This rare Renault Sport Spider, first registered on the 08/08/1997 is 1 of just 95 cars officially imported into the UK, It's been kept in a garage from new so no osmosis issues at all with the GRP/Composite body work. It's been meticulously maintained and has an extensive documented service history, and approximately just 35,000 miles have been recorded on the odometer from new, besides a few minor age-related marks the paintwork remains in exceptional condition throughout. The undamaged all original bodywork is also in exceptional condition. The car is mechanically faultless. The current MOT is due to expire on the 29/03/2027, It's recently been valued by a well known automotive auctioneering company at between £35,000 - £45,000. The V5 doc shows It had six previous owners, It remained in the ownership of the previous owner for approximately 17 years before I acquired the Spider back in August 2021. I know that in 2014 a fairly comprehensive nut and bolt rebuild took place during which a series of well‑considered enhancements and improvements to the engine, transmission, chassis suspension and brakes were also included being carefully chosen to emulate the performance of the 180bhp 150mph Spider Cup and Trophy race cars, whilst losing non of its originality. This work was carried out by race and rally preparation and restoration specialist Prima Racing, a company that was established nearly 55 years ago, they earnt the reputation as being one of the leading Renault tuning and performance specialists in the UK from their heavy involvement in the one-make Renault 5 GT Turbo championship (1985-1990), Renault Clio (1990-1995), and the Renault Sport Spider Cup and Trophy Challenge championships that ran here in the UK and mainland Europe between (1996-1999). They continued working closely with Renault and Citroen race and road cars until they finally closed their doors around the time of the pandemic earning them the envious reputation as being one of the leading Renault tuning and performance specialists in the UK. “With such a deeply woven heritage and proven pedigree in the Renault motorsport marque, they were the natural choice to undertake such a comprehensive rebuild, a project taking several months to complete at a cost of around £25,000” reflecting both the scale of the work and the high level of craftsmanship involved to create what must be, arguably, the best non standard modified road going Renault Sport Spider available today. It's covered approximately 5000 miles since the rebuild took place in 2014, its primary roll thereafter being that of a multi award winning show car, being jointly exhibited by the previous owner and Prima Racing at numerous major events around the UK up until 2020 the car winning a vast array of trophies and accolade's over that period.
At the heart of this Spider lies the impressive fast road tuned 217 bhp Prima Racing F7R motor, built by renowned Renault engine guru Tony
Hart. Hart’s reputation for building some of the
finest race tuned Renault engines is well earned, and this motor embodies that as it’s a masterclass in both performance terms but,
more importantly, drivability showcasing what can be achieved with the right
knowledge and expertise as the dyno sheet results show:
Low-to‑Mid Range Engine Performance: Between 1000-4500 rpm engine pick-up is impressive due to the motor's improved drive and tractability, (torque) that combined with the low weight mass of the car, means there's an instant throttle response regardless of engine speed or what gear is selected.
High‑Speed Engine Performance: From around 4500 rpm, the engine really starts to sing as it enters its high‑efficiency stage as the motor comes on to the “cam” - resulting in a progressive constant rise in power, this combined with the all important broad plateau of torque produced by this motor, helps delivering blistering and sustained acceleration throughout its entire rev range.
The Engine Rebuild: Consists of a reworked and gas
flowed head, reprofiled camshafts and vernier pullies, uprated head gasket,
forged balanced pistons, a set of matched steel conrods, a reworked and balanced crankshaft,
lightened steel flywheel, re-faced and honed engine block, modified sump,
uprated water and oil pump, competition clutch. and finally an OMEX 600 programmable ECU and
a set of AT-Power DTH Throttle Bodies. All the original engine mapping was performed by Northampton Motorsport.
The Gearbox Rebuild: The Gearbox casings were modified (re-machined) to allow the fitment of a limited slip differential along with some uprated internal components to handle the increased power and torque.
The Chassis/Suspension Rebuild: The suspension was
removed, stripped, powder coated then fully rebuilt using all new parts. A set
of fully rebuildable 2-way adjustable Penske Racing dampers as used on the Spider Cup UK race cars were added as they offered significant improvements over the standard
Bilstein units along with the fitment of 17” Image 3-piece billet alloy wheels
and a set of 40 series super sticky Toyo Proxes 888R low profile tyres.
The Braking System: The standard brake discs and
pads were replaced with a set of ventilated slotted discs and competition pads.
