Friday 22nd August 2008

SOTW: Renault 9 Turbo

It's the other eighties Renault turbo...

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Ever wanted a Renault 5 Turbo but without the funky hot hatch styling and all-round Gallic style? I know I have so I can thank my lucky stars that this exists – the Renault 9 Turbo.

Never heard of it? Well, to be fair it wasn’t the runaway success of its hatchback brother and even the Renault 11 Turbo is probably a more common sight than one of these. And that is exactly why it is Shed of the Week. Fast, rare, unusual and cheap – this car has it all, and even looks a little bit like an E30 BMW in the pitch black if you squint.

The 9 Turbo had the same 115bhp 1.4-litre engine as the 5 and although it was a little heavier it was no slouch. 0-60mph came up in less than nine seconds and the 9 would be good for around 120mph. Handling was decent and of course it managed to mix in respectable levels of comfort.

Owners talk about good steering feedback and even lift-off oversteer if you need it. Unfortunately like most eighties turbocharged cars if the turbo kicks in mid corner you could find yourself understeering into next week.

The rest unfortunately is a bit of a mystery.There is not much written about these cars so if you take a punt you’ll be in a very exclusive club. Perhaps the 9 Turbo is the ultimate ‘Q car’; to the untrained eye it is just another ropey old Renault but with that insane little turbo motor you could put boy racers to shame. That is until the car inevitably overheated and cooked the head gasket.

This car is advertised on Autotrader.co.uk and comes in red with the essential French yellow fog lamps. It is completely standard apart from a suspect red gear knob but we’ll let it off. The mileage is just 87,000 and the seller says that it has had a new turbo, head gasket and various other bits. £950 may seem like a lot for an eighties Renault but it buys you something that makes rocking horse poo seem easy to come by. Who wouldn’t want this in their drive?

Ad reads: '1987 RENAULT 9 1.4 Turbo 4dr Saloon. 4 door saloon, petrol, manual,rare quick car same engine as renault 5 turbo,electric windows new turbo, radiator,head gasket,CV boots,clutch, exaust etc sports seats all original with standard alloys only 87000 miles 3 owners from new maintained regardless of cost work van forces reluctant sale. no time wasters. £950 ono.'

 

[CypherP]

Holy hell! Those seats look like something from the Saw films! I remember seeing these when i was quite young.. must admit though, it doesnt seem like there are that many around, as i haven't seen one for ages, until this cropped up!

[OllieBirmingham]

Would love that. Would probably also feel like a bit of a tool driving it though.

[SleeperCell]

Well I'll certainly give points for obscurity

[minimax]

OllieBirmingham said:

Would love that. Would probably also feel like a bit of a tool driving it though.

+1

[Oli S]

minimax said:

OllieBirmingham said:

Would love that. Would probably also feel like a bit of a tool driving it though.

+1

Summed up perfectly!

[clonmult]

Overheated and cooked the head gasket?

I always wondered why darned near every time I saw a car on fire on the motorway it was either a 9 or 11 turbo ...

Bit of me likes the idea of having one of those, it really is a q-car.

[FWDRacer]

SOTW Bag'o'sh!te...

D- Shed-Must try harder in class.... and not be distracted by ancient lumps of gallic excrement.

[sniff diesel]

At school back in the 90's a mate's brother had a Renault 11 turbo, just a 3 door version of this. Was considered cool at the time.

[SkinnyBoy]

My mate bought one of these in 1989, from some old giffer in Aintree. went alright, but had that old person smell he could never get rid of, they must have had a pissy Depends lodged in the heater core or something.

[Hub]

Rare.... but square!

[gazza_3]

Hub said:

Rare.... but square!

[Alex]

A mate of mine had one in the 80s (identical to the one in the article!). It was an absolute hoot to drive; not much different to a 5 Turbo.

[mattnay74]

Had one of these in that colour. my brother had a silver one. the seats were the most supportive and adjustable i've ever sat in. heater matrix went on mine and was a dash out job so got rid. Would i have another? late 80's early 90's yes, now no.

[FunkyFez]

Every inch looks like it has been designed with a ruler....FANTASTIC!!!!

[Tahiti]

arguably the ugliest car ever made, but what a giggle.

[Davi]

Brother had an 11 Turbo, friends piloted 9 turbo's. Think the 11 despite being very similar in many ways was far superior in the looks department.

I loved it, was a fantastic car to drive.

[TOENHEEL]

I bet its 87,000 miles! haha anyone else noticed that Reanults seem to last their 3 year warranties then fall to pieces? all the renualts we have had did this.

[snorkel sucker]

3 observations that stick out for me:

- those seats- WTF?!
- the crazy looking stereo/dash area that looks like some kind of control panel for one of those dodgy bombs in early james bond films
- those pedals- anyone with feed bigger than a toddlers would be heel and toeing whilst depressing the clutch at the same time!

got to be the strangest SOTW yet!

class!

[Frimley111R]

Utter utter H.O.S!!

[Dagnut]

"ultimate ‘Q car’; to the untrained eye it is just another ropey old Renault but with that insane little turbo motor you could put boy racers to shame."

it is a ropey old renault!! probably has about 90 bhp in reality its not gonna shame a lot of people really..probably the only thing more shameful is having one of these and thinking they are good. they stink.