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

[will964]

I once owned a meticulously restored Williams Clio which had proper tyres and new original dampers and it was sublime on the road. I would always prefer a light body with good power combo.

Slightly off topic but I now punt a 90's Clio Cup car which I used to race (and it's still road registered!) round on track days. Standard 1.8, 16v engine on DCOE's. 100% reliable. Gearboxes are another matter!

I hope you have sound!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy6a15cdgy0

[MiseryStreak]

Msportman said:

Never liked Renaults....too iffy on build quality and reliability. Seen many Clio's in the pits at various track days broken!

Would have to say Integra is far more special especially on track! A far more resolved chassis with proper Motorsport development thought put into its conception.

Never liking Renaults is your personal preference but I don't think the rest of your statement is very accurate.

I have owned a 182 Trophy, a DC2 Integra and currently own a 172 Cup, which I bought for trackdays and general fun. it is 13 years old and I spent a full day at Brands with it in January, had to fill up with fuel again halfway through the day and got through most of a new set of pads by 4 o'c clock. I took oil with me to top it up but it didn't need a drop all day. It didn't break. The wheel arches also aren't rotting (helps that they're plastic), unlike the Integra's after just 7 years...

Now I'm not saying a Renault is as reliable as a Honda and in many ways the DC2 is a better car but the Trophy and the Cup have been two of the most fun cars I have owned. I would also say that the Trophy has a better chassis than the Integra despite the lack of LSD and higher centre of gravity. It was developed almost 9 years later so probably an unfair comparison. When it comes to FWD chassis set up (and persuading the brass to cough up for ridiculously expensive dampers) nobody can touch the Renaultsport guys, who did build the cars at the separate former Alpine factory in Dieppe.

With only 1,011kg to shift the 172 Cup also has the highest power/weight of any of the FWD RS Clios to date including the latest 2015 Turbo model, and the Integra. You can get a tidy unmolested one for less than £2,000 now so they're a bit of a bargain.

[LordHaveMurci]

This will be the 5th season of hillclimbing my 172 Cup, the only thing that's gone wrong (so far!) is the diff blew - typically it was on a flying run!

The gearboxes are a known weak point so no great surprise. It's had a few other minor niggles (all well known, none expensive) in five years, just topped up with 1ltr of oil, the 1st time in my ownership. Not bad for a French hatch with an undeserved reputation, especially one that doesn't lead a particualrly easy life.

[WCZ]

fgh1 said:

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