Ex‑Ragnotti Renault 5 Turbo up for grabs at Retromobile

Held in the magnificent surroundings of the Grand Palais – home to the annual Paris Salon for many years – Bonhams is offering a genuine ex-Works Renault 5 Turbo Group B rally car, in its authentic Tours de Corse specification. One of only 20 Works R5 Turbos, this example has been recently restored by leading Renault specialist Stephane Oudrel.

Originally revealed as a concept at the 1978 Paris Salon, by 1980 the Renault 5 Turbo was launched as a limited-production mid-engined homologation special, built for Group B rallying between 1979 and 1986.

Renault applied its considerable Formula 1-derived turbocharging expertise to the R5’s humble 1.4-litre overhead-valve engine, resulting in a power increase to 160bhp (in road trim), extended to 207bhp in its Tour de Corse Group B rally spec, as featured here.

A thinly disguised two-seater supercar, the R5 Turbo made its competition debut in 1980 on the Tour de Corse, where Jean Ragnoti's 250bhp works car led the event before succumbing to electrical trouble. In 1981 Ragnotti/Andrie won the Monte Carlo Rally outright for Renault and the following year Ragnotti won the Tour de Corse again. Faced with increasing competition from teams running four-wheel drive cars, Renault responded with more powerful Tour de Corse and Maxi Turbo variants, Ragnotti adding another Tour de Corse win in the latter in 1985. At the end of the season, the works team retired the 5 Turbo from competition.

Had Renault chosen to contest a full international programme with the 5 Turbo rather than concentrating on French national events, then its record at the highest level would surely have been even more impressive. 

This Group B competition Renault 5 Tour de Corse was raced during the 1983 season by Jean Ragnotti. Correspondence on file between the vendor and Mr Patrick Landon (Renault Sport Rally director between 1978 and 1997) states that chassis number 'D0000016' is one of three cars bought and registered by Renault Sport on the 12^th January 1983.

From 1983 to 1985, this chassis '16' Turbo had various different colour schemes. Originally it was finished in Renault Sport's white and yellow, when driven by Jean Ragnotti; then red and white (Philips) in 1984 when it was also a test car for Ragnotti; and finally in Radiola livery at the Tour de Corse in 1986. It was driven to 6th place overall in the latter event by Paul Rouby, who in the same year won 'La Ronde de la Durance' in France. 

Renault Sport had sold the Tour de Corse to Paul Rouby in 1985. When Group B was abolished in 1987, Rouby sold the car to a French collector, who kept it until 2002 before selling it again to another French collector. 

Bought by the current vendor in 2010, the car has been fully restored and is now presented in Renault Sport's distinctive yellow and white livery, as it was when raced by Ragnotti. The Renault is estimated by Bonhams to fetch between £170,000 to £255,000.