Renault Sport Spider

Prior to the Spider's production in 1996, Renault had never produced an open-lop two-seater sportscar. The Spider was originally a race machine designed to run in a one-make endurance series across Europe, but such was the demand for it, even without a windscreen to begin with, the decision was made to produce a street-going version. An light chassis of just 176lb (80kg) was made in extruded alloy sheet boxes, while the body panels were all glass-fibre. All suspension joints dismissed rubber bushes in favor of Heim joints, yet the car still managed an above-average ride quality. For power Renault used the 122ci (2-liter) 16-valve unit also used in the Megane, and the long-stroked engine produced impressive torque which Hie chassis easily handled. The small screen eventually fitted was deemed to Ineffective for regular use, so a conventional screen was fitted to 1997 models.

Renault Sport Spider Specifications