• Chassis #994 has been owned and enjoyed by numerous marque enthusiasts over the years
• Recent full health check and service by specialist John Price Motorsport
• Lots of accompanying paperwork documenting ownership, mileage and maintenance
• Coming to auction from a stalwart member of the Renault owner’s community
• Homologation special with major league rally pedigree - mid-engined, wide-bodied, turbocharged, hot hatch - only in the 1980s!

The Renault 5 Turbo is a high-performance hatchback launched at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1980. It was Renault’s response to the rally successes of the mid-engined Lancia Stratos, and while the car was primarily designed for rallying, a road version was also produced for homologation purposes. Renault introduced their new R5 Turbo as a pure ‘homologation special’ to compete in 'Group 4' racing and international rallies.

The 5 Turbo was based on the production Renault 5 Alpine, but Renault Sport engineers scrapped the standard front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout in favour of a mid-engine, rear-drive setup. The R5 Turbo was powered by a mid-mounted 1397cc ‘Cléon’ turbocharged engine placed behind the driver in mid-body in a modified Renault 5 chassis. The engine developed 160bhp, giving the 970kg car a 0 to 60 mph time of 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 126 mph.

In 1981, Jean Ragnotti and his co-driver Jean-Marc Andrie won the Monte Carlo Rally outright for Renault, and the following year Ragnotti won the Tour de Corse. In 1984, 'Group B' homologation was sought for the Renault Maxi 5 Turbo to enable it to contest the World Rally Championship and the following year, Ragnotti added another Tour de Corse win with the Maxi 5 turbo. After the first batch of 400 road cars had been made to satisfy 'Group 4' homologation volume requirements, a second-generation, known as the 'Turbo 2' was to follow.

Considering most Renault Turbo/Turbo 2 examples were used in rallies, it's not surprising that few survive and even fewer in this condition and with this provenance.

The car presented here is a 1984 Renault 5 Turbo 2 (VF1822000E0000994), #994 in the short production run. A well-known car within the Renault enthusiast scene, it has been owned and enjoyed by numerous members over the years, but most famously racing driver Derek Warwick, who - in a tradition that continued with Jenson Button and a Clio V6 - was gifted the car new by the Renault F1 team (his name is seen on the original importation papers accompanying the car). Derek’s wife also drove a Renault 11 Turbo at the time too.

From 1984 through to 1992, the car had passed through six owners before Paul Constantine acquired it as his company car (!). By then it had covered just 40,000km with Paul doing another 80,000km over his 20 years of ownership. He drove it regularly always keeping it in tip-top condition with the assistance of Paul Sage of Alpine Auto of South London. Learning of its famous original owner and connection to the Renault F1 team, the car’s cherished future was guaranteed. It has since been a regular attendee at Renault Club events, always with owners that have garaged, maintained - dare say, loved - and wholly understood this charismatic rally-car-for-the-road. There is a large history file for maintenance and parts that comes with the car, it being well known by specialists, including John Price Motorsport.

With some choice additions now adorning the car, easily removable if a new owner required, this very well-preserved and mechanically-sound R5 T2 is a piece of Renault history that can be actually driven and enjoyed.