2003 Renault Clio V6

First registered on the 17th of March 2003, this wonderful Renault Clio V6 has a full service history, a few carefully selected modifications and has just sailed through an MOT.

Number 1441 of only around 1500 Phase 1 cars ever built, this places it towards the end of the production numbers by which time TWR had well-and-truly got its eye in. Only lightly used, it has been in the care of its current owner for the past five-or-so years.

As a member of the V6Clio.net owners’ club, he’s used it for meets and runs out with the club so it’s a well-known car in Clio V6 circles. Being offered with a very sensible guide price, this is your chance to get your hands on a well-fettled and low-mileage Clio that you can actually use without fear of ruining it.

The Iceberg Silver coachwork looks terrific. With straight panels, ripple-free flanks and factory shutlines, it looks every bit as good now as it ever has.

Perhaps even better than when it was new thanks to the RenaultSport trophy rear spoiler fitted to the top of the tailgate. Finished in the body colour of Iceberg Silver and the very item fitted to the V6 Trophy race cars, it looks terrific and adds to the Clio V6’s purposeful stance.

The 17-inch, 16-spoke RenaultSport alloy wheels are shod with matching Pirelli P7 Cinturato tyres, all of which have good tread as they have covered fewer than 100 miles since being fitted. 

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

All the Renault Sport body accoutrements are present and correct, as are the badges. The light lenses and glass are free of scratches and damage, and those swollen hips, machine gun-like exhaust pipes, and the air scoops for the engine bay show following cars that this ain’t your normal shopping trolley.

Of course, there are a few stonechips here and there, plus the odd minor mark, but nothing at all to detract from the appearance of this iconic mid-engined hatchback.

In fact, the only point of note is the underside of the front spoiler, which shows signs of previous minor damage and scuffing. It’s not that bad at all and is, of course, largely invisible unless you crawl under the car.

The blue leather and suede seats are in great shape, being firm and supportive and free of damage, rips and tears. Very lightly creased indeed, the only significant wear is some very minor colour loss to a small area of the outer edge of the driver’s seat.

Other nice touches include alloy pedals, RenaultSport overmats, and the original plaque in between the seats that gives the Clio’s build number #1441.

The somewhat staid Clio interior has been discreetly livened up with a refurbished original steering wheel and a black flocked dashboard. The latter, which was fitted in April 2008 cuts down reflections very effectively and remains in good condition.

Other than that it’s all original and all in great shape. That means the carpets are good, as are the various trim panels, headlining, door cards, and instruments. Everything seems to work too, which leaves the new owner with nothing to do other than fill it up and disappear into the sunset in a cloud of dust and envy…

The Clio’s servicing regimen is as thorough as you’d imagine, and comprises:

14.04.2005 and 11,451 miles – routine service by Graham and Bowness, a Renault dealer

10.06.2006 - a BMC Carbon Dynamic replacement airbox and a performance air filter were fitted

11.10.2006 - a Janspeed performance exhaust was fitted

06.12.2006 - a SuperChip was fitted giving another 13bhp, 34lb/ft of torque and much greater flexibility

15.04.2008 - replacement Phase 2 gearbox fitted along with a full clutch kit, a service, and a new cambelt and waterpump at a cost of around £2,000

13.05.2010 and 18,611 miles – routine service by Drakes, a Renault main dealer

28.05.2010 – all four alloy wheels refurbished at a cost of £800

06.10.2018 and 24,253 miles – routine service including cambelt and waterpump by ALS at a cost of £1,271. This work was carried out less than 100 miles ago

22.06.2020 – fresh coolant and a new thermostat at a cost of £188

The front boot area might be an untidy mess of factory pipework and miscellaneous mechanical components but it’s in great shape bar a rusty bonnet catch. It is also home to a new battery.

The engine bay is very neat and clean, which is just as well because if you pop the engine covers off you can leave your new Clio V6’s mid-engine on display for envious passersby to admire and compliment you on your good taste.

The rear ‘boot’ might be tiny but it is very clean and neatly organized and home to the factory toolkit, which is present and correct.

And, the underside is straight and solid. Never having come to the attention of an MOT tester, it puts paid to the myth about all French hatchbacks being rust buckets.

Oh, and that Janspeed exhaust? The owner tells us that it is one of his favourite aspects of the Clio: “it makes an incredible noise”, he told us. “It really suits the car’s bonkers nature and never fails to put a smile on my face.”

So, why not crank the volume up to 11 and take a listen for yourselves on the attached video?

The Clio’s MOT certificate expires in June 2021 and was gained without a single advisory, something it’s been doing since 2013. It comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years.

It also still has its original driver’s handbook, book pack, stamped service history booklet and wallet, a copy of ‘RenaultSport Clio V6’ by Gilles Bonnafous, and two keys and remote controls.

With eight previous owners, we must point out that this means that it has also had nine honeymoon periods, periods when nothing was too much trouble and expense was rarely an issue; Bucket List cars like this tend to attract careful, enthusiastic owners who buy the cars of their dreams and then pamper it before moving it along to make space in their garage for the next one.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained and modified to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

And please be reassured, we’ve undertaken a full COVID-assessment and put into place strict control measure to enable us to safely facilitate a no-contact, socially distanced viewing that includes disinfection of the vehicle before and after your viewing.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

Or, even better, why not contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call? You get to direct us in real-time, giving you a virtual personal viewing experience while maintaining the lockdown. We like to call it ‘The Market’s 2020 Vision’…

With a guide price of £25,000 to £30,000, we expect this example to sell for around half of the price of the incredible, record-breaking Phase 2 Liquid Yellow one we sold recently.

Why so cheap? Well, it’s a Phase One car for a start, and has had more owners and has covered a greater mileage. But, that mileage is still under 25,000 miles, which is a staggeringly low figure for a car that’s knocking on the door of its third decade.

It’s also a much better car for the Clio V6 enthusiast who is looking for a car they can actually use; with moderate miles and a few carefully selected modifications, it’s perfect for the driver who’s looking for a Clio V6 that they can use and enjoy as the engineers intended.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.