There's nothing exotic or unusual in the steel monocoque construction of the Clio Renaultsport models and nor is the suspension out of the ordinary. What is exceptional is the way Renaultsport tuned the suspension to deliver superb handling precision.
Fun and feisty sums up the driving experience
MacPherson strut front suspension comes with anti-roll bars and at the rear there's a torsion beam with trailing arms and anti-roll bar. It's all very easy to service or replace components, though you must be sure what version of car you have as there are small differences between each for spring and damper rates.
If you want to go down the route of aftermarket springs and dampers, you also need to bear in mind the kit for a 182 will not fit the 182 Cup or Trophy models. The way to be sure of this is to measure the bolt spacing on the hub. The standard Renaultsport models have 54mm spacing from the centre of one bolt to the next, while Cup and Trophy versions have 60mm spacing. A cheaper alternative is a Whiteline rear anti-roll bar that can help reduce lift-off oversteer.
The Trophy version of the 182 has Sachs dampers fitted to suspension that was lowered by 10mm compared to the RS and Cup models. Trophy suspension parts are more expensive to replace, so bear this in mind when buying this last of the line limited edition variant.
182 available with stiffer Cup chassis as an option
Renault changed the castor angle of the suspension on the 172 Cup from the standard RS's 1.5-degrees to 3.0-degrees, which sharpens handling response. The Cup also benefited from a front track widened by 25mm, with the rear broadened by 18mm.
As for brakes, the standard 280mm ventilated front discs and 228mm solid rears are more than up to the job of stopping the lightweight Clio in most circumstances. Remember 172 Cups don't have ABS fitted to save weight and some MoT testers mistakenly fail the car for not having a rear brake actuator fitted. There's a VOSA PDF available for download that should sort out this problem. If you intend to use the car on track a lot, an upgrade to Brembo front discs and Ferodo pads will improve braking power and feel.
The Cup
Rear wheel bearings tend to wear at 40,000 miles but are a cheap and easy fix. More of a concern are the tyres fitted and their condition as the Clio Renaultsport is very sensitive to poor tyre choice. From new, the Clio RS came with Michelin Pilot SXs, but these are now unavailable and most owners go with Michelin Pilot Exalto tyres as the modern direct replacement. The only problem here is supply can be limited, meaning a couple of days wait for new tyres if you're unlucky.
Standard 172s look surprisingly demure
A 16-inch alloy wheel is the norm for all 172 and 182 Clio Renaultsport models, but the 172 Cup gained lightweight Speedline Turini alloys. The 182 Cup had dark-painted wheels which were an option for standard 182 RS models fitted with the Cup suspension. Last of the line Trophy models have Speedline Turini wheels finished in anthracite.
Steering is by rack and pinion and you should listen out for noisy operation on 172 models as the return pipe is a smaller diameter than the 182's. It's an easy upgrade, while a failed rack is more likely down to a worn auxiliary belt than the rack itself.
Owner's view:
"The ride is firm but the damping is great, and even with ageing dampers it still has bucketloads of feedback and plenty of grip. So much sweeter to be in than the rock-solid Honda Civic Type R. In between the 172 and 182, I had a VX220, and even after that the 182 felt great to drive and surprisingly quick in a straight line too."
Andrew Morgan
Buying Guide contents
Introduction
Powertrain
Rolling Chassis
Body
Interior