Clio 182 Trophy
Discussion
Being an old school French and NA Hot Hatch fan, over the summer bought the holy grail of my interests; a Clio 182 Trophy!
It's a joy to own and drive and a real improvement over the Cup I owned before! The touches such as the Recaro Trendlines mounted 10mm lower than the Cup and the better looking and lighter wheels just make the car. Then there are the Sachs; which make the Clio feel even more of a polished and poised car than it already is in Cup form!
Further improvements have been kept minimal more of a tailored experience than modifications I'd like to think! I have a 300mm MOMO steering wheel which further improves the feel and seating position, Scorpion RS192 (decat), stiffer engine mounts and a remap which makes the most of the De Cat! Everything else is as it came out of the factory; the way I intend to keep it!
The car is not my daily (Saxo VTS currently does that job) and is currently laid up for winter in need of an MOT! When the weather is finer and the roads aren't covered in salt grit I do drive the car often and properly! Overall an amazing car and I certainly struggle to think of something as cool and talented especially for the money (106 Rallye maybe..)
Let me know your thought and feelings on these cars!![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/GTyQcgVo.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/fbubifAh" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/fbubifAh.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/Yw4jpMqN" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/Yw4jpMqN.jpg)
It's a joy to own and drive and a real improvement over the Cup I owned before! The touches such as the Recaro Trendlines mounted 10mm lower than the Cup and the better looking and lighter wheels just make the car. Then there are the Sachs; which make the Clio feel even more of a polished and poised car than it already is in Cup form!
Further improvements have been kept minimal more of a tailored experience than modifications I'd like to think! I have a 300mm MOMO steering wheel which further improves the feel and seating position, Scorpion RS192 (decat), stiffer engine mounts and a remap which makes the most of the De Cat! Everything else is as it came out of the factory; the way I intend to keep it!
The car is not my daily (Saxo VTS currently does that job) and is currently laid up for winter in need of an MOT! When the weather is finer and the roads aren't covered in salt grit I do drive the car often and properly! Overall an amazing car and I certainly struggle to think of something as cool and talented especially for the money (106 Rallye maybe..)
Let me know your thought and feelings on these cars!
I have mixed feelings about selling my Trophy. It was 36k and bone stock. That car today is about 15k !
However I bought a 182 with mild mods and Bilsteins which puts it close to Trophy handling. I sometimes use it daily and for that is works better. However if I was going to keep and cherish it the Trophy is so much more exclusive but for me that would nag at me not to use it.
Great cars though, got me back into hot hatches and hot Renaults which is a great thing.
I was running the Clio alongside a 997 c2S and in hindsight as a drivers car the Renault was so much better. I remember returning at lunch from a track day at Castle Coombe to swap cars as the Clio was just so much more involving.
However I bought a 182 with mild mods and Bilsteins which puts it close to Trophy handling. I sometimes use it daily and for that is works better. However if I was going to keep and cherish it the Trophy is so much more exclusive but for me that would nag at me not to use it.
Great cars though, got me back into hot hatches and hot Renaults which is a great thing.
I was running the Clio alongside a 997 c2S and in hindsight as a drivers car the Renault was so much better. I remember returning at lunch from a track day at Castle Coombe to swap cars as the Clio was just so much more involving.
Rawhide said:
I have mixed feelings about selling my Trophy. It was 36k and bone stock. That car today is about 15k !
However I bought a 182 with mild mods and Bilsteins which puts it close to Trophy handling. I sometimes use it daily and for that is works better. However if I was going to keep and cherish it the Trophy is so much more exclusive but for me that would nag at me not to use it.
Great cars though, got me back into hot hatches and hot Renaults which is a great thing.
I was running the Clio alongside a 997 c2S and in hindsight as a drivers car the Renault was so much better. I remember returning at lunch from a track day at Castle Coombe to swap cars as the Clio was just so much more involving.
The prices are climbing I must agree, thanks to the praise at the hands of Evo magazine, and even crowned the greatest hot hatch thanks to the great mix between old and new that it has!However I bought a 182 with mild mods and Bilsteins which puts it close to Trophy handling. I sometimes use it daily and for that is works better. However if I was going to keep and cherish it the Trophy is so much more exclusive but for me that would nag at me not to use it.
Great cars though, got me back into hot hatches and hot Renaults which is a great thing.
I was running the Clio alongside a 997 c2S and in hindsight as a drivers car the Renault was so much better. I remember returning at lunch from a track day at Castle Coombe to swap cars as the Clio was just so much more involving.
I do agree any 182 is a great drivers car and really does nail qualities very hard to find in many other cars!
Also agreeable is the exclusivity; it's rather easy to feel guilty after driving the car properly due to the limited number of them made and it would be heart wrenching if anything was to happen at the hands of yourself!
Certainly one of the best purchases I've made and my car personally is on 85,000 miles. It won't be receiving anymore modifications only tidying up jobs such as a bonnet respray and wheels refurbished etc! Hopefully should hold its money and some; not that that is important as that is NOT the reason I purchased it! Nice to hear from a few former owners, thanks guys!
