Renault, more than any other car company, know how to blend race car performance with their road cars. They’ve been at it for over 100 years, since that evening in 1902, when founder Louis Renault drove his tiny one-cylinder Voiturette to the top of Montmartre, just to prove the car could make it up the hills.
The latest performance hatch addition to the Renault marquee is the Renault Clio Sport 200 Cup and Cup Trophee which have recently been rated as the most accomplished and most focused hot hatches in the new car market over the last nine months.
It hasn’t got the acceleration of a performance V8 in a straight-line sprint, although it still is very quick for a small 4 cylinder pocket rocket, however on a twisty, curvy blacktop like the Great Ocean Road, the little hatch on steroids produces more grip and handling than you’ll find in any big GT car.
Its super accurate steering eats away at the corners quicker than almost anything on the road today and its ability on turn-in is nothing short of a race car, with flat cornering and no body roll.
There is Renault’s F1 motor sport pedigree throughout this car, starting with a low, super light 1035 kilogram chasis (dry), a working aerodynamic front splitter blade, vent air-extractors, roof-lip aerofoil and a rear air diffuser with wider rear tailpipes collectively creating a low pressure zone, sucking the car to the tarmac.
The 6-speed gearbox is smooth, with the first three ratios shortened for quicker shifts inclusive on an audible and visible shift indicator. Braking is through race bred distinctively red Brembo four-pot calipers (front) and TRW single piston rear calipers, with excellent pedal feel from the alloy pedals.
A set of racing style Recaro sports seats and uprated BeBop 17″ alloy wheels for the Cup Trophee will cost an extra $2,500 but well worth it if you want your Clio to really look the business.
Both Clio Cup options come equipped with a stack of creature comforts and have a fuel consumption of just 8.2l/100km (open road 6.8l/100km).
Push button start, USB connection, Bluetooth, Automatic Climate Control, decent interior, great instruments and dash layout, six-stacker CD, cruise control, eight (Six in the Trophee) air-bags, front fog lamps, 17-inch five spoke wheels in anthracite and a killer looking leather sports steering wheel. For around $36,500 The Clio Renault Sport 200 Cup and $39,000 Cup Trophee, come with a 148 kilowatt, 16 valve, DOHC 2.0-litre, in-line four-cylinder, EFI, with variable valve technology engine, 6-speed manual gearbox, ABS, EBD, ESP presents a superb drive with a relatively inexpensive price for the performance available.