1994 Renault Clio Williams 1

Number 74 in the run, this delightful Renault Clio Williams One demonstrates in the clearest possible way that bigger isn’t always better – and its charms are such that it’s been in the same family group since new.

Bought by the seller’s godfather new, it passed to his father in 1999, at which point it was treated to a new engine, sourced from France rather than England as they were keen to keep things as original as possible.

Its service history was fully documented from 1999 until 2011, at which time the vendor inherited it. He used it for a while before deciding to send it to France for its bodywork to be renovated.

It’s huge sentimental value led to a five-figure sum being spent on it in the last decade. However, it’s been sitting at a friend’s house for a while now and he’s slowly come to realise it needs to find another home.

Diminutive and perfectly formed, the Clio Williams looks a bit like a shrunken Group B rally car with its four-square stance and boxy, flared wheelarches. It’s a great look anyway and this one has survived its nigh-on 30 years with impressive aplomb - but then it had around €8,000 spent on it in a garage near Nice to bring it back to this condition.

The Sports Blue (colour code 449) used on the Phase 1 and 2 cars is a great colour, too and this one presents very well, as you’d expect.

And gold rims never go out of style, do they? These original spares look terrific against the Sports Blue coachwork and are in a good condition bar a small dink on the rim of the nearside front (#41). They’re fitted with matching Continental tyres, too. Of note, the original rims fitted with slick are available by separate negotiation with the seller should the lucky winner want them. Regarding the wheels, the seller says "the current hubs are the Original Clio Spares and there are two sets of them that come with the car which is probably worth GBP2,500. One set with wets and the other with the current road/racing hybrids."

Flaws? Well, a piece of the front grille is missing (#67), the front numberplate is cracked (#54) as is one of the aftermarket headlamp protectors (#52).

The fastidious among you might like to consider fitting a set of new wheel bolts (e.g. #26 and #61) and sort out the scratches on the bonnet (#39), front bumper (#55), and offside front corner (#72) plus the chips on the driver’s door (#42).

A small bubble is also developing that would repay investigation (#80) and the paint on the nearside rear pillar and boot lid isn’t great (#94 and #95).

The Clio Williams’ interior is pillowy soft and surprisingly unsporting – but then aren’t you glad the French firm spent its money on the good stuff like the engine and suspension instead of faux Recaro seats and the like?

Quite.

Now we’ve set your expectations at an appropriate level, we are delighted to be able to report that the condition of the interior is very good. Despite almost 125,000 miles of pummelling, the driver’s seat is still in great shape and free of rips, tears and other damage.

It’s very comfortable too, and those seats hold you surprisingly well around bends.

The door cards and carpets are also good, and the headlining looks to be in good shape bar some staining (#194 and 195) and a little warping on its rearmost edge (#216). Overall, the cabin has aged very well indeed.

Blue seatbelts add a cheery touch, and the all-important dashboard plaque confirming its status as car #74 is present and correct. (NOT Car 67: no need to thank us for leaving you with that earworm…)

The boot is in a decent shape, although we do note some light scratches to the paintwork on the back of the rear seat (#202) and the inside of the tailgate (e.g. #210). The carpets are good though, and lifting them reveals a good floor underneath.

The Sparco steering wheel might be in a good condition but it isn’t original, so you’ll probably want to get a few searches set up to find one. This one does feel lovely in the hand though, so it won’t be any hardship using it until you strike lucky.

The gear lever isn’t original either (#159) and nor are the pedals (#172). The vendor’s father or godfather used it for track days and we can only assume that the steering wheel, pedals, and taller gear lever made racing it much easier.

The stereo isn’t original either (#157) so we can see the new owner will probably want to get them all replaced with OE items to maximise their new toys future value.

Flaws are few. There’s a chunk missing out of the instrument binnacle (#121), both door pockets are discoloured (#139 and #143), and a vertical line has been drawn on the rev counter (#153).

The engine starts well enough but it doesn’t seem to idle as it should, so perhaps a quick service or a tune-up is in order. The HT leads don’t look to be in a very good condition (#222), so it might be as simple as replacing them.

It’s got good oil pressure though and what might just be the perfect hot-hatchback exhaust note.

The Clio returned from its bodywork restoration in France in around 2019 and needed several thousand pounds-worth of mechanical work, which was entrusted to a garage in Devizes. The seller can’t remember the exact details but says it did involve repairs to the exhaust and gearbox. Contact details of the garage are provided in the log book.

The engine bay looks good and the underside bears witness to a new part-exhaust and some historical welding repairs. Underseal protects the structure but it could do with touching up in places.

NB: As we mentioned earlier, the seller’s father and godfather went on a road trip to France in 1999 to source a replacement engine, bringing it back with them before fitting it themselves.

The invoices on file record the following work:

· 29.03.2005 and 91,491 miles – service by Mill Lane Renault

· 12.03.2007 and 104,001 miles – service by Mill Lane Renault plus a new power-steering pump and brake master cylinder

· 14.05.2008 and 108,857 miles – service by Mill Lane Renault and a new alternator and front brake pads

· 01.10.2009 and 112,231 miles – service by Mill Lane Renault including new rear brake discs and pads and a starter motor

· 01.10.2010 and 115,321 miles – service by Mill Lane Renault plus fresh gearbox oil

The Clio’s MoT certificate is valid until the 23rd of June 2023.

Sadly, the vendor didn’t appreciate the value of keeping the paperwork that accompanied the work he’s had done to it over the years, although details of the French garage and the UKk garage that did the work are on the logbook, so what you see is all there is.

Modern classics like the Renault Clio Williams have an awful lot of appeal; they’re as quick as many modern cars, fairly cheap and easy to maintain, have a great chassis and brakes, and are brilliant to drive: you could jump into one from your daily driver and feel right at home, which isn’t something that can always be said of some more traditional classic sportscars.

This new-found popularity means prices are on the rise and we estimate this one will sell for somewhere between £16,000 and £22,000, which might seem like a lot for a 30-year-old Renault but we can’t see prices falling anytime soon, so you can probably look at it as an alternative place to keep your savings rather than a sunk cost that’s gone forever.

Yes, it needs some cosmetic fettling and some OE bits sourcing but this sort of thing is all part ‘n’ parcel of owning a classic and besides, you’ll be adding value with every job you tick off the list, so it won’t be too much of a hardship, will it?

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at BonhamsICars Online HQ, United Kingdom. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, 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, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.