1994 | Renault Clio I Williams

In 1993 Renault launched the Clio Williams as a limited edition for homologation purposes, with each car bearing a numbered plaque on the dashboard. Despite the fact that Renault built 5400 units of the so-called Phase 1, they sold out immediately. Due to the demand, Renault built the Williams 2 and 3 with more than 12000 eventually being built. However, many new road cars were directly converted to race and rally cars which means that the actual number of road cars is significantly lower than the figures suggest. The original Williams Phase 1 was the lightest of the three, lacking the electrics necessary for the sunroof or the mirrors of the later versions, and was the only one to support a metal plaque stating the build number.

The car was named after the then Renault-powered Formula One team of Frank Williams, though Williams F1 had nothing to do with the design or engineering of this Clio. The modifications to the Clio 16S on which it was based were the work of Renault Sport, the official Renault motorsport division. Nevertheless, the Clio Williams had a proper Formula One link by being the official safety car for the 1996 season. The 2,0 liter DOHC engine with 4 valves per cylinder and fed by Multipoint fuel injection was rated at 145 bhp and gave the little Clio a top speed of 215 km/h.

Respected motoring journalists consistently rate the Williams as one of the very best hot hatches ever made, regardless of era. Its many accolades included 3rd place in EVO magazine's "Greatest front-wheel-drive car ever" feature in 2006 behind the newer Clio 182 Trophy and Honda Integra Type-R and 6th place in EVO's Car Of The Decade feature in 2004. Quite an achievement isn't it ?

Because the Clio Williams was so successful in motorsport, there are not many beautiful examples left today, as most have been converted for competition use. And of the remaining road versions, most have high mileage and have often been modified or repainted. It was therefore a huge surprise to find this original Williams Phase 1: a car that is still completely in its factory first paintwork, completely original and maintained in top condition. Even more surprising is the very low mileage of 41.122 km which is completely documented with invoices and MOT reports. This Williams with number 2280 was delivered new in the Netherlands and came to Belgium in 2015. The car has always been perfectly maintained and cherished, and today is a rare example of a highly sought-after and legendary hot hatch from the 1990s.

This is pure collector's grade and one of a kind. If you have always dreamed of owning a genuine Clio Williams, this is probably your chance to purchase one that feels almost new. We therefore suspect that this car will not be on the market for long...