Renault 80s legends are still awesome and better looking than most cars today

WELL, this is a bit awkward.

Thirty-odd years ago, my brother bought a Renault 5 Gordini Turbo to go with his XR2. He was very pleased. He knew he had acquired something special, even back then.

He stripped it down to give it a full refurb but got distracted chasing girls and never got round to finishing it.

A year or so later, the old girl paid the scrap man 20 quid to come and take all the bits away.

Oh no, she didn’t.

Oh yes, she did.

Of course, it was all my fault because I was upstairs playing computer games at the time and didn’t realise what was happening outside.

That Gordini Turbo would be worth around 18 grand today.

Now this is going to rub salt in the wounds . . .

I’ve just driven a 1983 Gordini Turbo (the blue one) and the even more spectacular mid-engine Turbo 2 (the maroon one). Something my brother never did.

He never got to drive his French rocket in anger and all I can say is: “Sorry, bruv. You missed out.”

Because it was quality. Small. Light. Laggy. Old school. A proper little hooligan. Way ahead of its time.

No wonder it could hustle bigger XR3s and Golf GTIs.

That said, the Turbo 2 is something else. Every now and again, Renault builds an instant classic and this is absolutely one of them.

For those that missed the Eighties Max Power days, allow me to explain.

The original 1980 R5 Turbo was a stripped-out, two-seat, mid-engine, rear-drive, homologation special built to go rallying.

The Turbo 2 used the same 160hp engine but had a standard 5 interior and was never officially imported to the UK, although 40 still made it here. They’re worth around 80 grand today.

They are awesome. They are fast, slidey, even more laggy, still better-looking than most cars today, and need to be driven intelligently.It’s all about timing. You have to brake earlier and accelerate earlier, so the power comes on at the right time. I liked it a lot.

CHIPPED THEM AND COOKED ENGINE

Much more common was the 1985 R5 GT Turbo, which replaced the Gordini Turbo. That was 115hp, weighed less than a Rich Tea biscuit, and rapid.

Sadly, you won’t find many minters out there these days. The go-faster boys either chipped them and cooked the engine or they got nicked.

All these time-warp classics were at a track day to celebrate “40 years of Renault Turbo”.

Or to be more precise, 40 years since Renault’s first Formula 1 victory with a turbocharged engine.

Renault also wheeled out an 18 Turbo, Fuego Turbo (loved that car), 25 Turbo, 11 Turbo, 9 Turbo (loved that car even more), 21 Turbo and the very latest Megane RS 300 Trophy.

It’s OK, sometimes I hate me, too. But my brother hates me more.

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