Vuh-vum - the Dunlop Sport Maxx RT tyres thrum across the concrete as I take a big bite out of the kerb into Eau Rouge. Pinning the throttle again, I keep it left a split second longer than seems optimal, then roll it in towards the right kerb. Hold the lock, then let it pull back straight over the camber change. A quick peek at the huge digital display tells me we're doing 105mph and, more importantly, the 200 Turbo EDC in front is getting bigger. Halfway along the Kemmel Straight I flick out of the slipstream and, rocking back and forth in the driver's seat like a jockey in the final furlong, slowly creep alongside my foe. We both steal a sideways glance and I find my stupid big grin mirrored in the face of the other driver.
Milner lines up Prosser as they enter the chicane...
Piloting that particular Liquid Yellow Clio - and my nemesis for the next 15 minutes - is none other than Dan Prosser, formerly of this parish and the man who was actually destined to be the custodian of the PH 200. In a particularly ironic twist, he just happens to have inherited the virtually identical long-termer of another well-known motoring publication. Friendly rivalry that makes this particular drag race all the more enjoyable - see
the vid here
I'd be lying if I said it all went my way though. The, ahem, lead was exchanged several times during that particular session alone. From outside it probably had similar levels of aggression and vehicle proximity to an average Friday afternoon on the M4, but within the cockpit it was Hamilton versus Rosberg at Bahrain.
By Raidillon it's done and dusted!
Spa delivered fun in spades then, but was this purely a product of a legendary track and some on-track banter, or has the Clio begun to shine? Inevitably the answer is far from a simple yes, or no.
Positives first, and for all the talk of going soft, fundamentally this Clio is still an impressive track tool. Alongside heavily modified, stripped-out, track tyre-shod, Clio 200 Cups our Turbo held its own. In standard trim, I have little doubt its predecessor would soon fade in the rear view mirror. Most of the gains come from the extra torque of the turbocharged, direct-injection 1.6 motor and accessibility of the EDC gearbox but, surprisingly, the chassis doesn't give anything away to the older car in terms of outright speed either, even if it goes about its business in a very different way.
If you're going to take it to a track...
Turn in to either of Spa's sweeping right-left-right sequences and, although the steering is quick and direct, there's more understeer than you'd like. Trail brake and the front will respond far more promptly. Indeed, it quickly becomes clear that turning in on the brakes is the key to decent progress in the Clio. Get it right and you can ride the swell of torque towards the exit, grab another gear and really carry the momentum to the next corner. Go in too hot, though, and the front will push on, and lifting off only sends all four wheels scrubbing disappointingly across the tarmac.
Mid-corner mobility is not this Clio's strong point. Nor do you get the traction of Megane 265's mechanical limited-slip differential. There's none of that hook up in the second phase of the corner that you get with a proper diff. Instead, if you're impatient with the throttle you're punished with a spinning inside wheel and lots of tyre squeal. It's mildly annoying on faster bends, but downright frustrating on slower corners such as the exit of the chicane and La Source.
It's got the legs on the old 200 for sure
If there's one good thing about this chassis' neutrality, it's that there's no excuse not ditch the electronic safety nets and select Race mode from the R.S. Drive system. This gives you the fastest shifts and entirely manual control of the gearbox. Even in Sport mode, upshifts feel ponderous, but Race just about has enough immediacy and response to distract you from the loss of the old six-speed manual. Equally, while the aluminium paddles themselves are good quality and a decent size, they could be improved with less throw and more obvious tactile feedback at the end of their stroke.
In recent years, two of the key ingredients in the Renaultsport signature dish have been Recaro seats and Brembo brakes. As much as their omission from the new car is a sad loss, in functional terms the standard fit items actually do a perfectly good job on track. The seats are as plush a place to spend a few hours on the Belgian motorway as they are supportive when turning into Blanchimont at 110mph. And thanks to larger discs (320mm, up from 312mm) the parts bin brakes gave us no issue at all. Sure, more initial bite wouldn't go amiss, but they didn't show any signs of grumbling or fading, despite being lapped two-up all day.
The fun factor? Increased if you've got a rival
Key points, then, from this first debrief are that Renaultsport has created a chassis that is hugely capable, but definitely errs on the side of caution, fitted a gearbox that's doesn't really wake up until you drive in Race mode and left the front end crying out for a proper mechanical limited slip differential. Whether, and to what extent, these observations influence the B-road experience is another matter, and a subject to explore next month.
Check out the data-logged replay of one of Danny's Spa laps here recorded by the Renaultsport Monitor system.
Milner versus Prosser - battle of the Dans at Spa
Trent versus Clio Cup racer, up close and intimate at about 03:00...
FACT SHEET
Car: Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC LUX
Run by: Danny Milner
On fleet since: April 2014
Mileage: 2,198
List price new: £21,535 (Basic list of £19,995 plus £650 for Cup Chassis including revised spring/damper rates, gloss black 18-inch wheels, red brake calipers and Dunlop Sport Maxx TT tyres, £595 for Flame Red i.d. metallic paint, £295 for Renaultsport Monitor)
Last month at a glance: Hot laps at Spa reveal a competent, if cautious, chassis set-up