Renault Safrane Biturbo Long Cours by Heuliez

If automotive enthusiast clichés are to be believed, in theory this is the world’s most perfect car.

After turning to German firms Hartge and Irmscher, the Renault Safrane Biturbo 5-door hatchback was nearly hotted-up enough to be a sort of Gallic take on the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton or Ford Escort Cosworth Turbo.

And so what we have here is a coupé-like 5-door sedan with all-wheel-drive, a 258 horsepower twin turbocharged V6 (from the Alpine A610, no less!), and a 5-speed manual transmission. Its modern equivalent would be something like the Audi RS7.

Fully-loaded versions were called the Renault Safrane Biturbo Baccara — say it five times quickly and you’ll be whisked to the Air France business class lounge at CDG circa 1997.

Only — the French design teams went hard on the ’90s themes we all love to look at, but none of us want to spend money on — least of which a 5-door family car that looked nearly identical to standard models but would cost more than €70.000 today (adjusted for inflation).

Typically, for cars I like, few others do: in less than two years, just 806 were made.

A shame, because even today, classic car enthusiasts remark on how solidly the cars were built (or at least put back together by the mechanics who serviced them). 

As it happens, a turbocharged, all-wheel-drive French 5-door at the top of an otherwise unremarkable lineup competing against V8-powered German muscle sedans is a gamble that rarely pays off.

Frankly: should it have?

The Safrane Biturbo has very strong “Because we could” energy, and it’s a vibe that will keep this barge desirable for decades. Pas de notes.

Heuliez was asked to produce a one-off Safrane Biturbo with a wagon body, two-tone paint, and Volvo 850-style vertical tail lights that clung to the curved rear section like red rope licorice on a sunny bistro table.

Reportedly, in 1993 at the request of then-Renault Design boss (and current yacht design boss) Patrick Le Quément, Heuliez was asked to produce a one-off Safrane Biturbo with a wagon body, two-tone paint, and Volvo 850-style vertical tail lights that clung to the curved rear section like red rope licorice on a sunny bistro table.

Everything about the Long Cours was special: finished in two-tone shark blue over aluminum grey metallic paint, with special bodywork from the windshield back, four heavily padded blue leather bucket seats, a glass roof, glass rear partition, and state-of-the-art electronics such as a car phone. That’s 1994 for you.

In 2012, the Long Cours was offered by Artcurial straight from the Heuliez collection, selling for €22 636 — do the same deal today, and you’d be at a still-reasonable €30 000. Practically a steal.

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