Renault 5

This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at Race Retro 2026 Competition Cars on Saturday the 21st of February, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh Rd, Coventry, CV8 2LG. , First registered in August 1987 and showing three previous keepers on the V5, this Renault 5 GT Turbo is a carefully considered and highly individual tribute to the Renault 5 Turbo UK Cup cars that defined onemake saloon racing in the mid1980s. Restored and presented in silver with the distinctive blue Harlow Group livery associated with Mark Fishs period competition career, it represents a rare opportunity to acquire a historically informed homage built and maintained by one of the key figures involved in the original series.The Renault 5 Turbo UK Cup was launched in early 1986 following the importation of 40 identical cars to establish the championship. It quickly gained a reputation for close, hardfought racing and attracted a varied and highprofile entry list, including Rowan Atkinson, motoring journalist Gavin Green and Mark Fish himself. As the Renault Clio arrived to take centre stage, the Turbo Cup cars were gradually displaced, many continuing their competitive lives in the BRSCC Super Coupe Cup alongside contemporary rivals such as the Honda CRX, Volkswagen Polo G40 and Rover 216 GTi.Around 20002001, this example was selected by Mark Fish Motorsport as the basis for a new project, starting from a clean and original shell. Initially prepared to Super Coupe Cup specification for a client, it saw limited competition use as the series reached its conclusion in 2003. Thereafter, the car was retained within the Mark Fish orbit, used sparingly for track days and maintained throughout by the same specialist over the following decade.In 2014, inspired by period photographs of the original Harlow Groupsponsored GT Turbo campaigned by Mark Fish in the late 1980s, the thenowner commissioned a full groundup rebuild. The brief was clear: to recreate, as faithfully as possible, the look and specification of the original Turbo Cup racers. The result is a car brought up to full competition specification, with careful attention paid to period accuracy rather than excess.The 1.4litre turbocharged inlinefour was stripped and rebuilt as a blueprinted unit, with boost increased from the standard circa 10psi to 14.5psi. Supporting modifications include a baffled sump, competition air filter, uprated intercooler and oil cooler. Power is quoted at 153bhp and is delivered through a 5speed manual gearbox. The chassis benefits from adjustable Koni dampers and uprated brakes, while a straightthrough exhaust exits beneath the nearside rear quarter, in keeping with period practice.Finished in silver with a remarkably faithful recreation of the blue Harlow Group livery, the car sits on 13" steel wheels to original Cup specification and is accompanied by an additional six wheels fitted with slick tyres. Inside, the strippedback interior reflects its competition intent, retaining the dashboard and door cards, with modified panels to accept safety netting, periodstyle Corbeau bucket seats and Willans harnesses.Recommissioned and inspected once again by Mark Fish Motorsport in 2017, the car has since formed part of a private collection and is offered with an MOT until July 2026 showing no advisories. Accompanied by a good history file, workshop manual and period literature, this is a thoughtfully executed tribute that captures the spirit of one of Renaults most evocative singlemake racing series.