RENAULT 8 GORDINI
Les Bleusʼ have a reputation for blowing hot and cold, only able to achieve true brilliance when united by a rare mercurial talent. Franceʼs successes, first in the European Championships and then in two World Cups, have coincided with the careers of Platini, Zidane and Mbappé for no small reason. Fortunately for Renault, they hit upon a similar sporting genius in Amédée Gordini, Le Sorcier.
Gordini made his name in Formula One before turning to tuning road cars. First was the Dauphine Gordini of 1957, but the R8 Gordini of 1964 has become the real icon of his time working with Renault, which was actually quite short. He retired in 1968, and licensed his name to be used for Renaultʼs performance division. Although the R8 that Gordini had to work with has a reputation for suspect handling, the tunerʼs expertise reduced the waywardness of the chassis and accentuated the key benefit of the carʼs rear-engined layout: traction.
Once the driver has adjusted to the slow-in, fast-out approach, the Gordiniʼs rear end clamps down under power, allowing the impressive cornering speeds that proved so successful in competition, most famously in three successive Tour de Corse wins from 1964-ʼ66. Gordini was primarily an engine tuner, however, and his magic is most evident in the 1108cc unit that powers La Gorde.
On start-up it has a rally-car-like idle, a slow ʻpop, pop, popʼ. With more throttle it rises to an addictive snarl, and itʼs not bark without bite. Gordini willed an impressive 95bhp from the little unit, almost doubling the power of the standard engine by using a crossflow cylinder head and a pair of twin-choke sidedraught carburettors. You wouldnʼt call the Gordini especially fast in a straight line, but it does a lot with a little, achieved through supremely smooth-revving characteristics. It doesnʼt have much under 3000rpm, as you might expect, yet this engine, a smaller-displacement but otherwise identical version of the Alpine A110 unit, sings and can rev as high as 7000rpm – a real feat for a pushrod four-cylinder.
The Gordini canʼt completely escape its saloon-car origins, mind, and it does feel a bit heavy at low speeds. But the R8 on which it is
based bequeathed plenty of gifts, too, such as the all-disc braking set-up, or comfort items such as the reclining seats. Both are rare on a car of this class in the mid-ʼ60s.
Thereʼs also the pleasingly idiosyncratic spare-wheel compartment beneath the front boot, accessed via a panel behind the numberplate and necessitating that strangely shaped front bumper. Most pleasing, though, is simply the stylish, subtle detailing of the R8. The chromework, used sparingly but to great effect, is just right, while flourishes in the design, such as the concave bonnet or the indentation across the tops of the doors, is in the best tradition of French styling: purposeful, classy and with a nonchalant flair.
FACTFILE
Sold/number built 1964-’66/2626
Engine all-alloy, ohv 1108cc ‘four’, twin Solex carbs Max power 95bhp @ 6500rpm
Max torque 72lb ft @ 4-6000rpm
Transmission four-speed manual, RWD
Weight 1753lb (795kg)
0-60mph 12 secs
Top speed 106mph Mpg 30
Price new £983 18s (1965) Now £30-50,000