RE: Clio Renaultsport 220 Trophy - Exclusive!

[StottyEvo]

I get the impression that they made it a bit soft initially, which would explain the lack of a manual gearbox and 5 doors only. It seems like they've tried to make it as focused as it should have been from the start. Current 200 owners will be pretty miffed at these massive changes I would expect!

[Notanotherturbo]

Welcome changes but for me its the most disappointing Renaultsport car ever. Had many over the years and although they can be a bit flimsy they have always been good fun. I'd have a new Megane tomorrow if I had the money and will certainly be aiming to get a used one in the future but I wouldn't touch this with a barge poll. Too ugly, too heavy, 4 doors, too much tech inside (never good in a French car! - how long is the horrible monitor going to last before it goes wrong?)and maybe I'm just old but I think paddle shift gearboxes are just the most pointless thing in the world. So expensive yet for me, takes away a layer of interaction from the driving experience. I like a good proper auto too in a comfy car but for some reason most manufacturers seem obsessed with semi autos. Less fun than a manual, not as smooth as an auto - oh yeah I forgot it can change gear 2/10ths of a second quicker than me!

[anonymous-user]

2 of the biggest problems not addressed.

1. Price
2. The way it looks

They've got it wrong this time and I don't think they'll get a chance to fix it until the Clio 5.

[hondafanatic]

I'll be the in minority but I think it looks great and I'd happily test drive with a view to ownership... I've never driven a car with "flappy paddles" and quite fancy having a go.

I'm not a driving god nor that knowledgable about Renault products as I've not driven many, but I think i'd really enjoy the Clio.

[MikeDo]

loose cannon said:

The Megane Rs is made in Valencia has been since the r26 stopped production not sure about the clio but I think it's still made at dieppe

Didn't know about the Megane. RS Clio is definitely Dieppe though.

[Ian_C]

So the Pistonheads concensus is that this is a lame marketing effort - instead of doing the decent thing and making the improvements standard, they are trying to live off past glory by tacking on a badge? A bit like Peugeot badging the original 206 138 bhp 2.0 petrol 'GTI', or Citroen sticking VTR badges on C2 1.6 petrol automatics and 70 bhp 1.4 HDis etc etc etc

[cidered77]

Fastra said:

Repent said:

Coincidentally enough I saw a white one of these in Salford this morning, it looked very nice.

You saw a 172 or a 182, Trophy was only in Capsium Red, and they made 500 for the UK, and 25 randomly for Switzerland.

There 374 on the road left according to howmanyleft.co.uk, and I've got one of them and hopefully will never sell!

On the new "Trophy": simply not special enough. Needs crazy motorsport parts that are incredibly expensive to maintain and impractical for a car that does high miles, just like the original! Also like other similar classics like the 968 clubsport and the Megane R26 it was also stripped of all toys, and reverted to poverty spec. I love that the rear seat on my Trophy is a 1.2 campus bench seat, for example - just to save weight!

No issue with them making obvious suspension and engine improvements and I'm sure it will be a vast improvement on the original, but "Trophy" should mean more than that!

[loose cannon]

Exactly the clio 200t is not a terrible car but it's just not a renaultsport car the whole reason you buy one is because of the focus on being a weapon to drive with that special feeling the moment that special feeling is gone it's not the same anymore
And just opens up the well I might as well just buy an average hot hatch without the premium or pay the premium and buy vag product I would sacrifice any in car tech for the right steer. I like night driving and the thought of a huge great info system lighting up would get right on my tits and the faff of turning it off and on would not cut the mustard perhaps in future when I have no choice of such tat I'll cut up my old adidas trainer bag and throw it over the top

[jerrytlr]

A timely article. I test drove the current 200 over the weekend, and thought it was excellent, with a superb chassis (cup version) that seemed almost Lotus like in its ability to soak up bumps yet stick to the road at the same time. I also thought the gearbox was great. I am 90% decided that I will get one.

I agree it is not the cult car of old, but it is still a superb drivers car that can serve as the family bus too, for a reasonable price. Interestingly enough, without the EDC gearbox and five doors I probably wouldn't even consider it......

