Renault was the world Formula 1 Champion with the Williams-Renault team, and they wanted to brag about it, and this is what it came with: the Clio Williams.
When the French carmaker launched the sporty pocket-rocket, it said that it will make under 4,000 of them, and customers rushed their checkbooks to the Renault dealerships. But that number was only for the first series, and Renault made three of them. The most distinct version was the Series III, which sported a sunroof, unavailable on the other two.

Built on the same Renault Clio I platform, the Williams version sported a dark blue color with gold wheels and badges. Even though Williams Engineering was not involved in the project, it donated the brand name for the car as a gesture of good partnership with the French carmaker. But Renault didn’t need the British company to help them build the vehicle since it already was one of the best hot-hatch makers in the world. From the design point of view, the Williams sported a functional scoop on the hood and a lowered suspension. To match that sporty look, the carmaker added flared front and rear fenders to make room for the wider wheels and tires than on the other versions of Clio.

Inside, Renault installed one of the best car seats available for those times. Thanks to their high-bolstered areas and the velour fabric, they offered good side-support and enough comfort for the driver and front passenger. Unfortunately, the rear ones had to sit on the same hard bench as the rest of the range, although the upholstery was identical to the one from the front seats.

Thanks to its short wheelbase and low gravity center, the Clio Williams became a successful race car for tight racetracks and also managed to gain notoriety among the front-wheel-drive rally-cars.