1994 Renault Clio Williams

Number 0119 was the plaque attached to this wonderful Willimas Renault Clio 16v on the 25th January 1994, as the rare homologation special hot hatch rolled off the production line.

Since then, the car has been enjoyed by several owners who have cared for the vehicle over its 28 years. Unfortunately, in 2005 the car sustained some damage whilst parked, and with relatively low values in 2005, it was classed as a CAT C. However, the Clio was repaired and has the DVLA VIC certificate to certify this. Since then, it has continued to be enjoyed, even recently winning Best Hot Hatch at the 2022 Gawsworth Hall Classic Car Show.

Finished in Sports Blue, the paintwork on the Clio presents really well. It was given a full respray in 2009, and was reported by the vendor to have had the windows taken out.

Starting with the front of the Clio, there are a few small stone chips, as you would expect. Being the Williams model, the bonnet gained a bulge and air intake, which looks to align with the bumper. The headlights and foglights have no splits or cracks in the lenses, and the reflectors behind look to be bright and clear.

More Willimas giveaway signs were the wider wings and quarters, giving the Clio a more significant road presence. There are a few chips to the back edge of the bonnet where it meets the door. Looking down the flanks, there don’t appear to be any dings or dents to mention, and the panel gaps look to be even. There is some corrosion under the rubber finish of the window seals, which should be quite an easy item to replace if desired. The rear quarter windows open and close as they should, and the Williams decals are in place. Looking in just the right light, you can see signs of a run in the paintwork on the top edge of the driver's door, but it must be stressed that this is only in the right light and with a keen eye. In 2022 the car has had the inner and outer sills replaced on both sides, which is quite a common job to do on the Williams Clio.

To the rear, the light clusters are in good order, with no splits to be seen. Again, the correct badges are in place with the Williams logo above the Renault badge. The wheels are the original 7J Speedline alloys which have been refurbished and finished in the appropriate Gold colour. These are in excellent condition and have matching tyres on each corner with a good amount of tread remaining.

Inside the Williams Clio is very 90s, as you would expect. Highlighting the fact it is a Williams Clio are blue dials for the instruments, which are all working as they should. The odometer shows a reading of 128,226 miles, and there are no warning lights present with the engine running. Just to the left are more gauges showing the oil level, temperature and pressure, which have a healthy reading when running. Just below is the all-important plaque of authenticity, numbered 0119.

The leather steering wheel is also the original and in very good condition showing minimal signs of any wear, as does the gearknob, also finished with a blue insert to match the instruments. A real throwback is the original Philips DC521 radio cassette which is working as it should on the radio, but there was no cassette present to test that side of it. There is some slight wear to the plastic finish around the door lock button but nothing out of place for the age and mileage of the vehicle. The vendor does report that the heaters do not work in the car.

Sitting in the car, the seats are typically Renault for comfort and are in excellent condition. Finished in black and grey material with an embroidered W. The rear seat is in excellent condition, as is the headlining, which has no sagging.

Inside the boot area is the spare wheel, which has been repainted in black and is in good condition. There is a rare factory option suit carrier fitted to the underside of the parcel shelf, which has also escaped the 90s trend of installing 6x9 speakers. Lifting the carpet, the floor looks in good order with no areas for concern.

Inside the engine bay of this 1994 Williams Clio presents well. The F16.I.e engine cover is still present, and there are no signs of an aftermarket air filter or any modifications. Looking around, there are no signs of corrosion in the usual areas.

The Clio fires up as it should with no untoward noises. It is reported to pull strongly through the five-speed gearbox with no issues. Looking at the underside, there is the usual surface rust on wishbones and suspension components, but nothing to raise any concerns. The floor seems in good order, and as mentioned earlier, the inner and outer sills on each side have been replaced.

One thing which is missing is the spare wheel carrier; this was quite possibly removed in the late 90s to avoid having the spare wheel stolen (which was a craze). However, it should be quite an easy item to replace as a standard Clio one would be the same.

Finishing off the rear end, the stainless exhaust offers a sporty note without overpowering, and nicely suits the car.

The owner's handbooks are present, along with the service book, which has 14 stamps. There are also some invoices for work carried out, which included the timing belt, water pump and front dampers in 2020, and a new set of front discs and brake pads in 2021.

Several previous MOT certificates are present, and a fresh MOT was carried out on the 14th October 2022, which passed with no advisories.

What a great modern classic to own. The Williams Clio was the new hot hatch on the block setting a new performance benchmark with its 2.0 16v engine and excellent handling characteristics seeing off many other of its contenders in the hot hatch class.

On average, the car has covered just over 4,500 miles each year in its 28-year span; within that time, it saw some fresh paint in 2009, and it looks in great shape.

A true sought-after French hot hatch, which we estimate to fetch between £11,000 - £15,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Bolton, United Kingdom 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’.