Description
A super rare Renault Grand Espace (LWB) petrol 3. 0 quad-cam V6 in excellent cosmetic condition, with just 72, 000 miles. Fully documented service history.
The specification of this car includes every conceivable luxury you could ask for, including;
"Initiale" luxury specification.
Black leather and graphite alcantara interior, with 7 seats; fully adaptable / removable in passenger compartment to create huge load bay. Seats can rotate to enable a conference seating arrangement.
Three sunroofs with sun blinds.
In-car roof-mounted DVD system.
Electronic climate control / air conditioning.
Refrigerated glove box.
Cruise control.
Automatic transmission.
H. I. D. projector headlights.
Electric windows with retractable blinds all-round.
Presidential privacy glass, for ultimate comfort and discretion.
Remote central locking.
Fully integrated remote controlled in-car entertainment, including CD multi-changer and MP3 input upgrades.
Electric and heated mirrors.
Stowage compartments all over the interior.
Of course what makes this Espace seriously rare and desirable is the quad-cam 3 litre 24v V6, as fitted to the Avantime, which has almost 200bhp and nearly 200 lbs/ ft torque. This makes the Grand Espace an effortless and powerful cruiser, with an amazing turn of speed when required. It has a top speed of 130mph, which is amazing for its size. Despite its enormous bulk, it only weighs 1650kg, which is actually lighter than my Citroën C5 V6. Being made of fibreglass, the Espace is a surprising featherweight, which helps with fuel economy, too.
It is fitted with a stainless steel exhaust system which appears no louder than the stock system (and looks standard), but allows that fabulous V6 a fantastic raspy exhaust note when revved, affording it a positively supercar-esque soundtrack. Auto Express once claimed this particular V6 actually sounded better than the famed Alfa Romeo Busso V6, which was widely regarded as the best sounding V6 of the '90s. I'm inclined to agree.
I have priced this Grand Espace very cheaply due to the gearbox playing up. I suspect it needs a new one since a fault developed 18 months ago and the car has not been used since. It no longer selects gears, although reverse still works, but still starts and runs perfectly as it always has. It always starts first time and runs exactly as it should, with no misfires or overheating. The MoT expired over a year ago, although there's no reason which I know of why it won't pass another once the gearbox is sorted. If a replacement automatic gearbox is necessary, I am able to source one for £200, which is fully guaranteed and operational. Alternatively, the new owner might opt to convert it to manual transmission, making this a very rare machine indeed, coupled to the 3. 0 V6.
There is an excellent service history with the car detailing all expenditure over the years and the all-important cam belt change, which won't need doing again for quite a while.
This is an excellent rapid luxury MPV which cost the first owner over £30, 000 in 2001, with the most comfortable captain's chairs you will ever encounter and is in excellent condition inside and out. It has been in storage since being taken off the road, but I have recently lost this storage and I now have too many cars on my drive, prompting the sale. With the gearbox fixed and an MoT, this is easily a £3, 000 vehicle, which will rise in value over the years and attain classic status, as the Mk. 1 Espace already has. I hope it will find an enthusiastic new owner with more time than myself who will enjoy this interesting piece of French motoring history. It comes complete with the personalised number plate, which is valued at more than my asking price for the whole car.
