Funny - i knew what i was getting into but, the bloke at the Renault 5 owners club said "Flush the coolant out and change the oil every 3k for fully synthentic and youll never have a problem" - owned it for 3 years trouble free before it turned into a kitchen...
your going to be disapointed,my friend rab had one in the early eighties and it wasnt any better than a 1600 sport performance wise and to tune it was expensive,so he got rid [hindsight,hindsight]and bought an rs2000 as it was more tuneable,its only in recent years that rs1800 s have become more desirable mostly because they are rare
I completely understand and agree with you. Legends always disappoint. It was such an important car the BDA Cosworth engine was a beauty to look at. Tuned they were making just over 200bhp from what I recall. It’s like riding a RD350lc now, it’s a wonder I’m still alive.
I think they got bored out to 2.4 and made up to 280 bhp in full group 4 rally form - which wouldn't disappoint I'm sure
Back in the day I had 2 of the 1st addition Cosworths, both mint & low mileage, the first one got nicked out of my garage so when got paid out I bought another from a RS show at Stafford which I kept for 4 years & sold it in the early nineties for £12K. new back then the RS was £16K & the RS 500 was around £20K I had Both tuned by Andy Rouse in Coventry who at the time was British touring car champion, what he did with the cosworth for road use was change the ECU & Turbo to bring the boost in low down at 2000rpm no turbo lag at all [ stock set up boost was 4000rpm so lots of turbo lag] ...talk about fly there was not much around to touch them with this conversion....Do I wished I had still got them now....well what do you think.....
my sapphire 2wd was tuned by Harvey Gibbs was running 380bhp, that thing was proper rapid. until I put it though the side of someones garge!! ive still got the chassis plate off it.
My 3 door was Grahame Goode Racing group A The 2wd Sapph was MAD developments. All hybrid, lairy cams, low comp pistons, big interccoler and anti lag. Those were the days!
Yes Andy Rouse did the sapphire 2 wheel drive the rouse 302R & also 4 wheel drive the 304R as a limited special addition for Ford Motor Company...he actually did my conversion on my 1st Cossie the mk1 whale tail whist he was developing these sapphire cars for ford, Andy had a sapphire 302R for himself for the road, which is the one he let me test drive before the conversion on mine.... what a mind blowing performance back in the day check this out below a few cossies to choose from https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1148416
Birdie said: ↑ Andy Rouse did a limited edition road car, my brother inlaw had one. Steve Click to expand... Yes Andy Rouse did the sapphire 2 wheel drive the rouse 302R & also 4 wheel drive the 304R as a limited special addition for Ford Motor Company...he actually did my conversion on my 1st Cossie the mk1 whale tail whist he was developing these sapphire cars for ford, Andy had a sapphire 302R for himself for the road, which is the one he let me test drive before the conversion on mine.... what a mind blowing performance back in the day check this out below a few cossies to choose from https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1148416
