exactly how you might expect: roof left at home, sun shining, engine blaring and some tunes for company on the boring bits when you can't play at being in the Sport Spider Cup like Jason Plato. Even in a car considered someway short of perfect, that doesn't sound a bad way to spend the day. It's for sale at £29,995...
SPECIFICATION | RENAULT SPORT SPIDER
Engine: 1,998cc 4-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 150@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 136@4,500rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1997
Recorded mileage: 27,000
Price new: £25,950
Yours for: £29,995
The port authorities had nowhere under cover to store it, so had helpfully thrown a tarp over the car which at least kept the seats dry.
By the time I had jump started the thing I was wet through and was even wetter once I got past security. At least the drive back to base was fun. Memories include acres of visible composite sandwich and a gear lever you had to twist to engage reverse.
Would love one now.
It’s all covered in this fantastic piece of 90’s broadcasting. Complete with casual sexism https://youtu.be/a-TiFKr2yb0
k.back o/t - every time I have had the spare cash to buy one of these none have been for sale and when they are I dont have the funds ... typical!
I think I would prefer the OG liquid yellow though.
There is a guy in Newcastle with one, ive seen it a couple of times in probably 10yrs - he adores it
I think the only time I ever saw one of these in the flesh was in a BTCC support race at Oulton Park. However, that may just be a mix up of two different memories. But I did wet myself when I finally saw a Twingo on holiday in Corfu! The stuff of dreams, exotic European metal.
In fact, the added weight comes from a number of issues - heavier chassis is one, but they also have heavier (and better quality) bodywork, heavier drivetrain (the K-series in the Elise was exceptionally light) and heavier brakes (cast iron discs instead of the original Elise's MMC).
Now that the Lotus has lost the K-series and the MMC discs, and gained a bit of weight through middle age-spread, the difference is nothing like as marked: kerb weight of 914kg (Lotus) vs. 930kg (Renault).
You'd have to really want something "different" to pay that much for one, but I suspect enough people do that it will sell.
Overall very definitely an “interesting” car although never cheap. Meanwhile early Elise had been built down to a price, came with a decent windscreen/roof and punted the Renault into touch.
£30k for a red one? You’d have to be very keen indeed.
Overall very definitely an “interesting” car although never cheap. Meanwhile early Elise had been built down to a price, came with a decent windscreen/roof and punted the Renault into touch.
£30k for a red one? You’d have to be very keen indeed.
It's as if they got it wrong at both ends; not enough of a toy (vs. Elise it's an inferior weekend backroad warrior) but at the same time too much of a toy (no bl**dy windscreen!)
I know some people have mentioned that it could not compete with the elise, but I think the real reason it did so badly over here was no practicality and no wet weather protection. Added to that it was a track day toy and as such was never going to sell enough in that sector to satisfy the Renault accountants once the marketing gains from it had come to an end.
They are rare. What alot of people dont know is that there are only around 100 RHD windscreen models . They were available 'sans window' for the track. Those track cars had a an upgraded valve set up done by the Alpine factory in Le sarthe and fortunately mine had the same. A dramatic difference.
There were predicting to sell more but the Elise played Renault at their own game and at around £20k new they were expensive ,so got left languishing in the showroom. Many ended up being re exported to Japan. The weight came from the aluminium welded chassis . A work of art to look at supporting a Kevlar floor pan, but compared to the Elise Glue chassis it was heavy
They handle brilliant and stuck like glue until it rained. The biggest loss of this one are the unique wheels. They break its authenticity . I went to Le mans classic in mine and the French waved and cheered. I even got a Gendarme guard while parked in St Malo and was given the mayors parking space The rubber burn in the evening was a hoot. They came with two sets of seat belts for road and track use which was useful if you tootle about rather than a full strap down job and mine had an emergency roof which was utterly ridiculous as you still had no windows . They came with a Renault Sport umbrella which i still own
I changed mine for an Elise as I wanted something more useable with a roof but it never made the same noise. One of each is the answer.Defo to be owned again one day. Fond Memories.
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