Black-Gold 182
Cars > News and Reviews > Car Reviews > Renault > Renault CLIO RENAULTSPORT 182 CUP
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Renault CLIO RENAULTSPORT 182 CUP
Possessing Arguably The Biggest Grin Factor Of Any GTi Hot Hatch, The Clio Renaultsport 182 Cup Is Also Sparkling Value. Andy Enright Reports
By the measure of todays hottest hatches, 182bhp isnt a whole hill of beans. When some superhatches are nudging ever closer to 300bhp, it would seem that the Clio Renaultsport 182 Cup has been cast adrift in the power stakes. Think again. Not only is the Cup one of the quickest of all hatches in a straight line but its also the one imbued with the biggest fun factor when it comes to the twisty stuff.
The best bit? It only costs £13,900.
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Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value
Whereas many hot hatches are defined by their engines, Renault have been in this game long enough to know that big power isnt the target they should be aiming at. With bigger and more complex engines come a number of other design compromises. Instead, the French company has concentrated on honing the things that really matter. Theyve shaved weight, optimised the steering still further and sharpened the handling to the extent that this Clio is capable of notching off the sprint to 60mph in a claimed 6.
7 seconds. If anything, this is a conservative claim and the Clio Cup certainly feels a good deal quicker. Some of the old bugbears of the original Clio 172 remain. The relationship between steering wheel, pedals, seat and gearstick is decidedly suboptimal and may well be enough to deter some customers who find it impossible to attain a comfortable driving position.
The interior quality is nothing much to shout about but other than that its hard to find much to generate complaint.
"If you thought all modern hot hatches had become bloated and boring, the Clio Renaultsport 182 Cup comes as a very refreshing tonic"
In turning a regulation Clio Renaultsport 182 into a Cup model, quite a bit of standard trim has been ditched. Out go the side airbags, xenon headlamps, headlamp wash, automatic headlamps adjustment, automatic wipers and heat reflecting windscreen. The climate controlled air conditioning has been exchanged for a manual set up and the 60/40 split rear seats with head restraints have been replaced by a one piece folding bench. The stereo is a little less punchy than the standard Clio 182 fit item and the leather and alcantara trim has been replaced by a simpler cloth upholstery.
Although all of this only saves around 20kg, it has a marked effect on the asking price, the Cup being around £900 less. When you pause to consider that a Honda Civic Type-R fitted with air conditioning would cost well over £17,000 and wouldnt be any quicker than the Clio, the value proposition becomes manifest. Options include metallic paint in Inferno Orange or, if you opt for the classic Racing Blue colour scheme (and you should), the white Competition Stripes. The Cup spoiler package comprises a bigger rear spoiler and an additional deeper front spoiler.
The Cup also benefits from a lowered ride height, stiffer springs and dampers and strengthened wheel hub carriers that can handle being bounced over kerbs on a track day. The steering geometry has been revised to offer even sharper turn-in, and anthracite Renaultsport alloy wheels are also fitted. Cup badging on the B-pillars should let you know not to instigate a race should a lairy looking Clio pull up next to you at the lights. If youre used to hot Clios, the 182 Cup is more or indeed less of the same.
The steering feels livewire, the gumball tyres transmitting the slightest response from the wheel to the road. Performance from the 182bhp engine is suitably vivid, and a well driven Cup would likely embarrass the exotic Clio V6 around most race tracks but its the chassis that holds all the aces. Compliant enough for road use yet perfectly suited to a thrash around any race track you care to mention, the Cup 182 is a great car to earn your track day wings. I recently tried following one around the Nurburgring.
I was in a 340bhp Mitsubishi Evo and still couldnt hold onto the tail of the demonically piloted Renault. There arent many more enjoyable hot hatches than this one when the road gets twisty. An open B road is hugely enjoyable, though if it gets any tighter than that, the slightly baulky gearchange can get in the way a little. Thats a pity because Renaults engineers have revised the induction system to improve response at low and medium speeds, tweaks which appear to have done the trick: power is always there, instantly, just when you want it. The engines quieter and greener too. Fuel consumption? Well, as ever with these cars, it depends just how much youre able to restrain yourself. Renault quotes 34.
9mpg on the Combined cycle but if you achieve that too often, then you probably shouldnt have bought this car in the first place. Unlike its predecessor, this Cup model gets anti lock brakes and very welcome they are too. top billing. It also features adaptive intelligent twin front airbags with two levels of inflation, depending upon the seating position of the driver and the severity of the impact.
For the rear side seats, pretensioners are now combined with 600kg load limiters. If you thought all modern hot hatches had become bloated and boring, the Clio Renaultsport 182 Cup comes as a very refreshing tonic. Heres a car that feels permanently livewired and only the most jaded will find it possible to resist. Right about now the best hot hatches around blend the best of modern engineering with a slightly old school fun factor.
