Renault Clio Williams 3

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One of the ‘hot hatch’ icons of the Nineties, the Clio Williams was launched in 1993 as a limited edition of 3,800 cars (1,300 more than was needed for homologation purposes) with each car bearing a numbered plaque on the dash.

These sold out so quickly that Renault ended up building 1,600 more, and then due to demand they followed up with the Williams 2 and 3, with 12,100 Clio Williams eventually built in total (much to the annoyance of those owners who had been assured of the exclusivity of the ‘original’ Williams). Named after the then Renault-powered Williams Formula One team, the modifications to the Clio 16S on which it was based were the work of the firm’s motorsport division, Renault Sport.

By boring out the standard car’s 1,764cc engine to 1,998cc and using different size valves, cams, stroked crank and engine oil cooler, they were able to extract 145bhp and 129lb/ft from the 16v straight-four, making it good for 134mph. Naturally the car was also tuned for enhanced ride and handling, including a wider front track with wishbones similar to the Renault 19, wider Speedline alloys, uprated (JC5) gearbox, bespoke four-to-one manifold, firmer suspension, and cosmetic differences both inside and out.

Mechanically identical, the 3 series of Williams were largely a reflection of changes across the Clio range, such as the gradual addition of enhanced safety features and cosmetic variations. Other than this, the Williams 1 and 2 had no sunroof and were painted in 449 Sports Blue, while the final Williams 3 was painted in a slightly brighter 432 Monaco Blue and gained the sunroof which had long been standard on all previous Clios. Consistently rated as one of the very best hot hatches ever made, one of its many accolades was 6th place in Evo's Car Of The Decade feature in 2004.

First registered in January 1996, this Clio Williams 3 has recently undergone a major rebuild by Shropshire County Classics to turn it into a real road rocket at a cost of over £4,000. The extent of the work carried out is too detailed to list in full here, but is amply covered by many invoices on file.

Highlights include: Stage 2 paddle clutch conversion; all new engine belts including cambelt; coilover shocks all round; OMP Strut brace; competition brakes all round; all new silicone pipes; new ball joints and track rod ends; competition engine and gearbox mounts; polybushed wishbones and rollbar; refurbished Speedline alloys and a full respray.

Said to be “a very quick car which sticks to the road like glue to a blanket”, it comes with an MOT until March 2016 and is ready to enjoy right away.

Please note that an HPI check shows that this car was recorded as a Category D insurance loss in June 2003 (damaged, repairable).

AMENDMENT: There are no invoices with this car, just a list of parts replaced. The MOT expires May 2016 not March 2016