Renault 5GT Turbo Phase II

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“Renault\\\'s 5GT Turbo may not be the fastest hatchback on the road but what distinguishes the car is its exhilaration. Never has a little car offered so much poke, so much entertainment, so much agility. On a winding A or B road, there are few cars - even when you move up to Porsche or Ferrari money - that offer more fun, or produce more usable speed.”

As this contemporary road test reveals, the 5GT caused quite a stir when it was launched in 1985. The 1.4-litre turbo engine packed a hefty wallop - 115bhp is a lot in a Metro-sized car weighing just 830kg – and was good for a top speed of 125mph with a 0-60 time of 7.5 seconds. It was also easily tuned to 200bhp+ as many enthusiasts were quick to discover.

In 1987, the facelifted Phase II was launched. Major changes included installing watercooling to the turbocharger, aiding the Phase I\\\'s oil-cooled setup, which extended the life of the turbo. It also received a new ignition system which permitted it to rev 500 rpm higher and boosted power to 128bhp. Externally, the car was revamped with new bumpers and arches that reduced drag significantly while the ride height was dropped by 5mm and the front geometry tweaked.

“Incredibly easy and fun to drive hard, the GT Turbo has the qualities we want in all great hot hatches. It’s exciting, it’s addictive, it goads you into driving it harder, and when you do it’s on your side rather than trying to bite your arm off”, said Evo magazine in a recent test. No wonder the GT Turbo made it into Autocar’s ‘Top Ten of the Year’ in both 1987 and 1988.

As the car is so tunable, it is a rare delight to find an original GT Turbo which is where this particular car comes in. First registered in March 1990, this lovely unmolested Phase II has covered only 24,200 miles from new in the hands of just four owners, the vendor having owned it since 2009.

It comes with a good history file to show regular upkeep, recent new parts including: front brake discs and pads; water pump; exhaust silencer; suspension top mounts; carburettor overhaul kit; wheel bearings; rocker cover gasket plus much else besides. The wheels have recently been alignment checked and refurbished and a Concept 650 security system has also been fitted. MOTd until September 2015 (with no advisories recorded), it also has seven old MOTs back to March 1994 when it was showing 14,327 miles.

Eighties hot hatches are just beginning to come on to the collectors’ car radar and low mileage, unmessed about with examples like this are exactly what the canny investor will be seeking. If present trends continue, this has to be a better bet than money in the bank!

AMENDMENT: MOT until July 2016