Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo: PH Fleet

Renault's controversial Clio 200 joins the PH Fleet: can it win us over?

The lukewarm reception to a new Clio Renaultsport has become something of a tradition. But even going on past performance the introduction of this latest 200 Turbo EDC must have broken new ground in terms of apathy.

To reprise, the controversy surrounds three key elements. First there's the retirement of the much-loved naturally aspirated two-litre motor, replaced with a turbocharged 1.6 unit. Then there's the deletion of the manual gearbox in favour of a dual-clutch and paddles. And if that wasn't enough to send Renaultsport's loyal following down to their nearestFord dealer, the new car only comes dressed in a five-door bodyshell.

For anyone still reading the spec sheet, dig deeper and there's more. Gone is the torque-steer quelling Perfohub suspension, for instance, along with bespoke body panels like the Clio III's puffed-out front wings. Even cheaper alternatives such as the bolt-on arches worn by the Megane 265 have been shunned.

Can we unearth Renault's hot hatch mojo?

So far, so not so good. But before you accuse me of anti-Renault ranting, as a self-confessed Renaultsport fanboy my immediate gut reaction was one of disappointment and disaffection. Ever since I was taken on a hugely irresponsible passenger ride around Annecy in a 5 GT Turbo aged 13, I've loved pretty much everything hot with a diamond on the grill. For several years I was the happy owner of a brilliant Inferno Orange full-fat 182, and I've had wheel time in virtually everything Renaultsport has produced over the last 10 years. So my view that the team from Dieppe knows exactly how to put together a magical hot hatch is unequivocal. Or was.

Of course they are not alone in being able to produce cars that deliver addictive, accessible, everyday thrills in a practical, affordable package. But with Renaultsport you always get the wizardry and special touches - treats like trick dampers in the Trophy, thinner glass in the 172 Cup and a carbon bonnet on the R26.R. I adore all these hardcore details, and for me they define the single-minded pursuit of performance and Gallic quirkiness that make Renaultsport so unique and appealing. So when rumours began circulating about the change of direction for the Clio 200 replacement, it was perfectly natural that I would feel worried.

The Clio's sense of purpose always gave those of us with modest budgets an insight into what it must be like to own a properly focused sports car. Indeed, comparisons were often made between the outgoing Clio 200 Cup and Porsche's GT3 - both offering the essence of pure driving pleasure, yet at very different price points. So it's ironic that both have been denounced for sacrificing elements of what made them so special in the name of progress. Combustion problems aside, the new GT3 seems to steamroll any criticism of its move away from a manual gearbox with a sheer quantum leap in capability, but will it be the same with the new Clio 200?

Obviously we specced the Cup suspension!

Likewise, in Formula 1 the jury is still out as to whether turbocharging has added more than it has taken away. Sure, the performance benefits are tough to argue with, but on a purely emotional basis, that high-revving naturally aspirated scream is already sorely missed. As a current engine supplier with a rich history in turbocharging, Renault is obviously keen to highlight the new Clio motor's connections with F1, and the press pack is peppered with references to F1-style this and that. Such an obvious link between engine and gearbox technology must have seemed like a marketing dream when Red Bull and its Renault engine were dominating proceedings. Currently though, there's a lot less to celebrate.

Where old Renaultsport would have got its customers salivating with stripped-back interiors, new Renaultsport piles on the toys. Whether by accident or design, the new Clio offers a bewildering array of distractions from the driver's seat. Even the standard equipment is generous, but our Lux specced car gets the R-Link multimedia touchscreen and optional Renaultsport Monitor. As well as sat-nav and a Bluetooth hook up for your phone, you can watch videos and view your latest selfies. It even has some kind of app store, although God knows what you download from it. Then there's the Renaultsport Monitor; effectively £300 to have Adrian Newey in the passenger seat wherever you go. It's impressive stuff, with pages and pages of graphs and charts showing everything from fluid temperatures to steering angle as well as a lap timer and datalogger. It really is a geek's wet dream.

With no Recaro seat option, our nod to hardcore Clios of yore is limited to a tick in the Cup chassis box. This gives us 15 per cent stiffer springs and dampers, a scant 3mm reduction in ride height and Dunlop Sport Maxx RT tyres on 18-inch Renaultsport rims.

The Clio's got a battle on its hands from start

Assuming that this new arrival on the PH Fleet doesn't prove to be an unexpected instant hit, our hope is that it's a grower. It could be that there is nothing wrong with the new recipe; it just needs more time to marinate. The alternative is less appealing, but possibly inevitable; that Renaultsport's change in direction will sacrifice some of its old fanbase in search of a newer, broader market. Times are changing, and perhaps the values of a generation that grew up on 80s and 90s hot hatches - to which I belong - are no longer relevant.

One thing's for sure though, having secured a loan for six months, the new Clio Renaultsport will have ample opportunity to work its charms. Along the way I'll be using it for mundane commutes and cross-country treks as well as exploiting Renaultsport's own track day calendar both at home and across the Channel. The first of which is already looming large, and at the weekend Dan and I will be heading off to Spa. Hopefully by then I'll have found a way into the data logger.

FACT SHEET
Car: Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC LUX
Run by: Danny Milner
On fleet since: April 2014
Mileage: 452
List price new: £21,535 (Basic list of £19,995 plus £650 for Cup Chassis including revised spring/damper rates, gloss black 18-inch wheels, red brake calipers and Dunlop Sport Maxx TT tyres, £595 for Flame Red i.d. metallic paint, £295 for Renaultsport Monitor)
Last month at a glance: New car smell still present and correct; in at the deep end with impending first track day.

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Roma101

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