Classic car catch: Renault 19 16v

Fast old Renaults are getting expensive. But this one isn’t. Yet.

The Renault 19 16v was a hot hatch hero in the early 1990s. It was easily a match for the Volkswagen Golf GTI 16v and Ford Escort RS2000. Like them, you could a few years back pick up a pretty decent one for around £2000. For two of them, not any more: the Golf is north of £5k and the Escort isn’t far shy.

But the 19? It’s still out there for bargain money. And there are still very good reasons why you may want one. Looks, admittedly, perhaps not among them, but there’s much more to this car than just a generic-looking hatchback body-style.

Such as a responsive 1.8-litre 16v engine that produced an impressive 142hp, which delivered an extremely strong 0-62mph time of 7.7 seconds. Good even today, never mind in the early 1990s. For this alone, it’s no wonder What Car? made it Hot Hatch of the Year in 1990. Add in handling as fun as the more well-known fast Renault 5s and Clios, and you’ve a real gem.

Make that a rare gem today. Rust has accounted for a lot of them, meaning there are fewer out there than you think, and certainly hardly any clean, original models. You see a lot coming up for sale mid-restoration, oddly.

All this helps keep prices down. It’s actually tricky to pay more than £3k for a 19 16v, and much less is the norm if you’re willing and able to put in the work (and source any missing parts the restoration project may be requiring…).

But although they’re rare, you still need to buy with your eyes open. Never exactly a solid car when new, a 19 16v today will probably be full of squeaky, possibly snapped plastic, frayed bucket seats, electrical niggles and the like. At least the mechanicals are solid, even hard-driven ones. There’s a lot to be said for keeping things simple there, which is what Renault did.

Would we take a punt? Well, values can only go one way. The hardest bit is finding one: try owners forums and specialist classic car mags, as they’re rarely seen in the mainstream. Secure a good one and remind yourself why, back in the day, it beat the Golf GTIs and Escort RS2000s that today are selling for silly money. Who knows, you may even have a solid investment on your hands.

Rob Adams is a writer for PistonHeads.