I went with pearl when I had my Renault 5 after passing my test.
Renault 5's still are officially (not officially) the best car ever made... what is not to like with this beast?
A lot of companies (not all, but a lot) will give 1 years' no claims for anyone with pass plus. It may be worth investigating. For me it was a money saver, but it won't be for everybody.