Here's hoping for an even bigger discount now the Trophy has been announced ;-)

Cheers

Jerry

[culpz]

hondafanatic said:

I'll be the in minority but I think it looks great and I'd happily test drive with a view to ownership... I've never driven a car with "flappy paddles" and quite fancy having a go.

I'm not a driving god nor that knowledgable about Renault products as I've not driven many, but I think i'd really enjoy the Clio.

Yeah me too mate and i'm a big fan of pretty much all of the previous Renaultsport products. Also unlike the majority of people i had no problems in getting a test drive of one. Saying that it wasn't all smooth sailing. The nearest place to me that had a Clio 200T available to test at the time was Warrington so i set it all up with them. However, upon arrival the sales guy somehow had no clue about this and then had to drive the Clio off its display stand and then went on to advise i have to be 25 to drive one so i could only have a quick go. I thought this was extremely unprofessional and clearly not very well organised despite explaining all this and all my personal details both online and over the phone with the dealers. I had non of this with Ford when testing the Fiesta ST. For me that is the only thing that has put me off and, by the sounds of it, almost all of the fans of the Renaultsport range. Also the price and the lack of discounts are pretty woeful. You can lease/PCP a Golf R/GTI for about the same price if not less which puts things into perspective. All in all though i do really like it but i also like the Fiesta ST equally. At this moment in time i'd be swaying towards the Fiesta but only because of the much cheaper deals they do. After driving both i think i prefer the Clio but i couldn't honestly pull them apart funnily enough. Both are terrific motors and you're getting a good car either way. Be good to see how this Trophy version drives. Can't help thinking with the added price it's only going to infuriate the community further though.

[Feirny]

cidered77 said:

Fastra said:

Repent said:

Coincidentally enough I saw a white one of these in Salford this morning, it looked very nice.

You saw a 172 or a 182, Trophy was only in Capsium Red, and they made 500 for the UK, and 25 randomly for Switzerland.

There 374 on the road left according to howmanyleft.co.uk, and I've got one of them and hopefully will never sell!

Plus it's been resprayed, they never came in white.

[Dion20vt]

a comment I made in the Geneva ClioSport article:

"What a fat little car! The looks of this car do nothing for me, Ford and dare I say Peugeot have done a much better styling job than Renault with their hot hatches lately.

I remember in my late teens, seeing clio 172 and 182's and thinking they were the bees knees! And at the time they were! Only the Civic Type R was its real competitor! Golf/polo Gti's were luke warm hatches, astra GSI were quick but useless in the bends, Corsa SRI 1.8 - don't even go there! Saxo VTS couldn't keep up, same for the 106 GTI, 206 GTI 180 had same power but was a fat porker! Fast forward to Today and it seems the clio has been left far behind its rivals! How the tables have turned."

Having thought a bit more and reading this article, my gut feeling was if I were an original 200T customer, I would be so pissed off right now. As Renault has basically admitted the Clio200t was a rush job for whatever reason? Keeping the accountants happy? Responding to the Fiesta? Since when do renaultsport worry what the competition do? That's all they seem to be doing these days

[j333evo]

Repent said:

Was reading this article and was surprised to see my old Trophy. An absolutely fantastic car that I did 44,000 wonderful trouble free miles in.

I like the look of the new Clio 200T, it's a fresh design, and this Trophy model I think looks even better. If I was in the market for another hot hatch it would definetly be one I would want to drive, though after trying a VW DSG I'm not a fan but would be interested to sample Renaults offering, along with the Peugeot GTi 30th, a car EVO mag just ranked better than the Fiesta ST in the latest edition. LSD is a big plus on that car. I find the Fiesta a bit challenging looks wise from the front as it reminds me of one of those chav (ned is Scotland) girls who have pulled their ponytail so tight it's stretched thier eyes at the sides. Also when I used to park my Megane DCi175 next to a colleagues Fiesta ST, it highlighted how tall and narrow it was as the Megane looked really low and wide in comparison. Conversely the driving position and controls are all well weighted which balances out the Amstrad dash design.

[Fastra]

Feirny said:

cidered77 said:

Fastra said:

Repent said:

Coincidentally enough I saw a white one of these in Salford this morning, it looked very nice.

