Reports last week suggested that actor Sacha Baron Cohen had secretly completed filming a new Ali G movie, with his legendary character set to return more than two decades after Ali G Indahouse hit cinemas.
Then, over the weekend, the comedian appeared in character at the Wimbledon men’s final, arriving in Centre Court wearing a custom white shell suit emblazoned with ‘Official Ganja Dealer’ across the back before joking that tennis was “a crap version of ping-pong”. It seems that the character is indeed back.
While details of the new project remain unconfirmed, the reappearance offers the perfect excuse to revisit the fluorescent yellow Renault 5 that Ali G drove in the original movie. I remember getting the call from David Kirk at K-Tec Racing in Bournemouth, back in early 2002, on the days when I worked on Total Car Audio magazine (yes, an off-the-shelf magazine dedicated to in-car tech). He told me about the movie, the car he had built for it, the sound system, and asked if I’d like to feature it – I replied, “Yes! And how about we shoot it in Staines, the home of Ali G himself?”
Built for the 2002 film, the heavily modified Renault was more than just a comedy prop. It featured a full aftermarket audio installation designed to match the character’s larger-than-life personality, bringing car audio firmly into the spotlight.
The project began with a standard Tungsten Grey Renault 5 before it was transformed with a bright yellow respray, body modifications, lowered suspension, upgraded wheels, a custom interior and the all-important Ali G styling touches.
K-Tec Racing had contacted the film company after hearing about the production, offering to build a car to the filmmakers’ requirements. “I wanted to make a demo car anyway,” Kirk explained at the time. “So I told them that if they wanted, I could build it to their spec.”
Following a production meeting with the film’s director, producer and Sacha Baron Cohen himself, the brief became clear: create something outrageous enough for Ali G.
The biggest transformation came from another Bournemouth company, Bavaria Auto Radio, which created a custom audio installation that looked every bit as extreme as the car itself. Rather than simply adding a few upgraded speakers, Bavaria created a full show-car-style system, with a huge rear speaker wall packed with JBL equipment.
The installation featured: Alpine CDM-7861R head unit; JBL GTO605Ce component speakers in the front doors; and then in the speaker wall, JBL GTO935Ce 6x9 speakers, JBL GTO15Te tweeters, JBL GTO625e 6in speakers, JBL GTO425e 4in speakers, and four JBL GT3 12in subwoofers. Two JBL P-80.4 four-channel amplifiers and a JBL BP300.1 mono amplifier were visible through the back window, and plywood and vinyl were used to create the rear build.
The visual impact was incredible, but there was a serious production challenge. The car was to be damaged as the story unfolded, meaning the audio installation had to be removed at one stage and transferred into a wrecked version of the car. However, making the speaker wall removable, splitting it into four pieces, meant the film crew could jump in and out with their equipment for driving scenes.
Despite being created primarily for the movie, the system apparently made an impression on Sacha Baron Cohen. According to Bavaria, the actor regularly explored the installation between takes, testing out the system and listening to music.
“Before the film, Sacha, who plays Ali, wasn’t really into car audio,” said Bavaria’s Mike Bronsell. “But clearly that was his favourite part of the car.”
K-Tec Racing’s David Kirk had a similar experience while working on set. “He sussed out the stereo straight away,” he said. “If filming was about to start and you couldn’t find him, chances are he’d be sat in the car listening to music.”
More than 20 years later, it isn't just Ali G that has returned. The Renault 5 name is back too – this time as an electric vehicle.
At this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, Hayes-based specialist Car Audio Security (CAS) showcased its own Renault 5 EV audio project, designed to challenge the idea that electric cars are lacking personality.
As CAS founder Raj Sangha explained: “We’re trying to break the mould where everyone thinks EVs sound boring. This one’s got a soul.”
Whether Ali G really does return to cinemas remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: his original Renault 5 is still one of the most memorable aftermarket builds ever to appear on screen.
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