1999 Renault Clio V6 Trophy (065/159)

This particular Renault Clio V6 Trophy, #65 of the 159 believed to have been built, was assembled in Renault Sport’s Alpine facility in Dieppe in conjunction with Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) specifically to participate in a single-make race series that would accompany the F1 circus around Europe between 1998 and 2000. Essentially a marketing exercise with the sole intention of promoting the new, at the time, Clio 2 range, a series that replaced the Renault Sport Spider and prior to the arrival of the road going Clio V6 that was to appear in 2001. In addition to its F1 commitments, in 1999, the Trophy Series ran as a support race for the 24 Hours of Le Mans with 60 cars starting only for 25 to be eliminated in a first-lap accident.

Motivation was provided by an L7X 2,946cc V6 (derived from the PSA ES engine used in the Renault Laguna) developing 285bhp @ 7,000rpm mated to a 6-speed Sadev mechanical-sequential gearbox. As is normal with one-make championships, frequent upgrades were carried out to keep the vehicles up to the current specification and clearly in pristine condition as stipulated by Renault given the prestigious environment in which they were racing. For the 1999, 2000, 2001 & 2002 seasons - all cars had Phase 1 body panels but for 2003 the cars had facelifted Ph.2 body panels fitted to align with the rest of the Clio range.

Number #065 was sponsored in period by Remus Innovation Austria and Team Senn Motorsport and driven by Austrian Andreas Mayerl, a regular Renault and later Porsche competitor. When the Series was eventually shelved, it was rebuilt with a complete overhaul being carried out in 2003 but it never raced again, only seeing a circuit briefly on a couple of track-day outings in Germany. More recently, the engine and gearbox have been checked as required in readiness for its next outing, what or wherever that may be, however as with any competition car, it’s essential that interested parties carry out their own 'due diligence' on the Renault’s fitness for, and likely competitiveness in, whatever events they are considering entering.

This fabulous little Clio is superbly presented and is offered with a comprehensive spares package including body and mechanical parts, a full list of which is available upon request.