You saw a 172 or a 182, Trophy was only in Capsium Red, and they made 500 for the UK, and 25 randomly for Switzerland.

There 374 on the road left according to howmanyleft.co.uk, and I've got one of them and hopefully will never sell!

Plus it's been resprayed, they never came in white.

I'll settle with that, it was white and had 'Trophy' on the sill - didn't really get a proper look at it other than that.

[cidered77]

Fastra said:

Feirny said:

cidered77 said:

Fastra said:

Repent said:

Coincidentally enough I saw a white one of these in Salford this morning, it looked very nice.

You saw a 172 or a 182, Trophy was only in Capsium Red, and they made 500 for the UK, and 25 randomly for Switzerland.

There 374 on the road left according to howmanyleft.co.uk, and I've got one of them and hopefully will never sell!

Plus it's been resprayed, they never came in white.

I'll settle with that, it was white and had 'Trophy' on the sill - didn't really get a proper look at it other than that.

So resprayed, and with 12 quid trophy ebay stickers on it!! nobody would do that to a real one - plus there is a reasonable history of all of them on the cliotrophyregiste, and can't recall any turned white.

Mind you since that dress thing, I'm not confident on any colours anymore...!

Edited by cidered77 on Wednesday 4th March 16:44

[nickboazracing]

Ian_C said:

So the Pistonheads concensus is that this is a lame marketing effort - instead of doing the decent thing and making the improvements standard, they are trying to live off past glory by tacking on a badge? A bit like Peugeot badging the original 206 138 bhp 2.0 petrol 'GTI', or Citroen sticking VTR badges on C2 1.6 petrol automatics and 70 bhp 1.4 HDis etc etc etc

My thoughts exactly. Such a shame. Just call it something else!
"Trophy" should be in the spirit of the original; light, no frills, manual box, trick parts.
Flappy paddles are for Audis at the golf club, and f1. Just my opinion.

[Podie]

I'll take the Fiesta ST with the MP215 package, thanks.

Sadly, this Clio seems to be a long way from the 172s or 182s of the past.

[neil1jnr]

I don't no if it's paint, the wheels, the lower ride height or what, but this looks fantastic! Reading on the improvements made of the standard car look like it will make a fair bit of a difference.

I am happy hearing that the normal setting in the gearbox is now the same as what race used to be, never driven a 200 but the reviews make out that the gearbox was the cars achilles heal.

[HJMS123]

j333evo said:

Was reading this article and was surprised to see my old Trophy. An absolutely fantastic car that I did 44,000 wonderful trouble free miles in.

I like the look of the new Clio 200T, it's a fresh design, and this Trophy model I think looks even better. If I was in the market for another hot hatch it would definetly be one I would want to drive, though after trying a VW DSG I'm not a fan but would be interested to sample Renaults offering, along with the Peugeot GTi 30th, a car EVO mag just ranked better than the Fiesta ST in the latest edition. LSD is a big plus on that car. I find the Fiesta a bit challenging looks wise from the front as it reminds me of one of those chav (ned is Scotland) girls who have pulled their ponytail so tight it's stretched thier eyes at the sides. Also when I used to park my Megane DCi175 next to a colleagues Fiesta ST, it highlighted how tall and narrow it was as the Megane looked really low and wide in comparison. Conversely the driving position and controls are all well weighted which balances out the Amstrad dash design.

Coming from someone who has recently(yesterday)moved from a R26 to a ST, the overall package is so much better imo. When I placed the order I wasn't sure but now I'm over the moon!

[SmartVenom]

Article said:

It was like nothing the hot hatch market had ever seen - a tarmac rally car that could dogfight supercars down a B-road with a boot full of shopping. We're talking, of course, about the Clio 182 Trophy.

Now I love 182s (I owned one until it was stolen) and I'd quite like a trophy one day if prices don't go crazy, but despite this I really, really, really don't think the 182 trophy was "like nothing the hot hatch market had seen". The clio V6 was more like something never seen before (except Renault had already done it). Actually the latest hot clio is more of a "unique" offering in this market... which isn't a good thing.