1994 Renault Clio Williams (Phase One) #0180

It’s the early 1990s and the 1.8-litre Clio 16v is locked in combat for hot-hatch glory with the ageing Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9. It’s a better car by many objective criteria, but not a convincingly faster one and, in the eyes of many, the GTi still holds the crown. It took a truly special car to convincingly wrestle supremacy away from Peugeot, to really bury the old-timer and to refine the class in the process. That car was the Clio Williams.

Sold with the compelling marketing strategy of an F1 team association, the Williams was actually an 'homologation special' in the familiar mould. It was built because RenaultSport wanted to go rallying and the class maximum displacement stood at 2-litres. Given this was still the era of homologation into classes A and N, Renault simply had to build 2,500 road cars to qualify, although it would eventually build many more. The initial production run of the Clio Williams was limited to just 5,400 examples, of which only 390 arrived in the UK.

Naturally, RenaultSport did a thorough job. The suspension used a reinforced front subframe borrowed from the Clio Cup racer, plus uprated springs, dampers, rear torsion arms and thicker anti-roll bars. The track was increased by 34mm and the 7J Speedline alloys were half-an-inch wider than the 16v’s and distinctively gold. The gearbox was stronger, too, with revised ratios. There was just one exterior colour offered for the first generation of Williams – ‘449’ Metallic Sports Blue – and the cumulative effect of body (already blistered of arch, front, and rear, and bulging of bonnet from the 16v), paint and those golden wheels was as close to hot-hatch perfection as many felt it was possible to get. It's a small car with a wheel pushed to the very extremity of each corner; a little shorter, slightly wider, and significantly lower than a Clio 172 or 182.

Codenamed ‘F7R’ and developed from the 16v’s 137bhp F7P unit, the new engine featured a longer stroke and bigger bore size and benefitted from a stronger crankshaft (borrowed from the diesel Clio) plus new pistons, camshafts and conrods, with bigger valves and a lightweight exhaust manifold. Output was now 148bhp at 6,100rpm and 126lb/ft at 4,500rpm, not enormous by today's standards but 85% of the torque was available from 2,500rpm and the car only weighed 981kg. 

The car presented here is a 1994 Renault Clio Williams, #0180 of the original production run known as ‘Phase 1’. It was one of only 390 examples allocated to the UK and was supplied new by Renault main dealer, Kings of Taunton, in December 1993 and first registered on the 1st January 1994. It's accompanied by an extensive history file, which includes the original service book containing mostly Renault main dealer stamps - 16 in total. Remarkably, the handover checklist documents issued to the first owner, a Mrs Margaret McPherson, are also in the file together with the original Williams book-pack, drivers manual, Williams maintenance guide, brochures, numerous tax discs, original Philips (DC521) radio cassette manual and warranty card, and original Renault security wallet. The Clifford Concept 500 alarm (with movement sensor) also comes with its user manual codes, security decals and warranty card. All Renault service invoices from new (Graham & Bowness, Kings of Taunton and Nicholas Smith) are in the file, plus every MOT Certificate from 1998.

In the words of our vendor “After a long search for a fully-restored Williams, I came across Phil Walker’s car in a magazine feature, outlining his exceptional work over three and a half years (between December 2014 to May 2018). After inspecting and test driving the car in 2021, it exceeded my expectations.”

#0180 has been the recipient of a comprehensive restoration, carried out as closely as possible to the original factory specification, with over 2,000 hours invested. Phil was nominated ‘Restorer of the Year’ at the Lancaster Insurance NEC event in 2020 and this car is widely known amongst the Phase 1 Clio collectors in the UK.

Prior to the restoration the car had just three owners, again, as fully outlined by the number of documents, invoices and receipts on file - the car had obviously been cherished throughout its life!

All documents, invoices and restoration photos can be viewed prior to auction by contacting consignor Joseph Watts at Silverstone Auctions. Additional post-restoration photos of the interior, exterior and underside can be seen here:

https://jmp46.pixieset.com/renaultcliowilliams1180/

The car has covered circa 3,200 miles since the restoration, has been MOT’d annually (with no advisories) and always kept in a heated garage. The bodywork and paintwork are described as ‘simply exceptional’, as is the interior and underside. Our vendor stating: “It’s an absolute pleasure to drive.”

To support the car’s extensive and detailed restoration there are over 2,000 images showing every step of the restoration. Following its completion, the final addition was to replace the instrument cluster and a new set of clocks at zero miles. This was obviously not to fool anyone, but to support the fact that the vast majority of the car had been renewed or replaced and was deemed worthy of a zero-mileage status. Importantly, the original odometer was retained for future reference showing the 129,417 miles that the car had covered prior to the restoration.

Recent additions include a bespoke stainless-steel exhaust system by Pipe Werx, a restored oil pressure gauge sender unit by Jason Maher (now providing an accurate reading), a rare original Williams/16v front & rear rubber floor-mat set (originally a dealer accessory option when new) and the spare wheel (below the boot) has been shot-blasted and powder-coated. Additional attention to detail like the original Philips radio/cassette unit has been serviced and the cassette heads cleaned – simply remarkable stuff! There is even a Coverdale bespoke navy-blue indoor car cover.

There are additional extensive detailed notes in the history file from restorer Phil Walker outlining the restoration, and of course, a copy of the magazine feature in which the car starred.

A brief summary of restoration:

• Full metal restoration of bare shell to include an OEM rear AS 1/4 panel
• Full professional bare-shell respray
• Full 2-part epoxy underbody protection system
• Fully rebuilt engine, including balanced crankshaft, flywheel & clutch
• New clutch
• Refurbished drive shafts
• Refurbished brake callipers front and rear
• New brake lines
• New fuel lines
• New Radiator and coolant pipes
• New coolant header tank
• Refurbished rear axle
• New Renault OEM front dampers
• New Renault OEM rear dampers
• New OEM front wishbones and bushes
• Refurbished ARB and poly bushes
• Refurbished steering rack
• New steering arms & Steering arm gators
• New steering ball joints
• New interior heater
• Refurbished underbody heat shields
• Stainless steel exhaust system made to original dimensions
• New lambda sensor
• Refurbished wheels to correct colour and polished rim
• New tyres
• Full specialist geometry set up, including camber bolts to -1 degree

The car was last serviced in January 2022, with a cambelt change not due until May 2025; the last oil change was in December 2022, with an MOT expiry date of 2nd February 2024. Quite simply, ‘Best-of-breed’, no question.

These very special performance hatchbacks are now rare; even rarer in this sort of condition with low owners and a very worthy addition to any car collection based on its status, history and amazing state of restoration.