We Live In A World Where A Near-£70,000 Renault Clio V6 Exists

There's an immaculate, pretty much new Phase 2 Clio V6 up for sale, but the price may make you wince...

22 Aug 2018

We Live In A World Where A Near-£70,000 Renault Clio V6 Exists

Renault Clio V6 prices have been on the rise for some time, and we can see why. Yes, there’s the obvious rarity element - counting both generations fewer than 3000 were made - but a large part of the ‘want factor’ has to do with just how mad the concept of this car is.

The idea of taking an affordable city biff-about, completely re-engineering it to be mid-engined/rear-wheel drive and then dumping a 3.0-litre V6 where the back seats used to be is extraordinarily bonkers.

Sure, that happened all the time back in the 1980s, but the likes of the Lancia Delta S4, Peugeot 205 T16 and Renault’s own 5 Turbo were made out of necessity to satisfy Group B rally regulations. The Clio V6 may have first emerged as a competition car for a one-make series, but Renault merely made the road car because it wanted to.

It’s unlike anything else produced at the time, nor does it have any real equal produced since it went out of production. So it should come as no surprise that you’ll need over £20,000 to snag a Phase I, while for the slightly tamer Phase II - with its more powerful, Porsche-fettled engine - you’re looking at more like £30,000. But the car you see here is no ordinary example of the breed.

In its 12-and-a-bit years on planet Earth, this Liquid Yellow Phase II has clocked just 976 miles. Quite how you can own a Clio V6 and resist the temptation to, you know, drive the thing, we’re not sure. But because it’s as close to a brand new V6 as you can possibly get, and because the classic and modern classic car markets are generally a bit loony these days, it’s up for £67,995.

According to the classifieds advert, it was first serviced in 2008 and serviced again not long after the second owner took possession, with a fresh cambelt fitted as part of the work. The seller says the interior is “immaculate” while the “underside of the car is laughably clean”. We don’t doubt either of those claims.

But can it really be worth the best part of £70k? We’ll be interested to see if it’s snapped up, or if it remains on sale for a while.

What do you think?

Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.

Comments

I need a small loan of 70,000 pounds right now.

Really? Me too. Interesting coincidence.

Awesome car but you could buy so many other cool cars for the money

Yeah, but almost none of them can go from the original price to this price in a short amount of time.

CarThrottle has over 2 millions subscribers, it shoudn’t be difficoult to raise that kind of money. I offer volunteer to keep that thing: don’t want to bother you all. I know, I know, I’m a generous person

Let’s all give a pound to support a great cause.

I have this strange psychology that if I were to become a multi millionaire someday, I’d buy all these “Garage Queens” and drive the living daylights out of them.

Oh well, I can keep dreaming

good thinking, I’m with you there

if you could rly afford all of these oooor lets say 10 cars there would be no time to drive all of them.
Maybe you like one or two that much that you always miss on the other cars in the garage.

Im happy that there are people how let these cars sit in the garage. If you think about it without those we wouldnt have those brilliant car in NEW conditions. The owner bought it he can just look at it if he wants.
Or maybe only did sometimes take it to a track, where he coverd the 1000 miles.

Yes

As amazing as it is to see the car in such beautiful condition, it does annoy me that it hasn’t been used. This is a car that was destined to be thrashed around a track and bothering the rear bumpers of certain supercars…oh well, each to his own I guess!