The Clio 182 Cup is the prime exponent.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Renaultsport Clio 182 Cup
PRICE: £13,900 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 16D
CO2 EMISSIONS: 194g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 139mph / 0-60mph 6.7s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Urban) 26.9mpg / (Extra-urban) 44.1mpg / (Combined) 34.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Height 3770/1640/1400mm
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[SIZE=-2]Wednesday August 17, 2:54 PM[/SIZE] [SIZE=-2](First written on 2005-08-03)[/SIZE]
By the measure of todays hottest hatches, 182bhp isnt a whole hill of beans. When some superhatches are nudging ever closer to 300bhp, it would seem that the Clio Renaultsport 182 Cup has been cast adrift in the power stakes. Think again. Not only is the Cup one of the quickest of all hatches in a straight line but its also the one imbued with the biggest fun factor when it comes to the twisty stuff.
The best bit? It only costs £13,900.
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7 seconds. If anything, this is a conservative claim and the Clio Cup certainly feels a good deal quicker. Some of the old bugbears of the original Clio 172 remain. The relationship between steering wheel, pedals, seat and gearstick is decidedly suboptimal and may well be enough to deter some customers who find it impossible to attain a comfortable driving position.
The interior quality is nothing much to shout about but other than that its hard to find much to generate complaint.
"If you thought all modern hot hatches had become bloated and boring, the Clio Renaultsport 182 Cup comes as a very refreshing tonic"
In turning a regulation Clio Renaultsport 182 into a Cup model, quite a bit of standard trim has been ditched. Out go the side airbags, xenon headlamps, headlamp wash, automatic headlamps adjustment, automatic wipers and heat reflecting windscreen. The climate controlled air conditioning has been exchanged for a manual set up and the 60/40 split rear seats with head restraints have been replaced by a one piece folding bench. The stereo is a little less punchy than the standard Clio 182 fit item and the leather and alcantara trim has been replaced by a simpler cloth upholstery.
Although all of this only saves around 20kg, it has a marked effect on the asking price, the Cup being around £900 less. When you pause to consider that a Honda Civic Type-R fitted with air conditioning would cost well over £17,000 and wouldnt be any quicker than the Clio, the value proposition becomes manifest. Options include metallic paint in Inferno Orange or, if you opt for the classic Racing Blue colour scheme (and you should), the white Competition Stripes. The Cup spoiler package comprises a bigger rear spoiler and an additional deeper front spoiler.
The Cup also benefits from a lowered ride height, stiffer springs and dampers and strengthened wheel hub carriers that can handle being bounced over kerbs on a track day. The steering geometry has been revised to offer even sharper turn-in, and anthracite Renaultsport alloy wheels are also fitted. Cup badging on the B-pillars should let you know not to instigate a race should a lairy looking Clio pull up next to you at the lights. If youre used to hot Clios, the 182 Cup is more or indeed less of the same.
The steering feels livewire, the gumball tyres transmitting the slightest response from the wheel to the road. Performance from the 182bhp engine is suitably vivid, and a well driven Cup would likely embarrass the exotic Clio V6 around most race tracks but its the chassis that holds all the aces. Compliant enough for road use yet perfectly suited to a thrash around any race track you care to mention, the Cup 182 is a great car to earn your track day wings. I recently tried following one around the Nurburgring.
I was in a 340bhp Mitsubishi Evo and still couldnt hold onto the tail of the demonically piloted Renault. There arent many more enjoyable hot hatches than this one when the road gets twisty. An open B road is hugely enjoyable, though if it gets any tighter than that, the slightly baulky gearchange can get in the way a little. Thats a pity because Renaults engineers have revised the induction system to improve response at low and medium speeds, tweaks which appear to have done the trick: power is always there, instantly, just when you want it. The engines quieter and greener too. Fuel consumption? Well, as ever with these cars, it depends just how much youre able to restrain yourself. Renault quotes 34.
9mpg on the Combined cycle but if you achieve that too often, then you probably shouldnt have bought this car in the first place. Unlike its predecessor, this Cup model gets anti lock brakes and very welcome they are too. top billing. It also features adaptive intelligent twin front airbags with two levels of inflation, depending upon the seating position of the driver and the severity of the impact.
For the rear side seats, pretensioners are now combined with 600kg load limiters. If you thought all modern hot hatches had become bloated and boring, the Clio Renaultsport 182 Cup comes as a very refreshing tonic. Heres a car that feels permanently livewired and only the most jaded will find it possible to resist. Right about now the best hot hatches around blend the best of modern engineering with a slightly old school fun factor.
The Clio 182 Cup is the prime exponent.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Renaultsport Clio 182 Cup
PRICE: £13,900 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 16D
CO2 EMISSIONS: 194g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 139mph / 0-60mph 6.7s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Urban) 26.9mpg / (Extra-urban) 44.1mpg / (Combined) 34.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Height 3770/1640/1400mm