The Exhaust System: was replaced with a fully repackable larger diameter custom
built Simpson Racing stainless steel exhaust system with integrated sports cat similar to the one used on the UK Spider Cup race cars.
The Conclusion: The combined drivetrain and chassis
performance package has been put together to deliver a balanced, responsive,
and engaging driving experience. The high levels of tractability at low engine
speeds, strong mid‑range punch, and a super strong top‑end combine
to create a power unit that feels perfectly matched to the vehicle’s lightweight chassis and dynamic capabilities. The result is a
powertrain that optimises the Spiders motorsport‑inspired heritage while offering
the reliability and usability expected of a modern high performance power unit.
The RS Spider's legacy has been well reported on over the years, Numerous short articles and videos can be found on-line covering, the driving experience; The car’s steering and braking systems are unassisted, but offer increased feedback and feel like that of a single seater race car. engine and chassis performance; the minimalist but functional ergonomics of the cockpit and, as always, the striking aesthetics of the amazing body work. Sadly often overlooked in these articles is what lies beneath the beautifully formed exterior. A much more in-depth review would have high lighted the build quality; panel fit and finish; the race derived double wishbone push rod suspension; the flat bottom technology used to reduce drag used under the car and the superb engineering that went into the design of the W94 chassis, With support from Renault Motorsport 1996 saw RJ Racing build 3 fully enclosed race cars to compete in the UK GT Championship and Le Mans using a modified version of the Spiders chassis but this time it was powered by the 550BHP twin turbo PRV V6 engine. This was later to become the basis for the HELEM V6 who's story can be found/down loaded here: https://rarefrenchsportscars.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/helem-v6-final.pdf. The layout of the car rarely gets a mention but it's only when you look closer at the detail that you start to appreciate just how good these little hand-built RS Spiders are. Each one reportedly taking 2 weeks to build which partly justifies the asking price of £25,500. It's an enthusiasts dream and a masterclass in modern day affordable automotive exotica. Rewarding to own, work-on and drive on so many fronts. Everything is designed to be easily accessible making it a joy to work on, adjust and set up. So, if you're the hands-on type of owner that likes to slip on his/her overalls at the weekend and turn the odd spanner or two or wield a grease gun then this is the car for you.
The cockpit layout is all about the ergonomics. It is obvious from the start that the design team behind the Spider spent a lot of time putting an amazing package together as everything about the Spider seems to be well thought out with everything either being perfectly placed or in the correct position. Inside the cockpit, the four-point fully adjustable Willians competition quick release harnesses hold you securely and safely in place. The high-backed Recaro competition seats mounted on fully adjustable competition type subframes and rails which, contrary to some reports I’ve come across, once correctly strapped in do provide excellent support and are surprisingly comfortable even over long distances, combined with the fully adjustable pedal box adjusted in and out by simply rotating a knob (found half way up the steering column) ensures that the optimum driving position can be obtained. The floor mounted gear stick is perfectly placed for slick precise gear changes. The large 3 digit illuminated digital speedometer sits at the centre of the dashboard. The all-important 3 cluster VDO instrument panel sits directly in front of the driver. The centrally mounted 85mm tachometer is flanked on either side by 52mm oil pressure and water temperature gauges are clearly visible through the top of the three-spoke quick release steering wheel which - when removed - facilitates easy movement in and out of the car with the added benefit of doubling up as an incredibly effective anti-theft device which can then be locked away out of sight under the front cowling. Security is further enhanced with the fitment of an alarm/immobilizer system which is activated as soon as either a hand or object enters the cockpit area. The wheel nuts, filler cap, engine cover and front cowling are all lockable.
Key Highlights:
Included in the sale is the ‘R 5PYD’ private plate, the very
rare fully lined factory car cover as used on the Trophy race cars, the
optional two-piece zipped tonneau cover, the snug-fitting optional all-weather
soft top with detachable clear side panels, both in ‘as new’ condition.
Additionally, the sale includes a full set of factory manuals, (please note that the
original copies are not included in the sale), the
original documents issued with the car and aluminium storage case are there, as is a comprehensive folder of invoices, receipts and MOT certificates, user manuals
etc. A roadside emergency tyre repair kit which includes the special adapters
for the Image rims, two sets of keys, and a Sigma alarm/immobiliser system
complete with user manual and the all-important keycode card is also present.
I am willing to consider sensible offers.