Do you guys think the R26 in the future will be regarded as a 'classic car' in the same breathe as the Renault 5 Turbo? Considering its quirky looks,features and that renowned handling & power.
I like to think so but I'm unsure. Perhaps it'll be somewhere in the middle ground - I'm thinking more Peugeot rallye than ford rs.
I don't think they're popular enough now to be 'very' popular in the future. Apart from more exotic cars, I think it tends to be good examples of very popular cars that tend to become classics. Think mini/beetle/escorts/5gtturbo/205gti etc etc (if we're talking more recent 'classics').
I see what youre saying but surely the Ford RS200 wasnt popular back in the day but is now considered a classic? Maybe theres a differential between a classic and 'cult' car. Imo the two 'classics' that will come out of the post-2000 Renaultsport range would be the 182 & R26 - the very best examples of their kind. Only time will tell..
Sorry, when I said exotic cars I was referring more to cars that the average person didn't/couldn't buy - I'd put the rs200 in that bracket. Along with Clio v6 and the r26r to a similar extent. My opinion is that the r26 will always be desirable and as numbers decline, prices will probably go up. I'm not, by any means, saying they'll ever be worth a fortune though.
I think people get confused with all the meganesport variant's. Its only renaultsport enthusiasts that recognize, the megane evolved from a average hot hatch in the early years,into the finely honed drivers car the R26 is. I am always thinking`i should sell the R26 before it gets to old`..but then I drive it down a B road.. Just cant see myself covering ground any quicker,in the crappy roads state of repair,we have these days. Some unusual hot hatches have reached classic status these days though..Look what mk1 Fabia VRS`s go for
I'm really hope it will be a classic!! I'm looking to buy a r25 F1 team. Here in Italy the r26 in impossible to find and the price are around 15k 17k € Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk
Owners usually like to speculate, or potentially hope that their car may become a classic. Is it just as likely the Ford Focus ST will become a classic?
Maybe not a classic but it'll be noteworthy for its divisive looks and styling (which I love BTW, one of the main reasons I wanted one). It's not as mainstream as your Focus RS, Minis(old ones), clio 182 trophys etc.. It always be highly rated for its handling which is class leading and its an affordable performance car for the people especially now they can be had for silly money.
Focus ST from 2005-2010. Just an example of why would you think the R26 is that unique. Plus, not seeing the old Clio 197 becoming a classic. The Clio 200 was the better car, more sought after. The Megane 250/265/275 is better than the R26.
The ST is a `nearly` car in its 5 cylinder and 4 cylinder variants. Wasnt special in any department,so cant see it reaching classic status. I suppose this is why the RS models are always a notch above. RS`s hold there money in any form..always have, with the massive ford fanbase.
250/265/275 a more refined car..not a better drivers car. quite a few trackday guys selling there mk3`s and going back to R26`s because of weight issues. R26 was designed to go round corners,with everything else playing second fiddle. Mk3 RS certainly designed as a more rounded package,appealing not just to the trackday enthusiast.
I'm not sure I agree with this logic. In many ways, all the sport varieties of the Clio are better than a 5 gt turbo but they'll never be a patch on the 5, in my opinion.
The 225 led to a Cup, then there was the F1 and Trophy and none of those have become sought after and the R26 was just another evolution in that series. Not sure what would makes the R26 that special as a classic, particularly when the 250/265/275 followed on and is a much more capable track and road car. Once the 250 drops a bit more in price there will be loads more gunning around circuits. Both good in there own right, but one more of a 'classic' than the other? Nah. Do get me wrong, RS Meganes have always had the edge out of the box, but then stuff like the Type R has lots of mojo.
If any version of the mk3 is going to become a 'classic', surely that's the R26-R? In ford terms, the R26 is a ST, the R26-R is a RS.
R26 the r26r could Easley go over 30k or more ... I'm going to buy a r25 F1 team for around 7700€ Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk
I think part of the reason a car becomes a 'classic' is cos of its unique looks - eg the Beetle,Stratos,Clio V6,205 GTI... The only Focus that has stood out imo was the last generation with its lairy looks (ducts and big spoiler) and that one will become a cult classic i think. The current Focus & Fiesta ST's are pretty bland looking,no distinguishing features....Fiesta ST's are ten a penny on roads nowadays. Same goes for most modern hot hatches.
From my time with the Porsches (17 years) it really does boil down to simple supply and demand. Cars like the 968 CS and 964 RS were for years worth no more than their stable mates, but they were made at a time when Porsche almost went bust and made very few cars. For a long time nobody other than a tiny hardcore gave a stuff about those cars. Then years later when the demand stepped up the supply being tiny led to big gains, in the case of the 964 RS insane gains. I believe the demand is clearly there for the R26 but there is way way to much supply of cars, it suffers of course from being "less" of a car than the R26.R in the eyes of those who pay lots of money for sporty rare cars, so will only ever track behind the .R, much like Porsche vanilla 964 and 968 coupes. Luckily being a RenaultSport the supply will be sorted by so many cars every year being crashed, broken for parts or just run into the ground, almost exactly the same as happened years ago with the R5 turbo and look what has happened recently to the values on those puppies.
Most all of my previous cars from years back have now sky rocketed in value. mk1 fiesta xr2..mint ones going for 25k series 1 RS turbo Escort..seen a mint 1 for 50k! as well as my previous Impreza RB5 and Integra Type R values rising sharply. Thought the 106gti would have held value these days..But not many seem to have survived.
Reckon you have a fair bit of ownership bias going on. Always understandable. Also the terms you use are very specific and categorise people's thoughts. Vintage, Historic, Classic, Collectable. R26? In the future, popular, maybe desirable, not classic.
What do you say then about the R5 turbo? I can remember about 20 years ago I knew a couple of lads had them, moved onto them from minis which I was crazy about back then. Frankly at the time I felt the R5 turbo was an unreliable POS, they were worth peanuts and had precisely zero classic or collectible interest/status (apart from the rare rear engined earlier car). Now though they are a classic hot hatch and due to so few good ones left on the road a rare sight. Also worth much more than an R26 for example. If anything the bigger thing likely to stop the R26 going the same way is changes in car buying demographics, traffic, technological changes (ev and autonomy) and population density on our island threatening the whole mystique around private car ownership.
The R5 Turbo was fairly unique at the time. The R26 is just another model tweak in a long production series of similar cars.
The correct answer is; No one knows for sure but time will tell. There ends the thread. Oh and classic refers to nothing other than age.
Unfortunately not. Classic is a fairly lose term with multiple connotations, not just age. Thread continues.
You could probably argue that if someone is willing to restore an older car then it's a 'classic'. I can imagine the r26 and r's appearing at classic car shows in the future, with enough people interested enough to be keeping them on the road. Most of my older work colleagues think my R5 is "A piece of '80s French s**t" but of course I think it's a 'classic'. (Most of them think similar of the R26 by the way) The subject is obviously very subjective ha ha.
The question related to a car not a sporting event. HM Revenue and Customs considers a classic car as 15 years and older. Therefore age is the factor. Carry on making up statements to suit your arguments..
HM Revenue and Customs just collect tax, they are not the sole arbitrator of what defines a Classic car.
Correct which is why you have to be a bit more expansive when using the word 'classic' and not try to enforce a narrow and fixed meaning.
Relatively low mileage,good bodywork and interior,belts done...you get a lot of bang for your buck if you pick one up in the £6K bracket. Same goes for a 182 at £3K.
