RENAULT

8 Gordini

The RENAULT 8 Gordini is one of the most beloved French performance cars of the 1960s — a small, rear-engined saloon transformed into a genuine giant-killer by the legendary tuner Amédée Gordini. Based on the practical, boxy Renault 8 family car, the RENAULT 8 Gordini was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show on 1 October 1964, instantly recognisable in its trademark French Racing Blue paint with twin white stripes. Gordini's magic lay under the skin. The first RENAULT 8 Gordini used a tuned 1,108 cc engine with a cross-flow hemispherical cylinder head, twin Solex (later Weber) carburettors and a five-speed gearbox — exotic kit for a modest saloon of the period. It produced around 90 hp and could reach 170 km/h, performance that embarrassed far more expensive machinery and made the little Renault a favourite of young enthusiasts and aspiring racers. In mid-1966 the RENAULT 8 Gordini was significantly upgraded with a larger 1,255 cc engine producing around 100 hp, twin twin-choke Weber carburettors and four headlamps, becoming the definitive and most numerous version. Renault and Gordini also created the famous "Coupe Gordini" one-make racing series, which became a celebrated training ground for a whole generation of French racing drivers. On the world stage the RENAULT 8 Gordini scored three consecutive Tour de Corse victories in 1964, 1965 and 1966, cementing its motorsport credibility. Produced until 1970 with roughly 12,500 examples built across both engine sizes, the RENAULT 8 Gordini is today among the most sought-after post-war French sporting classics, prized for its rally pedigree, its iconic blue-and-white livery, and its raw, rev-happy character.