DoubleTime said:
Nice looking trophy.
However, can we ascertain that you are referring to a 182 cup in your OP as opposed to the 172? Just curious and ever so slightly biased....
I am referring to a 182 Cup (not a FF with Cup Pack may I also add!), I didn't make that terribly clear! However, can we ascertain that you are referring to a 182 cup in your OP as opposed to the 172? Just curious and ever so slightly biased....
What one are you biased towards I'm curious? The 172 Cup is a slightly different kettle of fish and surely a specialty in it's own right in the same way the Trophy is
I just sold my black gold 182 over the weekend and I regret it already. It was such a lovely car to drive and an absolute hoot when it came to the corners. A Trophy could be on the cards soon as I love them.
Noticed there is an article on Renault Sport cars going to be in next months EVO magazine with a Clio Trophy being included. Probably Harry Metcalfes one.
Noticed there is an article on Renault Sport cars going to be in next months EVO magazine with a Clio Trophy being included. Probably Harry Metcalfes one.
keo said:
Biggest mtoring regret is selling my Trophy, wish i had kept it and just left it in the garage.
This is exactly what I have done. Paid 6250 for it in 2009. On 65k IIRC and will stay on that. Got lucky with a works vehicle back in 2009 so parked the TV up in old man's garage. Been there since for various reasons including 9 points on licence. OP, yours looks great and mods are perfect. Mine has a SS Blueflame exhaust, decat and matched remap plus BCA carbon filter. Enjoy.
Clio 182 Trophy, Calf of Man, Isle of Man. It's October 1st, the day my Trophy takes its unofficial six month hibernation. With the year I've had I felt a small update was nessecary.
This year has been eventful! With a house move brought extra garage space which enabled me to really use the car solely as a toy; as a 23 year old it has been a true privilege!
Barring an Engine and gearbox oil change; maintenance costs have been kept to a minimum. Enjoyment however hasn't!
This year I have experienced the full 205 GTi esque undiluted fun that inspired the very conception of the Trophy models and visited some truly great places in the process!
First allow me to tell you about the Lake District; and more specifically my evening drive up and down Kirkstone pass. Tight winding roads lined with fragile stone walls, varying gradients and obscure camber really tested the cars damping ability. The result was exceptional! The ability of the remote resivoir Sachs do not become apparent until you are travelling on such surfaces with such confidence and with steering feel which matches vehicles four times the price. The damping effort just does not disappear seemingly no matter what you do!
The engine note of the four pot echoing off the enclosed walls and around the vast landscape as it hit cam change really stood my hairs up on end; I truly believe on this territory without the worry of bottoming out on every little dip in the road and worrying about planting 100k worth of fine Italian craftsmanship into a stone wall, this car is truly unrivalled! Think I'm exaggerating, I'd challenge you to try it!
Furthermore the vibrant red paintwork contrasted extremely well with the stereotypically green land space the Lake District had to offer!
Kirkstone Pass, Lake District, England.
The second trip was truly bucket list material for myself! The Isle of Man!
I will touch breifley on this and possibly go more into detail in a later post!
Apart from the amazing scenery and costal views you just cannot escape from the Isle of Man has some of the best roads on the British Isles and even a broader spectrum! Better still some roads as you may know are not hindered by speed limits; instead you are left to concentrate on the road itself allowing you to asses the conditions and drive to you and your vehicles ability! True Trophy territory then..
Driving on the mountain road part of the famous TT course from Ramsey to Douglas was undoubtedly the highlight of the trip! The roads you can see for miles ahead allowing you to take the correct line round bends where possible and at the best speed possible too. The steering pin sharp as you let off the throttle and turn in as precise as you like; plenty of throttle on the way out as you feel the car try to imitate a tripod! The Clio dampers just seemed to get better with speed although the steering becomes vague around 110MPH as the front end lifts; you hardly feel any need to go much faster!
A much smoother road, higher speeds and slightly less undulating surfaces of the mountain road tested the Clio in the polar opposite of the Lake District (although a lot of the roads are similar to the lakes) and honestly the car excelled in both; with a few admiring glances along the way!
Best of all the car did all this with a boot full of suitcases, camera equipment and other essentials needed for such a trip! I didn't have to worry too much about driving in varying conditions or leaving it out in the rain in a random car park yet it can do all the described above!
And that to me is the exact appeal of this car; as capable as you'd ever need and possibly one of the best old school hatches ever built; yet it carried out the mileage and tedious motorway journeys without missing a beat and averaged about 32MPG on both trips!
The Clio now resting and relieved of any duty during the winter has really solidified its reputation for me; a truly old school hot hatch in a much more robust package! Let me know your thoughts!
Many thanks, Danny.
Creg ny Barr, Isle of Man.
Met a friend in the Isle of Man!
Images all taken by myself, please see BeaglePhotography on Instagram for more!
Edited by Willo26 on Sunday 1st October 22:57
Edited by Willo26 on Sunday 1st October 23:06
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