2005 Renaultsport Clio 182 Full Fat

Highlights

• Extensive service and maintenance record

• Both Cup packs

• 85,591 miles, verified

• Tasteful mechanical enhancements 

• Modern Alpine stereo install

Overview

Some cars are designed to wow passers-by or to cosset passengers in the kind of opulent luxury usually reserved for Lear jets and those big floating gin palaces you see parked off Monaco. Others are designed for pure practicality: to carry as much human, animal and/or household ephemera as possible, preferably with 4 cup holders per seat and enough USB ports to put a branch of Currys to shame.

But the best cars, the ones that weedle their way under your skin and into your heart, are the ones that are all about the drive. And by this, we don’t mean cars with eleventy-billion horsepower, or enough grip to tear your cheeks off. We mean the ones that feel instinctive, that give you confidence down a twisty road, that are as much fun at 20mph as they are at 70mph, that feel like an extension of yourself and handle with the kind of verve that makes you think you’re somehow telepathically linked to the steering. These are the cars that make you take the long way home, search out undulating ribbons of fresh tarmac and spend far too much time and money on Black Circles.

When it comes to this kind of car, hot hatches are king. Nothing else comes close to offering the combination of sheer joy and handling prowess, wrapped up in a relatively small and affordable package, that you get from a truly great hot hatch. Over the years one company has proven themselves to be absolute masters of the “small, light and hilariously good fun” sub-section of hot hatches. That company is Renault, and their hot hatches are responsible for more road-tester superlatives than anything else this side of a 911.

If you’re a petrolhead, then the Clio Renaultsport 182 Cup needs no introduction – we could easily make an argument for it being in the top 3 hot hatches of all time. Heck, you could argue it’s one of the finest driving machines ever created, full stop. It’s that good. 

Unfortunately, relatively low prices and time have taken their toll, and finding a solid, uncrashed example that hasn’t been “improved” by Kevin and his mates on the car park of their local Halfords is proving tricky. But they are out there, and this is definitely one of the good ones.

With a fabulously detailed and comprehensive history of servicing and maintenance, as well as some carefully chosen enhancements, it’s clearly been cherished by its owner, who has had it for the last 8 years. In that time care has been lavished on the car, as can be seen from the immaculate MOT history and general condition of the car, inside and out. 

If you’re looking for a solid example of one of the all-time great hot hatches, then look no further. With some minor cosmetic work, this could soon be one of the nicest Clio RS’ around – or you could just enjoy it as it is. Whatever the case, we don’t think you’ll ever regret parking one of these little beauties on your driveway.

History and documentation

• Registered 21 April 2005

• Present owner since April 2017, just 5 previous owners

• Current mileage 85,591 miles, verified by the service and MOT records

• Fewer than 6,000 miles covered since 2020

• Current MOT with no advisories expires 23 October 2026

• Superb MOT history, with no advisories since 2017

• Stamped service book with services as follows: 2006 @ 18,775 miles; September 2007 @ 32,801 miles; July 2008 @ 43,024 miles; May 2009 @ 48,090 miles; February 2015 @ 65,869 miles; January 2016 @ 71,177 miles; January 2017 @ 73,055 miles

• Both Cup packs (suspension and spoilers)

• Full document pack

• Huge collection of invoices and old MOT certificates, as well as the original order form, sales invoice, and numerous invoices for maintenance work and parts

• Two keys

• Original torch in its pouch

• V5 present in owner’s name

• HPI clear

• London ULEZ compliant

Interior

• Black leather and fabric upholstery, in overall excellent condition for its age

• The seats all look firm and in fine condition, with no sagging or notable damage – the rear bench appears to be almost unused

• We noted a little wear to the seam on the front passenger’s outer bolster

• Black carpets throughout, with a set of OEM Renaultsport floor mats

• Air conditioning

• Electric side windows

• Electrically operated door mirrors

• Personal Grinta 350mm steering wheel (the original wheel is also included)

• Upgraded Alpine Bluetooth head unit (iDE-178BT) with Pioneer speakers and an Alpine subwoofer (mounted under the front passenger seat)

• All of the switchgear and trim looks to be in fine condition, with no significant wear or damage we could see

• The 12-volt socket doesn’t illuminate, but otherwise we’re told everything in the cabin works just as it should, with no faults to note

• The boot carpet wear a few stains

• Original tyre foam canister and full size spare wheel in the boot

Exterior

• Kerbweight of just 1,090Kg

• Black paintwork, which looks to be in reasonable condition, other than the front bumper which is in need of a respray, and a small scuff on the offside corner of the rear bumper

• The bodywork all looks to be straight and clean, with no damage or corrosion to note, other than a couple of small dents and minor corrosion spots on the bonnet

• The external trim and badging all appears to be present and correct

• Underneath the car looks to be in good order, with no damage or corrosion we could discern

• The 16-inch Turini alloy wheels were refurbished in 2018, being finished with a gloss anthracite finish which suits them well

• All of the wheels look to be in nice condition, with just one small kerb mark on the offside front wheel

• A matched set of Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres is fitted, which all look to have clean sidewalls and good tread depth

Mechanical

• 1,998cc 16-valve, 4-cylinder

• Front wheel drive

• 5-speed manual transmission

• Factory performance figures: 182bhp, 148lb-ft, 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds, 139mph top speed

• Power assisted steering, ABS, TCS

• Timing belt service including tensioners, dephaser, lambda sensors, water pump and coolant in August 2023 @ 82,936 miles

• Plenum chamber ported and gas flowed by MS Customs, then sprayed in anthracite with Renaultsport stripes

• Remapped at EFI Parts to 183bhp at the flywheel – not a power tune, but one designed to smooth out and improve throttle response and drivability

• H&R lowering springs all round

• Brembo Max Grooved (high carbon) discs at the front with Brembo pads

• Ktec / Janspeed stainless steel cat-back exhaust system

• Ktec C2RS induction kit (original airbox included)

• The bonnet and handbrake sometimes stick a little (the vendor presumes this is from lack of use)

• The vendor reports no other mechanical faults or issues and tells us that the car starts on the button, idles well and drives superbly

Summary

We reckon the Clio RS 182 Cup is just about as much fun as you can have on the open road. Sure, there are plenty of cars with much more power, but they can result in the kind of crash you can hear from space or a long and awkward conversation with an officer.

When it comes to pure driving pleasure that can realistically be enjoyed to the full on the road, with plenty of practicality, reliability and ease of use, we just don’t think this can be beat. And the modifications that the vendor has made are perfect – nothing lairy, a light touch, genuine improvements.

Add to that the solid service and maintenance record, as well as the relatively low mileage, and this handsome little machine is something of a winner. Don’t expect it to hang around for long...

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Elland, West Yorkshire.