Renault 5 Campus

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The second generation Renault 5, often referred to as the Supercinq, appeared in 1985. Although the body shell and chassis were completely new, it retained familiar 5 styling cues.

The redesign was the work of Lamborghini Miura and Countach LP400 designer, the newly independent Marcello Gandini. The new body was wider and longer featuring 20 percent more glass area and more interior space, with a lower drag coefficient and 57mpg in the economy models.

Launched with a bewildering array of trim levels, body styles and engines, at any time you could have a Renault 5 van or pickup, both a three- or a five-door hatchback, a Turbo or a diesel and trim levels that went from poverty spec to the Monaco with its leather-trimmed luxury. In between all these were any number of L, TL, TSE and GTL variants.

The model was starting to show its age by 1990 when it was effectively replaced by the Clio, but carried on being sold in the UK, the Campus model in particular remaining a very popular entry level car.

This particular Renault 5 Campus has been entered by the markets editor of Classic Car Weekly, Richard Barnett, and some of you may feel you already know the car from his regular running reports in that publication. We can do no better than to allow Richy to describe it for you:

“My trusty little 5 has covered just over 32,000 miles. The body has never been welded, the paint is pretty bright but it does have some scratches from its time in London with a previous owner. I bought it from my editor, Russ Smith, to relive my youthful days of the late-1980s when I last owned one. My wife and I have probably driven it 3,000 – 4,000 miles between us and it's barely been used since it was last MOTd six months ago.

"It drives very well (I've driven it up to Brightwells a couple of times), feeling pretty tight all round, and is still very comfortable, even when I've done the 200-mile round trip to Leominster. There are no nasty noises from the suspension or steering, the brakes are up to scratch with new rear shoes recently fitted and all four tyres are new. The interior is lovely other than a small bit of wear in the driver's seat. MOTd until 25th September, it comes with handbooks and folder, plus bills from my ownership. It is only being sold as I need the space for something bigger and British.”

While we cannot verify the Renault’s low mileage with a conclusive paper trail, we can confirm that Richy is selling the 5 to fund the purchase of an old Daimler Double Six in which he and some mates are planning to do a ‘boys in their fifties’ road trip to Geordieland on a Get Carter pilgrimage (aka ‘mid-life crisis’ – ed). Look out Newcastle, is all we can say!