clio 197 dog of the year

[richlawson]

did anyone see this in the daily star the other day in the car section the 197 came the 1st runner up in the dog of the year

i know the 197 and all mk3 clios are not great looking but did not know it was that hated

i still have the paper will have to get it scanned

 

[makavelli]

lol yeah i saw it, it mentioned how it didnt live up to expecations and was a big let down iirc lol

 

[richlawson]

it is a let down what are renault thinking

 

[tommyboy]

i don't think its too bad but thats my opinion

 

[nottie]

i dont really like the shape of it, looks so boring

 

[seb]

it ain't bad at all, infact it is quite superb. the trolls don't like it though

thought we'd done this thread before, it all coems down to perosnal preference

 

[UncleGrumpy]

I wont be in any rush to swap thats for sure.

 

[tommyboy]

I wont be in any rush to swap thats for sure.

I can see people's point performance wise if they've got a trophy/cup/182 etc...

But if Renault decide to make a model well over 200bhp and faster than the Ph2's then I'll be getting one. I like the stance from straight on with it's wide arches, looks mean. More road presence imo.

 

[John D]

The Daily Star ain't exactly the pinnacle of jounalism

 

[makavelli]

i think the 197 is a good car, its just not a great car!

i think a lot of people felt let down as it hasnt exactly leapt ahead of the 182, its just slightly shuffled forward a little bit

 

[Neil G]

The Daily Star ain't exactly the pinnacle of jounalism

Too right.....bunch of a**holes

197 is a cracking looking car

 

[Graham Gooch]

Daily Stars motoring section is a joke. The 197 is a cracking car, looks funky, the arches look superb imo.

 

[ukaskew]

I expect Renault will manage to 'do a 225' on it though and gradually turn it from a good car into an excellent car, that never had the greatest of starts but it appears to be doing well now.

People moan about the constant revisions, but when we get cars like the Trophy and Megane R26 it's hard to complain in my opinion. And we all know it will happen, so moaning after you've bought a 197 when the 197 Cup comes out is hardly valid.

For what it's worth I think the 197 looks stunning from some angles, coming towards you on a road it's a beast of a machine. I wouldn't say no to Racing Blue with White Speedlines, that's for sure.

 

[Neil G]

Totally

It's all a matter of preference though. The first time I saw a 197 in the flesh I stopped and had a good look around it.....was genuinely impressed by it's looks inside and out.

 

[Rich]

it ain't bad at all, infact it is quite superb. the trolls don't like it though

thought we'd done this thread before, it all coems down to perosnal preference

Seb, seb, seb!

Dog of the year is harsh, its a competent car, would make a nice little daily car doing everything well, just a little boring after the 182.

 

[Phil 182]

if you stand one next to a 182 the 182 looks soooo dated (i have a 182).
Renault could have done better but they havent done bad!...i personally like the look of the new corsa vxr!

 

[seb]

it ain't bad at all, infact it is quite superb. the trolls don't like it though

thought we'd done this thread before, it all coems down to perosnal preference

Seb, seb, seb!

Dog of the year is harsh, its a competent car, would make a nice little daily car doing everything well, just a little boring after the 182.

matter of opinion!

the 'moment' i had round a nice left hander yesterday was far from boring! lol

but yes it's all down to personal opinion.

i think the 197 is s**t. don't buy one. (i want to be part of a few people in the know )

 

[Weeman]

No doubt voted by jealous 182 and 172 cup owners, who have lack lustre comfort and a crappy driving position. The fact its in an un-educated and mindless rag like the star, proves my theory to be correct.

No further questions your honout, Your witness

 

[seb]

No doubt voted by jealous 182 and 172 cup owners, who have lack lustre comfort and a crappy driving position. The fact its in an un-educated and mindless rag like the star, proves my theory to be correct.

No further questions your honout, Your witness

you forgot the creaks, squeaks, crap position of the steering wheel and gruff engine (bait)

 

[carina]

I wouldn't say no to Racing Blue with White Speedlines, that's for sure.

Me me me me me me me me - thats exactly what i'm getting :rasp:

 

[edde]

did anyone see this in the daily star the other day in the car section the 197 came the 1st runner up in the dog of the year

i know the 197 and all mk3 clios are not great looking but did not know it was that hated

i still have the paper will have to get it scanned

Could do that, then scan the article from track and race car who know what a good car is who reciently rated it the best roat track car and the race car won the title of best track day car.

 

[JayR]

I wont be in any rush to swap thats for sure.

I can see people's point performance wise if they've got a trophy/cup/182 etc...

But if Renault decide to make a model well over 200bhp and faster than the Ph2's then I'll be getting one. I like the stance from straight on with it's wide arches, looks mean. More road presence imo.

Lol i thought you were only saying a few weeks ago how youd never buy a Clio!?

330, R32, S3 was what it was all about iirc.

I quite like the 197 looks wise, although i wont be buying one, if i was id wait for cup options and id colours to become available. I cant see how a car thats relitivly light with 197 bhp could be that much slower than 172's and 182's if at all!?

Same old story with the Williams kicking shite out of 182's on here though, iv had both engines and i couldnt say one was overly superior to the other but we wont go into that.

Id like to have a play with one just to put my thoughts on it right.

 

[Mike_182]

i think the 197 is a good car, its just not a great car!

i think a lot of people felt let down as it hasnt exactly leapt ahead of the 182, its just slightly shuffled forward a little bit

And even then, my parents prefer my car over any of the new shape Clios, but know that I'd lynch them buying the same one - they say the 197's interioris tackier and less comfortable, and the engine is more hard work cos they've gone in search of penis-enlarging numbers instead of out-and-out driveability. As such, they're looking at the 138...

