Renault Sport Spider for sale
2 cars in stock right now, inspected in the European country where they are located, priced landed at a US port with the import paperwork done.
The Renault Sport Spider (1996–1999) is a mid-engined two-seater on a bonded and riveted aluminium chassis, with a composite body, scissor doors and the 2.0-litre 16-valve F7R of 147 hp from the Clio Williams. The first cars had no windscreen at all — just a wind deflector that routes air over the occupants’ heads. Later cars got a proper screen. 1,685 were built, and Renault had left the US market in 1987.
Why Americans want it
It is a road-legal car with no windscreen, built by a mainstream manufacturer, in the same era as the Lotus Elise and on a similar aluminium chassis. There is nothing comparable that was ever sold in America, and there never will be.
What the US never got
- The brand: Renault’s US range ended with the Alliance and Encore in 1987.
- Wind deflector cars (1996–1997), the pure version with no windscreen.
- Windscreen cars (1997–1999), heavier and more usable.
- The Spider Cup racing version.
Eligible years (25-year rule)
Every Sport Spider is eligible now. Production ended in 1999.
What to look for
- Chassis: bonded aluminium. It does not rust, but repairs after an impact are specialist work and expensive.
- Which version: wind-deflector cars are the purer and rarer ones and carry a premium; windscreen cars are easier to use.
- Body panels: composite, model-specific, and essentially unobtainable new. Buy a car with no damage.
- Engine: the F7R is a known Renault Sport unit, shared with the Clio Williams. Parts are available; the rest of the car’s parts are not.
- Water: these cars were stored outdoors more often than they should have been. Check the electrics and the cockpit drains.
Typical landed price
Europe: roughly €45,000–€46,000. Landed at Newark or Baltimore with duty at the rate in effect on entry: roughly $73,000–$74,500.
Registration notes
- California: built after 1967, gasoline; CARB lab certification applies, not guaranteed.
- Fuel: gasoline.
- Title: 17-character VIN. US title from Salvage Motors LLC; a US decoder will not return a Renault of this era.
- No windscreen: federal safety standards are waived at 25 years, so the car enters as built. State rules on windscreens and eye protection vary, and are worth checking in your state before buying a deflector car.
Our take
Buy the body, because you cannot replace it. The mechanical parts are Clio Williams parts and are the easy half of owning one.
FAQ
Was the Renault Sport Spider sold in the United States?
No. Renault left the US market in 1987, nine years before the Spider.
Does it really have no windscreen?
The 1996–1997 cars have a wind deflector instead of a windscreen. From 1997 a conventional windscreen was offered, and most surviving cars have one.
Can I register a car with no windscreen in the US?
Federal safety standards are waived for vehicles over 25 years old, so it enters as built. State requirements vary, so check your own state before buying a deflector car.