- Doors and Seats
3 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
131kW, 200Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 8.1L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Renault Sport Clio 182 Cup
Pigeonhole: Hot hatch.
Philosophy: Go-kart with a roof.
Trivia: The only way to pick the Cup version of the Clio is by its grey-finished 16-inch alloy wheels. Renault took over the French performance car companies Gordini and Alpine to form Renault Sport in 1975. It rolled out its first formula one car in 1977, starting the turbo era.
What the brochure says: "Famous for its explosive performance and razor sharp handling, the new Renault Sport Clio 182 takes the game to a completely new level."
Who's buying it: Enthusiasts who believe performance cars can come in small packages.
Why you'd buy it: Great driving fun in a compact package, and the Cup version has even sharper handling.
Why you wouldn't: It's a lot of money for a car in which only two people can reasonably be seated, and in which comfort is compromised in the quest for handling. The Cup version is $2000 extra.
Standard equipment: Not lacking: climate control air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, cruise control, trip computer with outside temperature gauge, cooled glove box. Automatically operated xenon headlights with washers. Rain-sensitive wipers. The Cup has lower and stiffer suspension and revised steering geometry.
Safety: Front and side air bags. Anti-lock brakes.
Cabin: Neat and purposeful. Cruise control buttons are on the steering wheel and the trip computer display is within the instrument cluster. Drilled alloy pedals. Good storage with door pockets and centre console bin. Back seat is difficult to get into, and cramped when you do.
Seating: Really nice leather-trimmed front bucket seats with plenty of side support, although you sit too high.
Engine: Absolute honey. A 2.0-litre which cranks out a very healthy 131 kilowatts of power (without turbocharging) and 200Nm of torque, although both are high in the rev range. The car weighs only a bag of groceries over 1000 kilograms, so the power-to-weight ratio is on the right side.
Transmission: Snappy five-speeder with low overall gearing to enhance the performance. The engine's a bit noisy when cruising at 110 kmh, though.
Steering: The geometry and some of the components have been heavily revised to give sharper responses and the car can be placed with precision. Leather rim on the wheel helps the driver keep a grip on things.
Ride: Pretty tight, and emphasised by the low-profile tyres. It pays to drive around Sydney's potholes rather than through them.
Handling: This is the pay-off for the tough ride. The Clio Cup has tremendous balance and it's among the most nimble cars available.
Fuel: It needs premium unleaded, which bumps up the fuel cost by about 10 per cent, but it's reasonably economical unless driven enthusiastically.
Brakes: Big discs all round with an anti-lock system that works in conjunction with stability control. Good pedal feel.
Build: No complaints.
Warranty: Three years/100,000 kilometres. Average.
Security: Remote-control central locking, and the doors lock automatically once the car starts moving.
Audio: Unremarkable system with six speakers and single in-dash CD player. Control buttons on the head unit are fiddly, but at least the major functions can be operated by buttons on a steering column stalk.
Price: $34,490 for the Cup version of the Renault Sport version of the Clio. This is $2000 more than the standard Clio Sport, but there's a lot of hidden detail and mechanical suspension work, including bigger front wheel bearings. High fun-for-dollar equation.
Verdict: Devotees of this sort of car absolutely love it. It makes few compromises in its quest for performance and the pay-off is that it fights well above its weight.
Prices and details correct at publication date