Highlights
- Advisory-free MOT valid until 5th September 2024
- Flamboyant, quirky and exceedingly rare with pillarless coupé styling
- Service and cam belt replacement performed recently
- Well-documented maintenance history
- Six-speed manual gearbox
- Double panoramic glass roof
The Appeal
Renault’s design chief from 1991 to 2007, Patrick Le Quément, was nothing if not bold. But then he was known for breaking the mould. At Renault, he presided over the original Laguna (his first project) and gave us the Twingo city car, before following an even more maverick design path that led to the Laguna II and Megane II, both of which still had to appeal to a conventional market.
The Avantime, however, didn’t have a sniff of convention about it. Based on the third-generation Espace MPV floor pan, it was a last hurrah for Renault’s relationship with coachbuilders Matra, who had built the Espace since 1984.
It filled the gap with one of the most unusual cars ever made – the Avantime translating to ‘Ahead of Time’, which certainly it was. The coupé-MPV hybrid that nobody ever asked for but which Le Quément had envisaged several years earlier. As is usually the case with such glorious freestyle projects the Avantime sold in low numbers, but was utterly commendable for its form over function. Built only for 18 months or so, a total of just 452 RHD Avantimes were sold in the UK, with the vast majority registered to Renault UK itself upon delivery from Matra.
Approximately half were in 2.0-litre turbo guise - as with our example here. Highly original and elegantly presented, it’s a cool candidate if you are in the market for something avantgarde. It benefits from a history of judicious servicing and is complete with an advisory-free MOT valid until September 2024. If you’ve ever had the itch for one of these, then this could be your moment…
The History and Paperwork
- A very late UK registered car: 7th July 2003
- One of 7 identical Avantime’s owned by ‘Taylor Made’ from new until 2006 promoting their technology company
- All Taylor Made Avantime’s were ordered in ‘Monaco Blue Metallic’ - this car was repainted by Renault when new
- The current keeper knows of no paintwork having been done to the car in the last 14 years and believes that the paint may still be original
- The second registered keeper was located in Broadstairs, Kent (2006 Renault main dealer receipt of sale is in the history file) for 3 years
- The third registered keeper - Ramsgate, Kent 2009
- The fourth registered keeper (from 2010) is the current keeper who twice sold the car to friends and has known all aspects of the car for the last fourteen years
- MOT until 5th September 2024 (no advisories)
- Comes with a very good clutch of old MOTs covering much of the car's life
- 24 service/maintenance invoices in the file. Receipts for £2,500 expenditure in the last six months
- Two invoices for cambelt, water pump & tensioners. The most recent in September 2023
- Two keys (plus cubby key)
- Original leather zipper wallet is present, containing original booklets and pamphlets
- Renault Main-Dealer number plates remain on the car both front and back
The Condition
- The design of the Avantime is well suited to the Monaco blue metallic beneath customary silver aluminium roof rails
- Signs of use and wear are present around the car on close inspection with stone chips, scuffs, some micro blisters, tarnish and lacquer lift in one place also - overall the car does still present smartly
- The silver roof rails on Avantime’s have a habit of oxidising and forming blisters beneath the paint - the rails on this car do show some blistering towards some roof rail edges
- Aluminium wing mirror housings are a weak spot - one arm is showing a little paint flaking
- The 17” Rhodes alloys are specific to the Avantime - these were refurbished by Lepsons in 2023 at a cost of £450 and continue to present immaculately
- All four-wheel centre caps are original and in good condition, with some wear to the silvering towards the edges on a couple of the trims
- All tinted glass looks free of any meaningful scratches, chips or fractures
- All tyres have good even tread
- The Avantimes were built with a galvanised chassis. The underside shows no obvious causes for concern based upon a basic cursory view
- The correct spare space-saver steel wheel is fitted beneath the car's rear deck
- All drainage channels look clean and free of corrosion
- Sills look free of any signs of corrosion and appear entirely original
- All exterior trims and fittings look original, unmodified and good throughout
- True to the Paris Salon Concept Car design, the sweeping interior is beautifully appointed
- Half-Leather upholstery is in good order
- Leather on the gear-knob has a little wear
- The seatbelt plastic base sleeve that surrounds the belt exit on the huge front seats are both present and show some signs of wear, as is usual
- Seat adjustments and front fold (to access the rear passenger area) all working correctly
- Door cards (often easily damaged) are in good order with the correct original trim fittings
- Interior door handles are free from chips or seat buckle scars
- Centre-console plastics and switch-gear surrounds are smooth, smart and free from the tacky feel of aged soft plastic coatings, synonymous with these vehicles
- Carpets are in excellent condition
- Inside screen and A-pillar lining is carrying some marks and stretch to the cloth
- Switchgear appears unmarked with perfect cubby doors, clips and even the fine vent plastics all present and correct
- The beige headlining to the roof, appears to be original and in good order
- ‘Grande Air’ mode button is working and retracts the glass roof while simultaneously dropping all four windows to create a pillarless driving experience
- The original jack and brace are correctly stowed beneath the rear passenger seats
- The boot area is in good order and chromed floor loops are still present
- The door seals and the giant boot seal are all present, correct and free from any obvious damage
The Mechanics
- 1,998 cc Renault Turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine
- Six-speed manual gearbox
- The exhaust system has a wide aperture exit tailpipe
- Dipstick check shows golden oil - (four months since last recorded service)
- Starts effortlessly and settles quickly into a gentle and even idle
- No advisories on any previous MOT tests
- Recent receipts for new front and rear brake discs and pads
- Reported as enjoyable to drive with no known issues
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