  Renault Clio Williams & 1995 Citroën 2CV. Click image to enlarge |
Renault Clio Williams
Another deft little French hot hatch, the Renault Clio Williams was built to homologation specs to allow Renault entry into the French rallying series. Unlike the very rare T16, they made thousands of these little cars, meaning that your odds of finding a decent one are actually pretty good.
Powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder engine making 145 hp, and weighing just a shade over 900 kg, the Clio Williams is plenty agile, but it also has excellent low-end torque. The local autocross guys won’t know what hit ’em.
Named after the Williams F1 team, which had absolutely nothing to do with the design or engineering of the car, the Clio Williams also looks amazing. It sort of has a baby-Subaru-STI thing going on, swathed in dark blue paint and with bright gold wheels. Built from 1993 until 1998 (the later versions are called Williams 2 and 3), there were approximately 10,000 made in total.
Citroën 2CV
Now this might be the most French car of all time. It should come with a beret-shaped car cover and a baguette dispenser.
The 2CV isn’t a rare car, and it’s not like you can’t find a few of them floating around the autoTRADER.ca listings from time to time. However, in France, these homely little cars were built right up until 1990, and if you watch out for rust, it’s possible to get one that has at least a few modern conveniences.
But not many. Most of the last ones built had the 602cc air-cooled flat-twin engine, which made about 30 hp, and the top speed was 120 km/h.
Can you imagine travelling at that rate in this jittery jalopy with the structural integrity of a Canadian Tire garden shed? (No insult to Canadian Tire meant.) Sacre bleu! Still, cue up the bouncy accordion music on your iPod, wind a string of garlic around your neck, and let’s rollez.
Citroën Xantia
For a more modern take on Citroën’s wacky-yet-innovative engineering, take a good look at the fairly mainstream Xantia. It doesn’t look all that wild, not when compared with breathtaking visions like the Citroën SM of the 1970s, but it’s packed with interesting stuff.
For instance, did you know that a Xantia holds the record for the best car in the world at avoiding a moose? The test, as famously failed by a Jeep Grand Cherokee, is a quick side-to-side shimmy through a tight chicane, performed by Scandanavian motoring magazine Teknikens Värld. In 1999, a Xantia V6 danced through the maneuver at a speed quicker than even the turbocharged Porsche 911 GT2.
  Citroën Xantia & Renault Clio V6. Click image to enlarge |
It’s all down to the Citroën’s unique hydro-pneumatic suspension, which uses spheres filled with green liquid to control body roll during hard transitions, yet imparts a smooth ride. It works by… um… I haven’t a clue. It’s witchcraft. Witchcraft I say!
Aside from other sorcery like self-steering rear wheels, the Xantia can be purchased as a hatchback or wagon (the French unironically call this body style “break”), and with everything from an efficient diesel four-pot to a smooth and punchy V6.
Not Quite Yet: Renault Clio V6
You’re going to have to keep waiting for this one, but maybe it’s time to start setting funds aside. Like the rarely seen Renault R5 Turbo, the Clio V6 is an unusual twist on the humdrum hatchback.
Starting in 2001 – so you can import one in 2016 – Renault made a two-seater version of their popular Clio hatchback available. What happened to the rear seats? They stuffed a 227-hp V6 back there.
Handling in the wet was best described as alarming, but updates to the later cars can be fitted to make this mid-engined crazymobile a little less of a loon. Even so, it looks the business, with great big fender scoops and a wide stance. Neat stuff.
