RE: Williams vs 182 Trophy vs 200 Cup vs 200 Turbo

[LordHaveMurci]

matt1269 said:

I prefer my current 200 (With cup chassis and recaro options) much more than the 172 cup I had. The 200 feels so much more at home on a track than the road though!

If my 172 Cup was my only car I'd probably hate it! Have never driven it more than an hour & that was a test of endurance for me. It was bought to hillclimb but it's such great fun that I also use it as my daily, thankfully only a short commute!

[matt1269]

LordHaveMurci said:

If my 172 Cup was my only car I'd probably hate it! Have never driven it more than an hour & that was a test of endurance for me. It was bought to hillclimb but it's such great fun that I also use it as my daily, thankfully only a short commute!

I had a not so nice experience driving it back from the 'ring in the blazing sunshine and then getting stuck in the brussels ring road traffic with no aircon...
The newer car is better in that aspect with cruise and climate control.

[TypeRTom]

172 owner here, I was at the same trackday and had a great day. Didn't realise PH were there until now.

There was also a Liquid Yellow Clio V6 there which I saw out on track briefly.

[lankyarcher]

I have an 182 FF with both cup packs... I have had it for 4 happy years and 50k miles.
I adore this car! Can't see me ever selling it, it replaced my beloved 106 rallye as my daily, and the only thing I've been considering is an identical one with lower mileage.
For the roads of north wales around my home, there certainly isn't much better, I may add a LSD at some point, that makes all the difference on the 106!

[rickyquicky]

Have also driven every clio that matters bar the new turbo, for me the very best are the Williams and the 172 Cup.

Both are more purposeful and raw, and IMO better fun than the others. Real "hot hatches"

We will genuinely never see the likes of the Williams again - lightweight, naturally aspirated, no traction control, ABS, airbags etc.

Edited by rickyquicky on Tuesday 14th April 13:58

Edited by rickyquicky on Tuesday 14th April 13:58

[kultsch88]

My question is Mk3 Clio 200 or R26 Megane 230??

I'm picking up my new Megane on Friday and I keep getting the feeling I may have made a mistake...

And that's coming from someone who has already owned a 200....

[Feirny]

kultsch88 said:

My question is Mk3 Clio 200 or R26 Megane 230??

I'm picking up my new Megane on Friday and I keep getting the feeling I may have made a mistake...

And that's coming from someone who has already owned a 200....

I've just sold my R26, I drove a few 200s and whilst they were fun the Meg was the preferred choice for me.

My best mate owns both, prefers the 200 for short blasts, but the Meg for everything else.

[Dan Trent]

TypeRTom said:

There was also a Liquid Yellow Clio V6 there which I saw out on track briefly.

That was me too! Seemed rude not to as it was there. Probably the slowest of all the cars I drove but, oh, the noise!

Dan

[Feirny]

Dan Trent said:

That was me too! Seemed rude not to as it was there. Probably the slowest of all the cars I drove but, oh, the noise!

Dan

Very much form over function on that, I would love a Liquid or Acid Yellow one.

[roystinho]

Owned a phase 1 172, 2x Clio Trophies, 200 with cup chassis and a phase 2 V6.

I would sum it up as phase 1 the most raw, the trophy as the most fun to chuck around, the 200 as the most confidence inspiring with its flat(ter) cornering, and the V6 as the most challenging to drive, but oh the noise and sense of occasion. Not really fair to compare a V6 to the others as it's just a totally different driving experience.

All the others have pluses over the others, just depends on what floats your boat as to which is best I think

Current steed is a Trophy but looking to add another V6 to the fleet soon

[kultsch88]

Feirny said:

kultsch88 said:

My question is Mk3 Clio 200 or R26 Megane 230??

I'm picking up my new Megane on Friday and I keep getting the feeling I may have made a mistake...

And that's coming from someone who has already owned a 200....

I've just sold my R26, I drove a few 200s and whilst they were fun the Meg was the preferred choice for me.

My best mate owns both, prefers the 200 for short blasts, but the Meg for everything else.

Great answer thanks. Didn't know he had a 200, but I almost bought his R26!

[Feirny]

kultsch88 said:

Great answer thanks. Didn't know he had a 200, but I almost bought his R26!

Whose R26?

[P4ROT]

gregf40 said:

My 197 F1 is as much fun to drive 90% of the time as my F40 is. I absolutely love it.

This is why I love PH!

[JD PH]

David87 said:

Have to disagree here. The 182 Trophy is the high water mark for me. When I'm too old and mad to drive, I'm sure I'll still remember mine just as fondly as I do now.

+1

I agree it might not be the best track car, but on the road they're absolutely brilliant. Not that I'm biased...

(Still keep this in my desk draw even though I sold it years ago)

[BaronVonVaderham]

200 Cup mk3 is the best mix of hooligan ready for the track but still a hatchback you can move house in.

To take that further, the best iteration is the full-fat 200 but with the Recaro seats and Cup chassis upgrade, then you get all the nice electric toys and still an incredibly sharp, precise and above all FUN car.

As it's the last decent N/A hot hatch with a manual I think it's this generations Clio Williams and potentially has future classic status.

They also make fantastic race cars

[gregf40]

P4ROT said:

gregf40 said:

My 197 F1 is as much fun to drive 90% of the time as my F40 is. I absolutely love it.

This is why I love PH!

It certainly tries to kill me less!

[iacabu]

Loving my 172 Cup. It's certainly made me appreciate the Renault hot hatches a bit more and I plan on keeping it for at least a couple of years.

[Cento186]

JD PH said:

David87 said:

Have to disagree here. The 182 Trophy is the high water mark for me. When I'm too old and mad to drive, I'm sure I'll still remember mine just as fondly as I do now.

+1

I agree it might not be the best track car, but on the road they're absolutely brilliant. Not that I'm biased...

Totally agree with this (although I may be slightly biased as I own one), despite not being the best on track it is utterly brilliant on the road, especially well suited to the bumpy B-roads we have. More tarmac rally car than racer.

[davebem]

The best of them all is actually the early 172mk1 but it always gets overlooked in these tests.

[cheekyron]

Owned a leggy 182 a few years back which put me off the older ones a bit but I would give a nice trophy another try. Really liked the 197 I drove and I'd happily park either of these in my garage apart from the 200 turbo which just doesn't blow my skirt up in any way..