Renault Clio Cup: Spotted

You could get your teenage hotshoe in a new Clio, or you could teach them the old ways in this one...

For those who enjoy watching the rough and tumble of touring car racing, the prospect of the Junior Clio Cup is tremendous. Largely because, let's be honest, it's should be mayhem. Identical cars means no performance advantage on the straights, making corners the only realistic passing point. And if the driver in front won't move, what's wrong with a friendly nudge? Or barge? Should be a great championship, and last week's news was a nice way to celebrate 25 years (on and off) of the Clio Cup championship.

That's a stance

Yes, it really is a quarter of a century since the Clio took on the 5's door bashing baton for Renault supermini racing. Furthermore, it's only when you compare a car like this 1993 Clio Cup with the current car that you realise how much progress has been made in that time. What was a stripped out road car is now a small touring car, and the full Clio Cup series is effectively an audition for a BTCC drive. It's a much more serious championship.

Whereas it's hard to be serious around this Clio, because it just looks hilariously good fun. Where to start? It sits fantastically on its Speedline wheels, important things are clipped down like a proper racing car and interior is brilliant - look at that steering wheel! There's even a passenger seat for scaring your friends.

A couple of interesting additional points too. It's a manual car as the early Cups were - look how perfectly set those pedals appear as well - and it's a road legal version. You can read in the advert about how it's the only one to be road registered from new (in Portugal), but it's also MOTed and set for a life in England.

Get in and drive it really, really fast

Imagine how much of a giggle that would be. A B-road rocket par excellence that could probably hold its head up high at a track too. Sure, it won't have the straight line pace of a 21st century hot hatch - best avoid Thruxton then - but with a kerbweight of 900kg, sticky tyres and a competition history, it's begging to be thrown around somewhere like Anglesey or Brands Hatch. Look at it on three wheels!

Best of all, £10,000 doesn't look all that much in the context of a Williams being up for sale at similar money. Alright, so the race car will have led a slightly tougher life, but then that means you won't have to feel guilty about doing the same. Plus, as is always the way with lightweight track cars, it should prove fairly easy on consumables. No excuse not to be flat out then.

It's a shame that there aren't more for sale really, as emulating this race from Spa in 1993 looks rather entertaining. And expensive. But even with just one, it's hard to see how you could combine as much road fun, circuit thrills and competition provenance in less than £10,000. See you on track!

See perhaps the best Clio Cup race here.

RENAULT CLIO CUP
Engine: 1,763cc 4-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 139@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 119@4,250rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: It was the 90s
First registered: 1993
Recorded mileage: 59,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £9,995