As far as driving goes, it doesn’t get much better than the Lotus Elise. They’re incredibly light, balanced, nimble and devoid of almost all modern luxuries. They also look fantastic and are guaranteed to draw attention wherever you go. But what if you’re the kind of person who feels like the Elise is too common to be interesting anymore? What if you want something that’s still simple, mid-engined and light but also significantly more rare, at least in the U.S.? Well, that’s where this 1998 Renault Sport Spider that’s currently for sale on Cars & Bids comes in.
The Renault Sport Spider was never sold in the U.S., presumably because the French hate us, but just like the Elise, it’s a hardcore, stripped-out sports car with the engine behind the driver and few creature comforts. But while an Elise should still get some attention at Cars & Coffee, between its more exotic styling and relative rarity over here, the Renault will probably draw an actual crowd. It also demands more commitment to the cause, not even offering a roof or a features list much longer than “a gauge cluster, windshield and windshield wiper.” Hell, you could even get it without a windshield.
Air conditioning? Who needs air conditioning when you have the wind in your hair behind the wheel of a car that’s almost completely open? I do appreciate Renault thinking people will drive these when it’s cold enough to need the defroster, though. Also, it included billionaire doors because why not?
One seriously rare roadster
While the Renault Sport Spider is almost unheard of in the U.S., it isn’t much more common in Europe. Fewer than 1,800 were ever produced in total, making them pretty darn rare worldwide, too. Compared to the Renault Sport Spider, the Lotus Elise may as well be as popular as the Toyota Corolla.
The 2.0-liter four-cylinder is only good for 148 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque, but the car only weighs slightly more than 2,000 pounds, so it should still be plenty quick while also being light enough that the unassisted brakes shouldn’t be too big of an issue. Besides, handling is where it was meant to shine, offering a racing-derived suspension with inboard Bilstein coilovers.
Since it was built in France, where they drive on the right like God intended, it’s also left-hand drive, making it easy for an American to hop right in and take it for a spin without any issues. And since it was built in a time before automatics and dual-clutch transmissions took over, you also get a five-speed manual transmission for added on-road fun. It’ll still be plenty capable on the track, but if you’re on the hunt for a weekend car you’ll truly enjoy driving up in the mountains, the Renault is going to be hard to beat.
Sadly, because these cars are so rare, it’s hard to guess how much it’ll take to bring this one home. The seller insisted on a reserve, and you have to assume it’s a lot higher than the current high bid, at least at the time of writing, of $12,500. The only other Renault Sport Spider sold on Cars & Bids went for $62,500 late last year, though, so it’s probably safe to assume you’ll have to spend similar money if you want this one. Still, I guarantee it will absolutely be worth it.
Cars & Bids
