2001 Renault Clio 172 Renaultsport Exclusive

Number 21, this low-mileage example might be, according to the vendor, the best surviving car of the 172 cars ever built.

First pre-registered by Crisps Paramount Garage Ltd of Knodishall on the 12th of April 2001, it passed to its second registered keeper a few days later. She cherished the car until March 2017 before being owned by another two enthusiasts, the latter from whom the vendor bought last summer.

A very well-presented example its service history, including a cambelt change less than two thousand miles ago, is up-to-date and supported by a comprehensive paper trail.

Offered at No Reserve and an almost unbelievably low guide price, this is your chance to get ahead of the hot-hatchback curve...

The Scarab Green Pearlescent metallic coachwork looks sensational; while green might not be your first choice for one of the finest hot-hatchbacks of the 21st century, there’s no denying that it works brilliantly here, doesn’t it?

It’s in great shape, too. Straight, ripple-free flanks conspire with tight, even shutlines, bright and clear Double Optic headlights, and excellent badging to tell a story of careful conservation and a life gently led.

The unique 15-inch, ten-spoke brushed aluminium BBS alloy wheels are unscuffed but could do with a good clean to rid them of brake dust stains. And while the 195/50R15 tyres they’re shod with (Falken on the front, and Prestivo on the rear) have decent tread, we can’t help but think a car of this quality and performance deserves a set of matching, high-quality to rubber to allow the driver to fully exploit the Clio’s extraordinarily accomplished chassis.

While we’re nit-picking, although the RenaultSport’s coachwork is in a very good condition overall, our photographer did notice a scratch to the driver’s door in addition to a few light scratches to the bodywork. Plus, of course, the usual stonechips that are part-and-parcel of running a car in 21st century Britain.

None of these blemishes are serious or detract from its presentation but it is important that we note them as we know many of you will bid sight-unseen based on our description and photographs.

Oh, and it even still features the original supplying dealer sticker in the rear window, plus matching (but probably non-original) front and rear number plates.

The Dune Grey leather is in fine fettle with only very gently creased leather to the driver’s seat and an almost untouched finish to the passenger’s seat. Still firm and supportive despite their somewhat pillowy appearance, they’re a credit to the car’s previous owners.

The rear seats are excellent bar some light indentations from what we think might have been child seats. Other than that, the only flaw we can see is a small stain/blemish to the driver’s seat bolster.

This means the grey and blue centre console and dashboard look terrific and the blue carpets, which have been protected by grey overmats, are in great shape, as is the grey headlining.

The door cards are also good and while the steering wheel might not be the most exotic you’ll see this year it is the original and as per the factory specification.

(Speaking of which, the serial number confirming its status as car number 21/172 is inscribed on the door sill.)

The head unit is the standard-fit Radiosat 6010 with a six-CD multichanger and a separate display. A factory alarm system, complete with sensors mounted on the A-pillars, is still working.

Lifting the very good carpets in the boot shows a solid metal floor in addition to the factory toolkit and spare wheel – and the tyre on the spare wheel is a Michelin and still has ‘hairs’ on its sidewall, so might even be the original…

The rear parcel shelf is intact and in good shape and the vendor tells us that everything works as it should including the air-conditioning, which the vendor confirms is nice and cold.

All-in-all, the condition of the interior is very good and further proof of this car’s careful curation over the past two decades.

Fitted with the Sports Handling Pack, which adds a re-engineered steering rack and sports-tuned suspension, the Clio 172’s service history includes a cambelt service in March 2017 at 26,130 miles, or less than a thousand miles ago.

The rest is as follows:

24.03.2003 and 9,657 miles – Service A

05.04.2006 and 18,148 miles – Service A

20.10.2010 and 23,354 miles

29.03.2012 and 24,452 miles

21.03.2016 and 25,963 miles – Interim service

09.03.2017 and 26,130 miles

11.07.2019 and 26,923 miles - oil change plus air con re-gas

The engine bay is very clean and neatly presented and the underside is straight and strong.

We are told that it drives very well, with the 16-valve engine being singled out for praise.

The Clio’s MoT last certificate expired in July 2021 which showed no advisories, something it’s been doing for a while now. It also comes with a number of expired MoT certificates plus some old invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years. The vendor had promised that, upon purchase, he will supply the car with a fresh MoT.

It also still has its original driver’s handbook, book pack and wallet plus two keys, the original service history booklet complete with six stamps in it, and even the original sales brochure.

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 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.

The RenaultSport Clio 172 has long been touted as a future classic, with Classic and Sports Car magazine pointing out in August 2019 that: “Track day fans ‘discovered’ Sport Clios a few years ago and many have been ruthlessly caned, while others have been broken for parts. Cherished survivors are scarce, and collectors are already snapping them up.”

As it rightly points out, finding a low-mileage, unmodified example that hasn’t been thrashed (and possibly crashed…) is getting harder and harder, which is why we are so pleased to be able to offer this example.

It could be a canny buy too, because its desirability isn’t yet reflected in the sort of bonkers values we are seeing cars like the VW Golf GTI and Peugeot 205GTi achieve.

If we’re being pinned down to specifics, we think the virtual hammer will fall somewhere between £5,000 and £9,000, which is spectacular value when you consider the performance you’re buying – and the headroom that price might give over the following years; remember, where the range-topping cars like the Clio V6 lead, the rest follow – and given we recently sold a Liquid Yellow Clio V6 for £52,000, the arrival of the Clio as a bona fide collectable classic is indisputable.

Viewing is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), and this particular car is located with the seller in County Durham; 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’.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ near Abingdon, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.