Check out these retro-rallying Renaults

Retro motorsport is a funny old business – take an elderly racing car that’s probably appreciating in value, then subject it to the no-prisoners rigour of competition motorsport.  Who on earth would be willing to subject mellowing members of their hall of fame to that sort of punishment?

Well, Renault for one. The Rallye Monte Carlo Historique has just wrapped up for another year in the mountains around motorsport’s favourite tax haven, and a fleet of Renault 5 Alpines from the 1978 Group 2 series have been scampering about the passes and hairpins. Pretty glorious sight, no?

The entire event was a good one for Renault, in fact, with the overall victory being taken by Swiss-Brit duo Daniel Perfetti and Ronnie Kessel in a Renault-Alpine A110. But we’re more interested in the R5s. Cuteness itself on four wheels, mustering up to 140bhp (compared to the road car’s 92bhp), but weighing about as much as a yogurt pot. Dripping with character: that’s what classic motorsport’s all about.

In period, these little R5s were notorious giant-killers, deploying their lightweight agility to beat even cars from the higher classes, scoring a second-placed finish in the 1978 Monte rally at the hands of Jean Ragnotti, and also winning the 1980 French rally championship outright.

Images: BERNARD CANONNE