GTP Cool Wall: 1993-1996 Renault Safrane Biturbo Baccara

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jahgee
  • 59 comments
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1993-1996 Renault Safrane Biturbo Baccara

  • Total voters
    115
  • Poll closed .
niky
Renoh' Sassafrass Bitur-boh Baccarat?
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If I had one of these, I would replace the badges of the car's real name with this.

Cool car, but I dislike the wheels. That C-Pillar looks funny, too.
 
What's its name?

Cool car, but its long complex name hurts it, so it gets a low cool.
 
A low-level cool. These are a bit "under the radar" right now and a bit too sleeper-ish to have that spark of cool that anyone can appreciate, but it's still a big comfy French barge with a bit of an unexpected engine and absolutely no Germanic "out my way, I'm more important than you" attitude, so it's a cool.
 
A normal Safrane would just about be cool for me, but the big wheels and body kit/wing etc. takes this down to uncool for me.
 
I've been thinking about what kind of person would drive this. A 60 year old wealthy-ish guy who bought one almost 20 years ago? Hardly. A dudebro looking for a status symbol kind of car? Definitely not. Maybe someone looking for an interesting and practical saloon? Could be, but hardly. Someone who really likes this car, knows it's significance and doesn't expect anyone to see it as a status symbol it's german counterparts are? Definitely. And that guy will be cool. Sub-Zero.
 
Its very understated, yet you know just by looking at it that its not your everyday family saloon. Cool.
 
Clark
A normal Safrane would just about be cool for me, but the big wheels and body kit/wing etc. takes this down to uncool for me.
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You get kudos for saying the regular Safrane is "just about cool" but I'm still not sure we can be friends if you find such a subtle bodykit enough to make it uncool ;)

Edit: Oh god, I've just seen how many there is for sale on Le Bon Coin. Too much temptation...
 
homeforsummer
You get kudos for saying the regular Safrane is "just about cool" but I'm still not sure we can be friends if you find such a subtle bodykit enough to make it uncool ;)

Edit: Oh god, I've just seen how many there is for sale on Le Bon Coin. Too much temptation...
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It's more the wing and the wheels, especially the wheels as they looks way too big.

I'd never seen that they'd done a 'sporty' Safrane before, and I've only ever see a few of the normal ones on the road, which is part of the reason why I think it's cool.

For some reason this version just makes me think Cavalier or first-gen Vectra, which we all know is horrendously uncool.
 
Since I came across a 1:43 scale model of it when I was 6 or 7*, I've regarded the standard Phase 2 Safrane as the best looking Renault of that era. A slightly more conspicuous body kit does little to ruin the looks as far as I can tell.

Regarding the wheels, I think it would benefit from a different alloy design as opposed to downsizing the existing ones. From a glance, they look more like larger than average plastic hubcaps.

*Regular scale model road car usually appealed to me more than supercars for whatever reason. The Safrane happened to be the one I wanted most of all.
 
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Sub Zero. Looks bland but packs a punch, bit like turbocharged Volvos.
 
I knew that about the V6, but not about the smaller motors. Interesting.
 
Leonidae@MFT
I knew that about the V6, but not about the smaller motors. Interesting.
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The big elephant in the room for Renault fans like myself is that the Volvo motors did actually make the Safrane a great deal more reliable. It's quite a canny used buy now as Safranes were never really desirable and everyone assumes they'll go expensively wrong, but I believe they're actually quite sturdy.
 
Sleeper cars are my main weakness; pretty much anything that looks crap but goes like stink is a definite sub-zero in my book. This, with its stupid name and slightly gaudy aero appendages (IMO) fits the bill perfectly.
 
That looks really nice, much better than most sedans I've seen from that time. I have not known Renault to make sports sedans.
 
RDF97
I have not known Renault to make sports sedans.
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You have much to learn, young padawan:

Renault 8 Gordini
6245.jpg


Renault 12 Gordini
renault-12-gordini-06.jpg


Renault 9 Turbo
p1080012.jpg


Renault 21 Turbo
renault_21_turbo.jpg


Renault 19 Chamade 16v
renault-19-16v-chamade.jpg

(Technically the Safrane isn't actually a sedan - it's a hatchback - but I'll let it slide ;))
 
Was there a 19 Williams? I swear I've seen a few in blue with the gold Williams wheels before.
 
Indeed. And it's worth mentioning that the Williams' 2.0 16v engine was a bored-out version of the 1.8 16v used in the 19 and Clio 16v.
 
Very solid cool from me, glad this was brought to my attention. Gutsy, understated sleeper. Name creates annoying earworm though.

 

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