2002 Renault Clio V6

Dry-stored since 2015, this Silver Clio V6 shows a credible 31,578 miles on the clock. In the care of its late owner since December 2007, a member of the pit crew for Porsche at Le Mans as well as an avid motorsport collector, so it’s fair to say he could spot a good ‘un when he saw one - and keep it that way, too.

Number 671 of only 1513 Phase 1 cars ever built, this serial number places it in the middle of the production numbers, which means TWR had well-and-truly got its eye in by the time it built this one.

Coming to us direct from an estate, it hasn’t run in seven years so is in need of recommissioning, but it might well prove to be an extremely affordable way to get your hands on a lower-mileage and beautifully preserved Clio V6 in a highly competitive market…

The Iceberg Silver coachwork appears from the gallery to be every bit as good as its limited use suggests it should. Seemingly straight panels, ripple-free flanks and factory shutlines provide the canvas upon which the metallic silver paint shines. One of only 223 UK cars finished in this colour, one could say it almost looks almost as good now as it did when it rolled out of the factory.

All the RenaultSport body accoutrements are present and correct too, and the light lenses and glass appear free of scratches and damage.

And yet, for all its many qualities it’s the rear view that gets straight to the heart of the Clio V6’s charms; with swollen hips, a pair of machine gun-like exhaust pipes, and two huge air vents that facilitate the rapid removal of hot air from the engine bay, following cars are in no doubt this ain’t your normal shopping trolley.

The 17-inch, 16-spoke RenaultSport alloy wheels appear practically unblemished and are shod with Pirelli tyres, all of which have good tread.

That said, the tyres are a minimum ten years old now and may well be flat-spotted as they haven’t really turned in seven years, so they will almost certainly need changing.

Of course, there are a few stonechips here and there, plus the odd minor mark (i.e. #98, #151, #188, #196, and #222) but there’s nothing there that would worry us.

In fact, the only work to do is to remedy the crack you can see on the nearside corner of the front spoiler (#93). But, don’t just take our word for it; why not make an appointment to pop along to see how good it is in person?

The Clio’s grey and dark blue interior might be somewhat underwhelming but that’s good, isn’t it? After all, in a car like this wouldn’t you want Renault to spend the money on the mechanical bits that make it perform and sound like a mid-eighties rally car?

What you get is essentially standard fare, which is no bad thing because replacement parts should be easier to source than they would otherwise be on what is a bespoke car.

Not that you’ll need them because it’s all in a fair condition. With only the very gentlest patination to the V6-specific leather and Alcantara front seats, the Clio wears its circa-30,000 miles very lightly.

This means that the seats are still supportive and comfortable, balancing these competing demands surprisingly well. But then that isn’t a surprise because this is a very well engineered car.

The rear seats are MIA, replaced by an engine cover that hides the oily bits while still allowing the driver and passenger to enjoy the music played by the V6 engine. If you get bored of that (not that we can imagine such a thing…) there’s an aftermarket Clarion headunit to entertain you.

The steering wheel, carpets, door cards, dashboard, and headlining appear all good.

The rear boot/engine bay is home to the small but perfectly formed toolkit and the air compressor is still tucked away behind the driver’s seat.

The trunk is tidy but removing the (very good) plastic tray shows some grubbiness underneath, so there’s a small but rewarding job for you.

A car cover and a spare set of mats are included, as is a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, warning triangle, and a pair of old numberplates.

As you might expect given the length of time it’s been in storage, the Clio doesn’t start. The engine turns over freely enough but it won’t fire. That said, we’d expect it to need recommissioning anyway, so this shouldn’t be the deal-breaker it might on a car that’s been used more recently.

The timing belt and waterpump were changed in 2015 but a prudent owner would budget to change that too on the basis of its age.

The underside is generally good with only the usual surface corrosion on some components. However, we can see some areas that would warrant further investigation (i.e. #238 and #248). It might be nothing but we know many of you bid sight-unseen, so we try to be as comprehensive in our descriptions as possible.

Oh, and the model-appropriate registration number you see comes with the car.

The Clio’s MoT certificate expired in April 2015.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clean and the Clio also comes with its book pack plus some old invoices and expired MoT certificates.

We’ve sold a lot of Clio V6s over the years, setting records in the process. We aren’t boasting, merely establishing our credentials in a market that’s gone crazy for the little French supercar in the past few years.

With the best of their type selling for well over £50,000, we think this one will fetch around half that, with a guide price of anywhere between £20,000 and £30,000. Even allowing for the usual post-storage fettling to get it running and road-worthy, we think there’s plenty of headroom there, so you might be able to snaffle one of the 21st century’s most desirable mid-engined pocket supercars for a fraction of what you’d normally have to pay.

Yes, it’s a gamble but if you want a sensible car plenty of manufacturers offer cars in this price range, some of which even come with a comprehensive seven-year warranty.

But, a car like this offers limitless possibilities as it’s good enough to be brought back to showroom condition very easily, and cheap enough to be MoT’d and used as your daily driver.

Or even the most Instagram-worthy road-trip wheels this side of the Ferrari 308 run by @briansquestionabledecisions.

Worth thinking about, isn’t it?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.