Got to check out a super rare car today

[NJSPEEDER]

There is a little specialty place in Hopewell that I go past every once in a while. They are an authorized Lotus sales and service center as well as brokering in classic cars.

On my way past today I saw a Renault 5 Turbo. A car I had never previously had the pleasure of seeing in person. They are very obscure, Renault never even brought them over, a mere 200 were imported by specialty companies, as far as I know most of the vehicles went to Canada.

This is what it looks like:

http://images.sportcompactcarweb.com/features/0308_05z+1986_renault_r5_turbo2+front_left_view.jp g

Roughly the size of an old Mini with nearly the HP of the new Mini CooperS, it seems like it would be a fun way to get to the corner store and back. The engine is a turbo'ed 4banger, mid mounted, and only available with limited slip diff and 5 speed gearbox.

In it's day it was basically the TypeR version of an econo box that was developed for the various European Rally series around the northern continent.

[LTb1ow]

Ugly at first glance, but then, kinda cool....

[chrisfrom nj]

it looks like a mini/suburau with a body kit do u think that car will float

[wretched73]

it looks like a mini/suburau with a body kit do u think that car will float

like a rock

[Blacdout96]

Ugly on the outside, all business on the inside. you get to drive it? and what were they asking for it?

[//<86TA>\\]

those cars were on SPEED the other day, the turbo cars were something like 450 horsepower! Ugly, maybe, but killer fast:nod:

[FBODS4EVER]

looks like a renault le car with a greenwood package.... that place in hopewell is on a corner? looks like a old dealership from the cars movie?

[NJSPEEDER]

Ugly on the outside, all business on the inside. you get to drive it? and what were they asking for it?

No test drive, I didn't even ask. They know me there because whenever there is a cool toy out front they get to see my smilin face :)

I think the tag on it was $36K or something like that. It was only like 56k miles, but it doesn't look like the cars talents were wasted or sitting in a garage either. The paint is good, but tired and the tires had scrub marks going all the way to the edge of the tread blocks. hehe

[NJSPEEDER]

looks like a renault le car with a greenwood package.... that place in hopewell is on a corner? looks like a old dealership from the cars movie?

Yup, thats the place.

They also have a Lotus Elise, a Lotus Espire V8, Porsche RSR, Lotus 12, two XKE's('68 and '70 I think), a Porsche Speedster, Porsche 914 2.0, and some other little trinkets laying around.

[//<86TA>\\]

Yup, thats the place.

They also have a Lotus Elise, a Lotus Espire V8, Porsche RSR, Lotus 12, two XKE's('68 and '70 I think), a Porsche Speedster, Porsche 914 2.0, and some other little trinkets laying around.

i know that place, they usually have some neat looing rides laying around or in the shop area

[rscamaro73]

Used to love driving past that place when I worked in NJ....:drool: