Renault have a long history of doing low volume mid-engined rear-wheel drive fast small cars. I absolutely adore my Vee … every journey however long or short is always an event! Tracing the Renault family tree back from the Vee takes you to the Renault 5 Turbo (the proper one … not the 5 GT Turbo). The pattern with the Renault 5 Turbo is identical to the Vee - take a small cheap hatchback and stick a powerful engine where the rear seats should be, necessitating an appropriate broadening of the arse-end, and then take it racing/rallying.
Here is a nice set on Flickr that puts an Illiad Blue Vee, just like mine, alongside a rather gorgeous Renault 5 Turbo II! If I had the money, I’d love to have a Renault 5 Turbo to complete the “set”, but sadly a good one still costs serious money!