Highlights

Comprehensively restored at a cost of £27,000
Fantastic inside and out
Impressive history file

The Appeal

Launched in 1964, the Renault 8 Gordini owed its name to its engineer, Amédée Gordini, who had tuned cars and competed in motor racing since the 1930s. As Carlo Abarth was to FIAT and John Cooper to BMC, so Amédée Gordini was to Renault.

The company that bore his name had competed in Formula 1 in the 1950s, but Gordini subsequently worked with Renault as an engine tuner and since the 1950s Gordini (known as ‘Le Sorcier’ [sorcerer] for his almost magical ability to extract high power outputs from engines, particularly of small capacity), has been renowned for his performance versions of Renault saloons.

Gordini’s Renault 8 adopted a re-designed drive train, improved braking and a 95hp engine (almost twice the power of the classic Renault 8 engine). The improved performance appealed to racing drivers and motorists alike; the works rally team achieved several good results at international level, but this was the era of the Mini Cooper and outright victories proved hard to achieve, although an R8 Gordini won the Tour de Corse on its first outing.

This pristine Renault 8 Gordini benefits from a full restoration undertaken in 2017 by Autovilla Classica of Twickenham, with additional input from various other specialists, and comes with their detailed invoice for £27,150. Works carried out included a full body renovation (sills, inner sills, front inner wings, and right rear wing replaced); full repaint inside and out; interior re-trim (using five black leather hides); and an engine rebuild by Modern & Classic Engineers.

In addition, a 5th gear was fitted inside the original gearbox, (although this has recently been returned to its original 4-speed set-up) while the interior has been up-rated with two sports-type bucket seats up front.

The History and Paperwork

Imported from Norway in 2016
Thick folder of Norwegian paperwork
Lots of recent invoices for restoration work
Norwegian magazine feature
Evidence of Gordini provenance
Original workshop manual
Current V5
MoT- and tax-exempt

The car was first registered in the UK in 2016, after being purchased by the vendor from a previous owner in Norway. It comes with a thick folder of paperwork from its time in Norway, including the Norwegian equivalent of MoT certificates, and numerous invoices.

Additionally there are invoices from its 2017 UK restoration, plus authentication of its Gordini provenance by a renowned specialist with supporting photographs of the key components that signify its authenticity. There are also a number of invoices from renowned Renault and alpine specialists Alpine Autos in Maidstone, Kent, for recent work carried out, and invoices from French suppliers of genuine parts..

As an historic vehicle the car is tax- and MoT-exempt.

The Interior

Complete interior re-trim as part of restoration
Leather-trimmed sports bucket seats
Leather-trimmed Gordini steering wheel
Appropriate rubber mats in interior and front luggage compartment, costing £1200
Original dials
Halda Tripmaster fitted
Leather-trimmed door cards
Leather rear bench seat
New roof lining

Restored to extremely high standards but with regard to its history, the interior of the car is superb. The leather sports seats provide a firm and supportive driving environment, while the dashboard retains its originality.

The rubber mats were specially sourced in France, for both the interior and the front luggage compartment, at a cost of £1200.

Under the front bonnet is a reasonably sized luggage compartment, housing the battery and its cut-off switch. Beneath the rubber mat is a small patch of rust, which could be readily rectified.

The Exterior

Full body renovation in 2017
New sills and inner sills
New front inner wings and rear offside wing
Authentic Gordini colour scheme
Replica decals
Delta alloy wheels in superb condition
Chrome wing mirror
Renault and Gordini badges

As with the interior, the car’s exterior has been done to a high standard but sympathetically. With some new panels and a full respray, to replicate its authentic Gordini colour scheme, plus replica decals, the car looks great from every angle.

The Mechanics

1108cc Gordini engine
Rear-engined
Engine rebuilt in 2017 at a cost of £3500
Original gearbox, now returned to 4-speed
£561 service in October 2022
New clutch release bearing and fork arm in October 2022
New gearbox mountings and engine mountings in February 2023
Starts and runs well

As part of the car’s 2017 restoration, the engine was completely rebuilt at Modern & Classic Engineers in Bracknell, Berks, at a cost of £3500. The engine looks absolutely superb, and starts and runs with a lovely note. The car was driven to our photo location by the man chiefly responsible for its restoration, and he reports that it drives beautifully. Invoices in the folder of paperwork reflect that work has been done since the restoration to keep it in first-class running order, at considerable expense.

The original gearbox had a 5th gear fitted when restored, but this has recently been returned to its original 4-speed specification.

Summary

A little over 12,000 Renault 8 Gordinis were produced between 1964 and 1970, and today they are among the most sought-after of post-war French performance cars. Restored to a very high standard, and with sound provenance, this example can hold its head high at any classic-car event and is historic-rally ready.

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