GT86 vs Clio RS

[Onetrackmind]

Hi all,

Contemplating which to go for as a weekend fun car and track car. I have a 996 turbo but it's a bit too expensive to track so id like something a little more economical to use. I'm not in the UK so prices for these cars are different. The Clio will cost £5k (2011) and the 86 £9k (2012/13). Can't decide which to go for. I like the idea of RWD in the 86 and bullet proof reliability. The tuning options are greater and they really seem to have a cult enthuiast following here and in the US, which might be nice to be a part of. The 86 would need some work - specifically, the wheels (hate the standard design) and tyres would need upgrading. The clio is very tempting as it is so much cheaper and would probably only need better pads for a track day.

Which would you go for and why?

[iguana]

Fwd trackcars are not unlike sucking on your mummy's titties, you can do it when very young & you know no better, but it's more than a bit odd to do as an adult.

[CABC]

if you were to consider a fwd car for fun then i'd at least choose a 1x2, Clios got fat after those and lost direction as a pure driver's car.
That said, 86 is still a more focussed machine. Have you driven both yet?

[Furyblade_Lee]

RWD every time for me, but the Clio is still a nice car.

[Furyblade_Lee]

iguana said:

Fwd trackcars are not unlike sucking on your mummy's titties, you can do it when very young & you know no better, but it's more than a bit odd to do as an adult.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha😂

[Furyblade_Lee]

As a left field option, if those are the performance benchmark then consider a RX8 PZ by Prodrive. Will be quicker than both of those out the box with decent tyres ( we use one in a sprint and hill climb championship )

A minter will set you back about £2,500 and is proper RWD fun. Worst case scenario is a freshly built engine supplied and fitted is about £2k for a 225 bhp one. Ours has had over 2 years of double driven sprints flat out and several Trackdays, the engine wear is about 1/4 of its life reduced from that. Has never missed a beat in those 2 years either and has won its class around Goodwood against standard Integra Type Rs and Clios.
Did a 59.5 around Brands in bog standard trim too.

With some weight stripped out and sticky tyres it could make a really fun cheap RWD track car

[Onetrackmind]

No, not driven either. Hence asking in here. I could test drive an 86 at the dealer but not a Clio. Will probably go for the 86 as that was my preference before asking.

[Steve H]

I like the 86 but at risk of repeating every criticism that has ever been made about it, it needs more power.

The Clio is a great trackday toy, you should drive one before you dismiss it.

[LasseV]

Steve H said:

I like the 86 but at risk of repeating every criticism that has ever been made about it, it needs more power.

The Clio is a great trackday toy, you should drive one before you dismiss it.

And Clio doesn't need moarr power? Why?

GT86 everytime for track car. You need to buy new tires anyway so OEM tires are not an issue.

[Steve H]

Just my impression from actually having driven both on track .

[Crippo]

Can you get a VX220 where you live? Awesome in every way, a nice NA would be a great weekend toy and track day car. They are depreciation proof at the moment.

[Onetrackmind]

No, can't get much that's track focused out here for a reasonable price. Mostly GT cars and muscle cars. Get the odd hot hatch but usually heavier Golfs etc. Plenty of 911's and Cayman's but wouldn't want to pick up the bill if I crashed it on track. The next next option is probably a 2.5 or 2.7 original boxster and then spend some money on mods. I shouldn't have sold me 3.0 E36 M3 18 months ago. That had upgraded suspension and a BBK so would have been good fun. Not seen any others for sale since.

[LasseV]

Steve H said:

Just my impression from actually having driven both on track .

Hard to believe that Clio is powerfull enough for track duties if GT86 needs more power....

[Steve H]

Sorry, maybe I was being too subtle before, have you driven them both (or either of them) on track?

[JamesBryan88]

Standard Clio vs standard GT86 i reckon you would be able to drive the Clio quicker on track.

[upsidedownmark]

Given they both weigh roughly the same, and both have ~200hp, I don't see there being much in it, and neither are going to set any lap records. Surely the question is which are you going to have most fun in.

That's for the OP to decide really, but FWD vs RWD, would seem like a complete no brainer..

[LordHaveMurci]

Much though I love my Clio I'd go for the 86 for a track car purely because it's RWD. Clios are hard (expensive) to extract more power from as well.

[CABC]

LordHaveMurci said:

Much though I love my Clio I'd go for the 86 for a track car purely because it's RWD. Clios are hard (expensive) to extract more power from as well.

yes.
i've driven both on track too, and while i'm not an instructor i had a whole lot more fun in the 86. especially on the laps where i wasn't as fast as i could have been

SteveH - is you opinion formed because you know the 86 definitely could handle more power or that you felt is was just slower?
interested. I drove a track prepped one for 200 miles at Bedford and wondered what all the fuss was about. Certainly good and fun, but was led to believe they'd be more, that's all. I probably should lifted off more into the corners...

[Steve H]

I don't understand the hate for FWD, it can be dull or frustrating in some cars but there's plenty of RWD cars like that as well; I wasn't really thinking about which would be faster out of the box with my comments before but in most circumstances I'd guess it would be the Clio.

CABC, my comment about the 86 was because I felt it would be much more fun to drive with more power, I don't feel that's particularly the case with the Clio. I'm surprised that you didn't enjoy the Clio more but that may have been the nature of a very open circuit or it may just not be your kind of toy, it's inevitably all pretty subjective - what you like is what you like .

[CABC]

Steve H said:

CABC, my comment about the 86 was because I felt it would be much more fun to drive with more power, I don't feel that's particularly the case with the Clio. I'm surprised that you didn't enjoy the Clio more but that may have been the nature of a very open circuit or it may just not be your kind of toy, it's inevitably all pretty subjective - what you like is what you like .

i enjoyed it, it's just i expected more as they come with high expectations that's all. considered one for track work.

my track toy is an mx5 - buckets, ordinary tyres and loads of oppo miles of smiles.