Even if you don’t know what this wacky looking metallic pee-colored topless two-seater is, you can instantly tell it’s something special. The late ’90s Renault Sport Spider is an incredibly hardcore, ultra-lightweight mid-engine track attack beast; think something similar to the original Lotus Elise, or Ariel Atom. Personally, I think the Renault Spider is the coolest looking car of the three, especially in this dramatic shade of yellow, and this left-hand-drive U.S. road-legal example is currently for sale on Cars And Bids.
Only 1800 of these were produced between 1996 and 1999, and this car is a left hand drive, Japanese market car that’s already totally cleared with a U.S. title, so it’s ready to break necks on any American road you want. When new, the Spider fell into the shadow of the lighter, cheaper, and somehow better-equipped Lotus Elise, possibly the only modern car that made the early Lotus Elise seem well-equipped.
If you’re looking for a car that’ll stomp challengers in a straight-up stop light dash, this isn’t for you. Renault Sport fitted the Spider with an aluminum chassis that cradled a 2.0-liter Reault-Williams twin-cam four cylinder just behind the driver’s head in between the wheels. Its body and design would still turn heads and drop jaws if it was released today, and its plastic construction served to keep its weight down to about 1,900 pounds. Unfortunately for Renault, the series one Lotus Elise weighed even less, at about 1,600 pounds, but compared to virtually every other car on the road the Spider is absurdly light weight.
The Renault Sport Spider’s rarity and dashing good looks make it a cool car for collectors, but its light weight, double wishbone inboard coilover suspension and unassisted brakes and steering are said to make it a pure driver’s car. Keep in mind that it doesn’t even come with a roof, so if you live somewhere with weather it may pose challenges for you. It sounds like it’s best for someone who lives in LA, preferably someone who is a friend of the site and who would allow me a chance to drive it, or to at least see if I fit behind the wheel. If you or someone you know buys this gorgeous car, please let me drive it.
