Let's face it. The classic hot hatches are responsible for many car enthusiasts' passion for vehicles. They were eager, affordable, and didn't need a trust fund to maintain. A simple search of the most iconic titles in the segment will pull out legendary names like the Peugeot 205 GTi, VW Golf GTI, and the Renault 5 GT Turbo. Each of these monikers has aged gracefully, passing the mantle to the next generation of hot hatches apart from the latter.
But we can't question the French manufacturer's decision to cut a vibrant chord at its infancy in 2022. The hot hatch segment might have been popular from the 80s to the early 2000s. But not anymore – thanks to the SUV invasion.
But still, history serves a purpose, and those who understand its value will go digging for it, and that's precisely what Johnny of The Late Brake Show did on their most recent episode.
After getting a tip-off of a hibernating 80s Renault 5 GT Turbo that hadn't moved since its tax ran out in 2001, he gathered his camera crew for a trip into the Welsh countryside.
According to Johnny, less than three hundred Renault GT 5 Turbo are currently registered in the UK, which automatically yanks their barn find into the ranks of rare classic cars.
The car in question originally belonged to a priest, who, after getting ordained, sold it to the current owner, a management accountant at the period. After switching careers into farming, the 80s hatch was relegated into a barn where it spent 21 years in hibernation.
Sion Eilis of Automax Wells car shop got a request from a client to check out this barn-ridden unmolested 80s Renault 5 GT Turbo he was looking to buy. He couldn't help tagging Johnny along.
According to the farm owner, the hot hatch worked fine the last time it was parked. In Johnny's experience, getting it to fire (with that history in mind) wouldn't be a challenging task – and he was right.
All it took for the duo to get this legendary hot hatch to rev again was a basic engine inspection, a healthy battery, and some crank juice. It still needs some TLC here and there (reason Ellis was commissioned for this barn find).
PS: Check out the video below if you are curious how the duo got his 80s hatch to sing a happy tune. It's a worthy investment, especially if you are eager to learn about 80s classics.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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