17th Nov 2022
Auction Highlight: Renaultsport Clio 182 Trophy
by Collecting Cars
There are normal Clios and there are special Clios – and some of the latter are very special indeed.
To an observer less interested in cars, the idea of spending more than £10,000 on a 17-year-old Renault Clio might seem like madness. But there are normal Clios and there are special Clios – and some of the latter are very special indeed.
The bonkers Clio V6 is now a firm cult classic, but the entry point is now around £30,000, while at the top end the world record (held by Collecting Cars at the time of writing) is an astonishing £95,000 including fees. There are, however, some incredible performance-focused Clios available for a lot less.
A quick check of the Collecting Cars ‘Sold’ section using the search term ‘Renaultsport Clio 182 Trophy’ could leave you with a strong sense of déjà vu - more than 25 apparently identical cars, all finished in the same hue of Capsicum Red. Of course, those in the know will remember that all 500 of these UK-market specials were painted in this vibrant colour; and as usual, variations in prices comes down largely to mileage, condition, and service history.
This month, the Collecting Cars team soldthis very well-maintained example. The odometer showed 77,160 miles from new, and the owner had invested a significant sum in servicing and improvements, including a rebuild of the all-important Sachs dampers and new front brakes. The last cam belt change had been carried out in May 2019 (around 13,000 miles earlier), and the valve timing was reset and the crankshaft pulley replaced in 2021.
Strong interest led to the car achieving more than 10% over its reserve price, ending with a winning bid of £11,182. A lot for a 17-year-old Clio, perhaps – but arguably great value for the ‘Best Hot Hatch of the 21st Century’, as voted for by the members of PistonHeads in 2019.
If this has tempted you to snap up a Clio 182 Trophy in the future, then stay tuned to the Collecting Cars marketplace. Prices achieved on the platform have ranged from just over £5,000 for a 157,000-mile car, to a superb 28,000-mile car that fetched £23,000 – and the quite astonishing world record price of £45,250 paid for the ex-Renault UK press car (chassis 001).
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