 

[Neil G]

For the people that think the 197 is boring now have the Corsa VXR as an alternative....that offers enough 'interesting' styling to keep them happy.

 

[GordonD]

http://www.autocarmagazine.com/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/223794/

Renaultsport has started work on a more extreme version of the Clio 197 for the UK market. “We have demand for a number of different versions of the Clio 197,” says the company’s new commercial boss, Philippe Talou-Derible. “French buyers would like a more luxurious version. The UK appears to have demand for a more extreme one. We are working on solutions to this.” There’s no word yet on how the Clio will be beefed up, but lightening, suspension tweaks and more power are all under consideration. The latter option is the least likely, though.

 

[Rich]

http://www.autocarmagazine.com/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/223794/

“French buyers would like a more luxurious version”

Full Leather or at least Leather & Alcantara should be standard on a car for 197 money, another thing the 197 lacks over the 172/182 IMO. Leave the cloth for the Cup versions.

 

[Gaz_]

if you stand one next to a 182 the 182 looks soooo dated (i have a 182).
Renault could have done better but they havent done bad!...i personally like the look of the new corsa vxr!

true,

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=164506&highlight=197+at+the+ring

 

[Munson]

I have a love hate relationship with the 197.

I love; the looks, the interior, the grip.

I hate; the steering, the lack of pace.

 

[Bradharding]

Is it just me or does the 197 seem to look much better on the advert? Looked lower and wider to me :S

 

[Munson]

Is it just me or does the 197 seem to look much better on the advert? Looked lower and wider to me :S

I don't know, but it does look lower and more squat in the flesh than any picture I've seen. Stunningly pretty little hatchback IMO :approve:

 

[Gaz_]

this pic does it for me, think its had a slight drop. Look how 'standard looking' our 172/182's look like next to it lol

'ard as nails

 

[seb]

that 172 looks like it has been dropped too?

 

[Gaz_]

yep, my ppoint is look how well the 197 looks (nice wide and squat lol)

 

[Munson]

Agreed, it's a stunning machine. It's so annoying that I refuse to buy it because it feels slow

 

[RobHardyUK]

that 197 does look beef. I didnt wanna lower mine, but now....

 

[makavelli]

this pic does it for me, think its had a slight drop. Look how 'standard looking' our 172/182's look like next to it lol

'ard as nails

the 197 does look the dogs in that pic

another comparison which can be seen clearly from the pic is just how much bigger the 197 is over the 182

 

[The Hoff]

The fact is innovation and technology is mean't to lead to the constant evolution of a product - The only evolution thats taking place is the price and the fact that they decided to skimp on every conceivable extra given as standard in the 172/182, which is partly what made them such good value.

The 197 is slow, it's heavy, it's bigger than a 52 seater coach, and the back end has been designed by a 5 years old with a crayon, the fact they come off the assembly line in 4x4 monster truck mode also doesn't help them hide the fact that because the car is so overly inflated the wheels look poxy!

For Xenons and everything else you're looking at the best part of £18,000 which as has been discussed pitches it against cars that will wipe the 197 from the equation.

As a 172 owner, spending out £18k on a car that's going to depreciate like fury is a no brainer, the fact they're also not selling well means that eventually dealer prices are going to drop, importers are going to undercut them and soon enough they'll be a Meggy situation where you just can't sell them without loosing 10k.

I'll keep the old rattle, driving position (fine for me tbh), and my money and keep the better car.

The car is a half arsed effort with too much thought into displacing the Meggy from the range, which given their s**t sales means they've sacrificed the 197 to avoid cutting it's sales further more IMO.

 

[GordonD]

We can all have our own opinions.

But if they're having trouble selling them that means the majority of people must think they've gotten it wrong with the directions they took the car in.

 

[seb]

The fact is innovation and technology is mean't to lead to the constant evolution of a product - The only evolution thats taking place is the price and the fact that they decided to skimp on every conceivable extra given as standard in the 172/182, which is partly what made them such good value.

The 197 is slow, it's heavy, it's bigger than a 52 seater coach, and the back end has been designed by a 5 years old with a crayon, the fact they come off the assembly line in 4x4 monster truck mode also doesn't help them hide the fact that because the car is so overly inflated the wheels look poxy!

For Xenons and everything else you're looking at the best part of £18,000 which as has been discussed pitches it against cars that will wipe the 197 from the equation.

As a 172 owner, spending out £18k on a car that's going to depreciate like fury is a no brainer, the fact they're also not selling well means that eventually dealer prices are going to drop, importers are going to undercut them and soon enough they'll be a Meggy situation where you just can't sell them without loosing 10k.

I'll keep the old rattle, driving position (fine for me tbh), and my money and keep the better car.

The car is a half arsed effort with too much thought into displacing the Meggy from the range, which given their s**t sales means they've sacrificed the 197 to avoid cutting it's sales further more IMO.

lol coming form your 20 minute test drive i guess? lol!

I love people who slate the 197.

 

[The Hoff]

Seb, all the points I raised could be observed without even needing to drive the 197, the fact it's too expensive, lacklustre styling, too high, and of lower specification as standard. Nothing I mentioned is even contentious really.

Sure you can argue that the driving position is better in the 197, you may even say the 197 is more refined, but if I wanted refined I'd not be buying a Clio Sport, oh and it's slower too. I'd just love you to have a few laps with a 172/182 around track and see how your £18k overweight 197 holds up. I'd race one myself buy being on coils It's not a fair comparison.

I wish I could like the 197, the front end looks good, the interior is better - but for me thats where it ends, ultimately I'm disappointed with Renault for churning it out and diluting the reputation it had gained with the 1X2.

For 17k though, you'd have to be completely insane to buy one, theres many better cars in that bracket.