One Renault 5 TL of 1982 proved that even a seemingly ordinary car can gain enormous collectible value when accompanied by a truly special story. This particular car appeared at auction having written on the odometer just 12 km and eventually changed hands against EUR 53,711.
His story begins in October 1982When a French woman bought it new, paying about 40,000 French francs. Under the hood was the four-cylinder engine of 1.108 cm, combined with a four-relation manual box, while the body had a special metallic blue hue. The delivery took place at her home, as then she did not yet have a license and so the car only made the route from the delegation to her residence. The paradox is that, although the owner later obtained a driver's license, she never managed to feel comfortable behind the wheel. So the 5 was left aside and passed over four decades in a barnWithout actually moving again. This situation was maintained until its discovery and preparation for the auction.
Even more impressive is how authentic the car remained. The original battery disconnected, while inside the cabin were still the protective papers placed during delivery. A second set of keys and part of the original documentation were also found, while the license plates had never been installed and were still inside. All of this greatly strengthened the image of a real «time capsule» Since the early 1980s. The interest of the collectors was ultimately much greater than the valuers expected. The house Aguttes, which held the auction in Paris, had initially calculated the value of the car between 5,000 and 10,000 euros. But the final offer was launched in EUR 53,711, exceeding by far even the highest limit of initial assessment.
And here is perhaps the most interesting element of the case: the collector did not buy one Renault 5 Turbo or a rare sports version, but a simple TL. What she paid dearly is her combination almost zero use, authentic status and unique history of. A car that has essentially been frozen in time since 1982 and today has gained worth tens of thousands of euros.
