• Number 0039

• Recent overhaul

• Underside Treatment
• Excellent Condition

Arriving as a celebration of Renault’s relationship with the Williams Formula 1 team some may think that the beauty of this car is merely skin deep. They would be in for a surprise, beneath the Sport Blue (449) paint Renault engineered the car as a homologation special to go rallying. 

Their work was so thorough that Sir Frank Williams owned one even though Williams did not take a role in designing the vehicle, and the car took on safety car duty for the 1996 F1 championship.

Renault breathed some magic into the vehicle with increased engine capacity and squeezed 148bhp from the reworked engine from the 16v model, codenaming the engine the F7R. A sizeable amount of work was also committed to the suspension, with thicker anti-roll bars, a reinforced front subframe borrowed from the Clio Cup Racer, and uprated springs and dampers. 

The track was also widened and each vehicle was given a set of 7J Gold Speedline wheels that were half an inch thicker, bolted onto an increased track width of 34mm. 

Even with the thorough reworking, Renault kept the weight below 1000kg and the public demand soon outstripped their expectation. At the time this caused consternation among owners as Renault made more to capitalise on the model’s popularity, but today with some finding a permanent home at the racetrack and others long lost getting hold of a good honest example has become a challenge for those wanting to own a small slice of Modern Classic history.

One of the first ones produced, this Clio Williams is number 39 and is original throughout. Just 390 made it to UK shores in the first year of production. Renault were startled by customer demand and more were made for series two and series three production. 

First generation vehicles rarely come up for sale and the owner would hold onto this one, but is funding a house purchase, and so a very difficult decision has had to be made. Particularly after just spending thousands giving this much-loved example an overhaul so that it wants for nothing.

The car is dry stored and barely covered any miles since the extensive work, which included removal and refit of the engine to restore both the engine bay colour and the engine itself.

The paperwork folder is extensive for this car indicating previous owners that have honoured the cars originality. The service book was not included within the large file but a stack of receipts and invoices were present to show the care and inspections the vehicle has received. 

The owner has pictures of the most recent work including undersealing and engine out inspection in progress to accompany the invoice of £5,700 that was spent in May of this year.

In 2015, the engine was stripped down and received a rebuild with correct listed parts, it has covered just three thousand miles since. The cambelt was replaced at this time along with an inspection and attention to the driveshafts.

An all original interior complimented by the standard tape deck and Williams ‘W’ Logo stitched onto the seats still takes pride of place inside the car. The bolsters still hug you as you get behind the wheel and offer support to the driver without the sag that may be expected. All the high touch areas have worn their miles excellently.

Included with the sale is the plastic rear boot tray that has kept the carpet in fantastic condition. As would be expected from the money and care that has been lavished on this car the interior is very good throughout with only a single blemish noticed when we went to see the car, which was on the passenger seat, and would merely need a minor repair.

The Clio Williams stands out from the crowd with the signature Sport Blue paint contrasted by gold 7J wide Speedline wheels that were fitted exclusively to the Williams. The wheels would benefit from a minor touch up to make them perfect but were all original and wrapped in matching Pirelli tyres.

A repair was carried out to the passenger front jacking area in the most recent bill and some minor dents are still visible on the lower sill if you get on your hands and knees. The jacking point itself is once again strong and able to be used.

The owner’s insistence on keeping the car garaged and only driving it occasionally when fine weather is forecast has kept the paint in great condition. During our time with the car we couldn’t see any clear marks or chips.

After all the current and previous work, it will be no surprise to hear that the car started first time every time whilst we were there and moved effortlessly with a clean idle and crisp gear change. 

Open up the clamshell bonnet and you’ll see an engine bay that is in showroom condition without a sign of dirt or dust.

Whilst receiving the overhaul in May the vehicle was also fully serviced and so ready to be enjoyed by the next owner immediately. Suspension, axles and subframe shined underneath in a true testament to the attention to detail the current owner has given the car. 

The owner advised that they will supply the vehicle with a 12 month MOT as the current one expires in October.

Due to the media hype when the Clio Williams was released some owners converted their cars for track duty from new, others were passed on to second and third owners and in some cases modified or broken for parts. 

This means today getting hold of one that is ready to find a country lane and bring a smile to your face without the need to hunt down original parts or tinker with is getting tougher. Owning a car that three decades ago Renault engineers gave every ounce of their passion is becoming a rare prize to hold in a garage or collection. 

If the car’s shimmering paint and gold wheels look appealing in the pictures just wait until it’s all yours to enjoy.