Clio 200 - case for the defence: PH Blog
Clio 200 possibly not rubbish after all? Dan makes his case
"How the mighty have fallen", "Another Subaru Impreza moment", "They certainly have wrecked what used to be a good car" and "This car is vile to look at" were among the comments after Danny's last update, the most generous being "Maybe the Clio has hidden depths but, if so, they are very well hidden."
Renault will never know we took it to the 'ring...
So I nicked it for a week to attend the Megane 275 Trophy launch event. And hopefully put a couple of Nordschleife laps in with the Clio too, just to see how big the gap really is between new-school Renaultsport and its more traditional products like the Megane.
I've got personal interest here. I used to own a Clio 172 Cup and ran a 197 Cup long-termer. I loved the hardcore nature of both, even if the 172 and I took a while to reach an understanding about who was actually in charge of direction changes. The five-door format, the dual-clutch gearbox, dropping the 197/200's wider track and Perfohub front struts - all have been used as nails in the coffin of the new car. Call it dumbing down, call it growing up, the traditional fanbase clearly isn't sold.
A case for the defence then. I think Renault has done a very brave thing and taken the long view of the hot hatch market whose buyers are generally older and more settled than they once were. I should know. You're looking at the man who was 99 per cent of the way to getting another 172 Cup onto the family fleet only to have it vetoed at the 11th hour for a lack of doors. Mrs T loved our 172 and was as keen as I was to have another. But for a young family that kind of thing really is a deal breaker and, when you start looking, the choice for five-door hot hatches is seriously limited.
Sensible, yes, but is the cost too high?
So has the Clio abandoned its core audience in search of a new one? It's a more sophisticated and nuanced car, qualities that are a hard sell to a fanbase raised on hardcore thrills. The ride typifies this. My 197 was a fantastic car from the driver's seat, a crippling one from the passenger side. High 20s mpg at best is only bearable for so long too.
The new 200 feels 'softer' but the handling model is actually rather clever, the chassis much more compliant but still with fabulous body control and poise even at the extremes of the damper stroke. At the 'ring I could take staggering liberties with kerbs and carry serious speed in total security and yet on the worst of the Belgian motorways it was plush and refined. No way could I have done the seven hours back from Nurburg in the 197 the way I did in the new 200.
Ultimately the emotional baggage of that heritage is probably a far bigger issue than any of the 200's physical attributes. But it's a facelift away from being a very interesting new age hot hatch. A more progressive power delivery, a little more traditional throttle adjustability in the chassis geometry, slightly faster shifts from the dual-clutch gearbox, a Recaro seat option... a few little details that would keep the faithful happy without scaring off the new customers it's chasing.
The old 172/197 owning me would probably have been as cross as everyone else about the new 200. But as my circumstances have changed I can see sense in the direction Renault is going with it. Faith challenged then, but not lost entirely. Let's call it work in progress.
Dan
A full telemetry trace of the above lap using Renaultsport Replay
To placing itself as a direct rival to the modern golf gti?
As a known advert might put it. 'Its good but its not a golf.'
I think i speak for the 99.9% when I say. That's nice I'll have a golf. (or even a polo)
t like that too...I imagine people would overlook the bad dress sense if the car was a cracker but it seems not, end of an era then.
I'm the target market as well, lover of the brand, getting on a bit, ie 30+, wanting something a bit more sensible, but still fun. Did i buy one? No, i couldnt even get a test drive. So bought an M135i instead. It costs me less per month than the 200EDC would have done
I imagine people would overlook the bad dress sense if the car was a cracker but it seems not, end of an era then.
Never has a car gone from "I want that" to "never in a million years" in the space of 1 update.
Sad times.
As a second car I have a Clio 200 Cup, I'm all for progress and I'm well aware that some changes are just signs o' the times but this thing, nah, its a step backwards in my eyes, probably the publics too. I've see plenty of Fiesta ST's on the road here in Aberdeen but only one of these Clios.
Regards,
MyCC.
I agree with you though,the 200t it is too grown up to be considered fun; IMHO anyway.
They've gone for a fat, ugly, autoshifting, turbo dullness, non-gocart of a car, which is not what it's customers like. So bye bye old customer base and oops new customer base are happy with their Golfs, so no hello there.
Answer is either:
1. Admit you're wrong and come up with a light, manual, chuckable car (even with a 5 door option)as the next Clio
or
2. Carry on and not sell any.
Renault's choice. Though be quick otherwise someone else will pinch the market segment and option 1 won't exist any more.
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