SOLIDO RENAULT R17

RENAULT R17 BY SOLIDO

PICS BY FRANK ZINKEWITZ WORDS BY NIGEL DE ZILWA

This is not an ordinary Renault 17. First, it is another example of SOLIDO’s new and improved castings and tooling getting better and better. Second, this the Renault 17 Gordini. A simple looking car that had a mean power unit and fantastic weight distribution which made it very hard to beat on gravel surfaces.

SOLIDO has done a fantastic job on this and it’s really nice to see such a great and crucial collection of rally cars coming out from them. It’s not the same old Stratos’ and FORD Cosworth’s but a nice cross section of cars that were successful and got their drivers over the finish line in good time and good health and one of those cars was this Renault.

The chrome bits do not look like cheap shiny plastic instead they look nice and shiny like a brand-new car, interior details are lovely with a 70’s style sports steering and long shifter you needed to be a little violent with. It has a wonderful 70’s side profile that fits it inline with a sports back shape before all the cars

went a little boxy in the 80’s. And finally, lovely choice on the livery. Very striking black, yellow and white combination used during the 1976 Polish Rally.

This is very eclectic piece and would certainly be great for someone who has a great appreciation for cars that pushed the technical limits before electronics started to become mainstream from the 80’s.