This 1985 Renault R5 Turbo 2 Evolution is #120 of 200 homologation road cars built to qualify the R5 Maxi Turbo rally car for WRC Group B competition. This is an “8221”-chassis car featuring a more powerful turbocharged 1,432cc inline-four and was the most limited-production version of all R5 Turbo variants. This particular example was imported and federalized in the late 1990s, and importantly it is a fully California emissions legal car with BAR sticker. It has 45k kilometers (~28k miles) and was acquired three and a half years ago by the seller, a Bay Area-based collector who has carefully maintained the car while enjoying it on the road with 3,000 miles driven during his ownership. Standard fitment improvements include Renault Sport spec Bilstein coilovers and mild cooling, lubrication, and exhaust modifications have been made as described below. All original parts are included in the sale along with literature, some service records, and a clean California title.

The 8221 homologation specials featured lightweight aluminum roofs in addition to the distinctive box flares worn by other Turbo 2 models. The paint finish on this car was partially redone during federalization and included repainting of the dark grey bumpers and sills. Side marker lights and steel door beams were added during the process, while tubular steel bumper reinforcements have since been removed.

The car currently rides on factory three-piece Gotti staggered wheels wrapped in Yokohama tires. Stock turbine wheels are also included and mounted with new Michelin TRX rubber.

A brief walkaround is provided in the video above. A number of exterior closeups are provided in the gallery below and detail minor blemishes as well as condition of the lenses, Turbo 2 decals, and rubber seals. Original Saint Gobain windows with Renault etchings are shown in the gallery.

The interior retains a stock appearance with original tan cloth bucket seats and a factory three-spoke steering wheel. A new carpet kit and headliner were imported from France, and seats are upholstered in the correct pattern. A set of black Coco mats is also included.

Orange-lettered Jaeger gauges include a kph speedometer with stock gears, a vinyl mph overlay, and a six-digit odometer showing just under 45k kilometers (~28k miles). Factory oil pressure and boost gauges are mounted in the center stack. A center console delete panel takes the place of a stereo, which was not equipped on most R5 Turbos.

A factory spare and jacking tools are present in the storage compartment up front, which also contains a larger-than-stock radiator with an upgraded dual fan setup. A carpeted parcel shelf and luggage straps cover the mid-mounted engine behind the front seats.

A tour of the exterior, interior, trunk, and engine bay is provided above.

The Garrett turbocharged and intercooled inline-four was stroked slightly to 1,432cc for Evolution cars, up from 1397cc on the standard Turbo 2 cars. Other Evo factory upgrades included 2.4mm headgasket, cylinder heads, crankshafts, pistons, rings, rocker adjustments, and wastegate shims along with smaller performance revisions according to specialist/author Peter Meaney.

A wide variety of mechanical freshening and regular maintenance has been performed by a Los Angeles specialist during the seller’s ownership, with a list of completed items viewable in the gallery below. Of note is extensive CIS fuel injection work along with new exhaust and turbo parts. Clutch hydraulics for the 5-speed manual transaxle were also addressed.

The engine is shown idling in the video above. Changes from the stock setup include a remote oil filter, heim-jointed shift linkage at the transmission, braided stainless teflon clutch line and a free flowing muffler. The seller has added 5,000 kilometers (~3,100 miles) during his ownership.

Suspension has been serviced with a fresh set of Bilstein Sport dampers specifically valved for the R5 Turbo and running Eibach springs. Lower front ball joints have been replaced and steering rack braces were fabricated along with other suspension, steering, and alignment work. The new suspension and exhaust parts are detailed in extensive underside photos below, which also provide a good view of the 285mm rear tires. Original suspension components are included in the sale.

A driving video has been provided above. Below is the stamped plate showing the car’s 8221 chassis code, while other identification tags are shown below along with the California BAR sticker and importer plate.

The car was federalized in 1997 by an independent importer, as Sun International had gone out of business by that time. It was also brought into California legal emissions compliance with equipment including an installed and functional lambda box, frequency valve, fuel tank EVAP system and oxygen sensor in the cat pipe. The seller reports no loss of power or performance with these additions, and the car most recently passed a California emissions inspection in late 2016. It is registered through October 2017 on reproduction blue license plates.

Records are included from the seller’s ownership along with period literature, shop manuals, and an informational display for use at shows. The car is also sold with a book by R5 authority Peter Meaney, with relevant pages displayed in the gallery. A collection of spares and extras shown above includes all removed stock items as well as a fitted car cover.