Clio 197 Cup

[damowhiskeyman]

Catherine..first tank of fuel was the Total super unleaded!...but thanks for the advice....trouble is i'm off to Ireland in a couple of weeks and super unleaded is a bit of a rarity!..my 182 used to be fine on normal...i'm sure it i
will survive...maybe not the roads though!!!

[mattbvw]

I've done around 1000 miles in a 197 Cup and have also driven a few other Renaultsports. The Cup is by far my favourite. The Cup handling pack adds another dimension to the 197 and it is such a hoot to drive. I took one around the Brecon Beacons for a day and cannot imagine anything coming close to it for enjoyment and involvement for anywhere near the price. To my mind the poverty spec dashboard (Porsche used to do this with their RS versions in the 70s), black exterior mouldings, black wheels and lower spec are more purposeful and put me in the right mindset for this car - it needs to be driven hard to really understand what it is about, I prefer it to the standard version. The optional Recaros are a must though. If you need more luxuries, try an R26 Megane?

With regards to the gearing I am pretty sure it changed from cars built around early November 2007 so there are a very few R27s with the revised ratios although telling which is which will be difficult without driving one or knowing the build week of the car. They make around 400rpm difference at 70mph so are worth it but if you value your fun weekends drives over your daily motorway commute then I wouldn't be put off by the earlier box - it does give a more enjoyably urgent response at higher speeds.

[riwiho]

Matt - how responsive is the throttle? Would you say it is a razzy car fizzing quickly through the rev range or does it feel a bit laboured when moving on up?

[mattbvw]

riwiho said:

Matt - how responsive is the throttle? Would you say it is a razzy car fizzing quickly through the rev range or does it feel a bit laboured when moving on up?

It's not quite at Type-R levels of free revving but it is very responsive. There is little lack of torque for my taste below say 3,5/4k but then it goes nuts all the way to the redline at around 7,500. The noise is incredible - really - and very, very moreish. Sounds throatier than a 2.0. The gearbox is very short shifting and has not one jot of slop in it, superb. Go and have a test drive in one...

[riwiho]

mattbvw said:

riwiho said:

Matt - how responsive is the throttle? Would you say it is a razzy car fizzing quickly through the rev range or does it feel a bit laboured when moving on up?

It's not quite at Type-R levels of free revving but it is very responsive. There is little lack of torque for my taste below say 3,5/4k but then it goes nuts all the way to the redline at around 7,500. The noise is incredible - really - and very, very moreish. Sounds throatier than a 2.0. The gearbox is very short shifting and has not one jot of slop in it, superb. Go and have a test drive in one...

I did pop over to my local Renault dealer at lunch and they had a white 197 Cup with black wheels. Does look the nuts to be hones and the seats are amazing. Think I wil have to look at ordering a test

[riwiho]

Can someone confirm the following for me or correct me if I am off the mark:

Clio 197 - does not come with the cup chassie as standard but does have high spec (cruise control, side airbags etc) but no recaros as standard. only very recent versions come with the revised gear box. weight?

Clio 197 Cup - Comes with the cup chassie as standard but low spec and no recaros as standard. Also comes with higher ration gear box as standard. weight?

Clio R27 - comes with cup chassie, high spec (cruise control, side airbags etc)and recaros as standard.....gear box: revised or origional 197 ratios?. weight?


Basically I am interested in the new gear box, cup chassie and recaros. Any toys that come with it are an extra but if they add significant weight then I am happy to leave them.

Thanks for the help

[Catherine197]

riwiho said:

Can someone confirm the following for me or correct me if I am off the mark:

Clio 197 - does not come with the cup chassie as standard but does have high spec (cruise control, side airbags etc) but no recaros as standard. only very recent versions come with the revised gear box. weight?

Clio 197 Cup - Comes with the cup chassie as standard but low spec and no recaros as standard. Also comes with higher ration gear box as standard. weight?

Clio R27 - comes with cup chassie, high spec (cruise control, side airbags etc)and recaros as standard.....gear box: revised or origional 197 ratios?. weight?


Basically I am interested in the new gear box, cup chassie and recaros. Any toys that come with it are an extra but if they add significant weight then I am happy to leave them.

Thanks for the help

Yes your right in how you have broken down the range. Standard 197 weighs 20kgs more than the cup. Cars built after November 2007 come with the revised gearbox.

Cup looses Air Con, Card Entry and Cruise Control. It also looses 197 Steering Wheel, 197 dash/door mouldings and painted rubbing strips and door mirrors.

R27 concluded production early last month with a Glacier White "one off" built. Most cars will have the original gearbox but anything built post November 2007 will have the new box. Unfortunately the number the car is allocated with does not represent when it was built.

Any 197 fitted with Recaro's also looses side impact airbags in the base of the seat.

Edited by Catherine197 on Wednesday 5th March 18:02

[riwiho]

Thanks Catherine197. Looks like I will have to go and have a go but a nicely spec'd Cup looks like the way to go considering the price but I will have to keep my peepers peeled for nicely spec'd 197s on 08 plates as this is one of the only ways I can guarantee it has the revised gear box

[CarlT]

riwiho said:

Thanks Catherine197. Looks like I will have to go and have a go but a nicely spec'd Cup looks like the way to go considering the price but I will have to keep my peepers peeled for nicely spec'd 197s on 08 plates as this is one of the only ways I can guarantee it has the revised gear box

You can't go on registration date - you have to go by build date. A car registered on an 08 plate mya have been in a showroom since last June !

[Catherine197]

CarlT said:

riwiho said:

Thanks Catherine197. Looks like I will have to go and have a go but a nicely spec'd Cup looks like the way to go considering the price but I will have to keep my peepers peeled for nicely spec'd 197s on 08 plates as this is one of the only ways I can guarantee it has the revised gear box

You can't go on registration date - you have to go by build date. A car registered on an 08 plate mya have been in a showroom since last June !

Carl makes a valid point there and of course there have been cars on 57 plates (like our current car) that are latest spec.

[riwiho]

Catherine197 said:

CarlT said:

riwiho said:

Thanks Catherine197. Looks like I will have to go and have a go but a nicely spec'd Cup looks like the way to go considering the price but I will have to keep my peepers peeled for nicely spec'd 197s on 08 plates as this is one of the only ways I can guarantee it has the revised gear box

You can't go on registration date - you have to go by build date. A car registered on an 08 plate mya have been in a showroom since last June !

Carl makes a valid point there and of course there have been cars on 57 plates (like our current car) that are latest spec.

Fair doos.

Thanks