7 French youngtimers worth knowing: why, and what to watch for

This list covers French cars that already have an established place among collectors or are clearly building one. I used three criteria: the model has a documented production history, there is a market for it with data (auctions, price guides), and it can be bought in Europe today. The order is not a ranking. It is rather a look at different kinds of car, from hot hatches through coupés to large saloons. What sets French cars of that era apart as a group is covered in a separate piece on French youngtimers.

1. Peugeot 205 GTI (1984–1994): why is it the benchmark?

For many, the Peugeot 205 GTI is the reference French hot hatch. Autocar called it the pinnacle of French hot hatchery. The 1.6 arrived in 1984 with 105 bhp (115 bhp from 1986), and the 1.9 at the end of 1986 with 130 bhp, cut to 122 bhp when the catalytic converter came in 1992 (Hagerty UK, 2021). In total, more than 5.2 million Peugeot 205s of all versions were sold.

Market: according to Hagerty, in 2022 a one-owner 1.9 with 14,500 km sold at an Artcurial auction for €48,872. At the time, Hagerty's UK price guide valued the 1.9 GTI at £7,300–£27,400, depending on condition.

What to watch: corrosion behind the headlights, where the inner wings meet the chassis legs, in the rear of the sills and in the boot floor, and in the rear suspension, worn needle-roller bearings in the trailing arms (visible negative camber on the rear wheels). Many cars have been lowered and modified. Details are in the Peugeot 205 guide, and the MB Classics archive includes a 1991 Peugeot 205 GTI.

2. Renault Clio Williams (from 1993): what makes it different from a regular Clio?

The Clio Williams is a homologation version of the Clio 16S with a 2.0 16V engine producing 150 PS and a top speed of 215 km/h. According to Wikipedia, the first series was planned at 3,800 numbered cars, but it sold so quickly that Renault built 1,600 more. Including the Williams 2 and 3, more than 12,000 were made.

Despite the name, the Williams team did not design the car. Renault Sport did the work: a wider front track, a stronger gearbox, firmer suspension and an engine with different valves, camshafts and crankshaft from the 1.8 16V. Only the Williams 1 has a metal plaque with the car's build number.

What to watch: many cars were turned into rally cars, so there are fewer road cars than production suggests. Autocar, in its review of French hot hatches, warned about poor-quality repairs. For its younger sibling, see the piece on the Clio RSi.

3. Citroën CX GTi Turbo (1984–1989): why is it the most sought-after CX?

The CX GTi Turbo is the fastest petrol CX: a 2.5 turbo with 168 PS and over 220 km/h, in a body with hydropneumatic suspension. The CX was European Car of the Year 1975, and 1,170,645 cars of all versions were sold between 1974 and 1991. According to Hagerty UK, the GTi Turbo 2 is the most sought-after version today.

Market: in September 2022 Hagerty valued a decent GTi Turbo at about £9,100 and a show-quality car at £16,200. The very best CXs were nudging £30,000.

What to watch: cars from October 1980 onwards have better rust protection, but a CX can rust almost anywhere. The longerons are what matter most: if they are rotten, a restoration rarely makes financial sense. The suspension spheres need replacing roughly every five years, and the LHM fluid should be bright, clear green. After starting the engine, the car should rise to ride height within 15 seconds. The MB Classics archive includes a 1985 Citroën CX 25 GTi Turbo.

4. Renault Fuego (1980–1986): what does a 1980s French coupé offer?

The Fuego is a coupé with a large glass tailgate that was Europe's best-selling coupé from 1980 to 1982. A total of 265,367 were built, about 85% of them in Maubeuge, France, while production in Argentina continued until 1992. The GTX has a 2.0 engine with 110 PS, and from autumn 1983 the Fuego Turbo was also available in Europe.

The Fuego was one of the first cars with remote central locking (the PLIP system, from September 1982) and with stereo controls by the steering wheel (from September 1983). The body was designed by Michel Jardin under the direction of Robert Opron.

What to watch: according to Footman James (2022), the biggest challenge is finding a Fuego for sale at all, and the Turbo is the most desirable version. With a car this rare, check the completeness of the interior and trim especially carefully. MB Classics currently offers a 1985 Renault Fuego GTX.

5. Renault Safrane (1992–2000): does Renault's big saloon make sense as a youngtimer?

The Safrane was the most expensive and most luxurious Renault of the 1990s, built in just over 300,000 examples, far fewer than its predecessor, the Renault 25. The most interesting are the top Baccara trim and the 1994 Biturbo: a twin-turbo 3.0 V6 with 262 PS, developed with the help of Hartge and Irmscher, with four-wheel drive. Only 806 Biturbos were made, and production ended in September 1996.

What to watch: the Baccara is full of electrically operated equipment, so check that every function works before buying. With the Biturbo, given a run of 806 cars, find out before buying how available its version-specific parts are. The MB Classics archive includes a 1994 Renault Safrane Baccara with the 3.0 V6.

6. Renault Twingo I (1993–2007): why is a small city car on this list?

The Twingo I is here for its design: a one-box body with a sliding rear seat and centrally mounted instruments, developed under Patrick Le Quément from a design by Jean-Pierre Ploué. It went on sale in April 1993 for 55,000 francs, in a single trim level and four colours. According to Wikipedia, 2.6 million first-generation cars were built, all of them left-hand drive.

What to watch: with production this large, value depends entirely on condition and originality. Footman James wrote in 2022 that Twingo I prices on the continent are very low, so it makes sense to look for early, complete cars with a history. The MB Classics archive includes a 1995 Renault Twingo.

7. Citroën DS3 Racing (from 2010): can a modern hot hatch be a youngtimer?

The DS3 Racing is the road version of the DS3 R3 rally car, with a 207 PS 1.6 turbo engine, shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 2010. It reaches 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and tops out at 235 km/h. According to Wikipedia, 1,000 cars were planned at first, but in October 2011 Citroën announced a total of 2,400.

What to watch: it is the youngest car on the list and the furthest from historic status. What counts is the originality of the Racing version (body details, seats, wheels) and a documented service history for the turbo engine. The MB Classics archive includes a 2011 Citroën DS3 Racing.

Which French cars did not make the list?

A few models have their own pieces, because they deserve more than a paragraph:

• Renault Mégane II RS and the limited R26.R: a buying guide and a piece on whether it is a future classic.
• Citroën C6: Citroën's 2005–2012 flagship saloon with Hydractive 3+ suspension, covered in the model history.
• Renault 5: from the Alpine to the GT Turbo, in the R5 history.

What to watch for with any French youngtimer?

The common thread on this list is corrosion in the places typical for each model, completeness of interior trim and originality of the version. For some models, interior parts are now harder to find than mechanical ones. Hagerty points this out for the CX, where some trim is very difficult to replace. With the sporting versions (205 GTI, Clio Williams, DS3 Racing) you need to tell an original car from a modified one, and with the saloons (CX, Safrane) check that costly systems such as the hydropneumatics or the electrics work without fault.

Current cars, including French ones, are on the MB Classics stock page. More model guides are on the MB Classics blog.