For the person posting about a comparson with the 182 - I'm not a driving god, and I've only done the Bedford GT track thus far in both cars, but it's ridiculous how much faster the 250 is compared to the 182. Bigger, heavier and less fun in my opinion, but it is so, so easy to drive fast, has serious grunt out of corners and you can get on the power ridiculously early. Down the back straight on the GT track, I'm probably doing 15 - 20MPH more before braking for the chicane (and I'm braking 30/40m earlier in the 250 as well). On ordinary road tyres it's not that much faster in the corners at the apex, but overall, it all adds up. Note also, the GT circuit is a power track and, with while my 182 was probably putting out less than book, almost all 250s are putting out more than renault quote.
In all honesty, I read the article in this month's evo and was slightly disappointed that the v6 (even though its a 255) got that close. On a wet track though it would be 5 seconds faster.
I haven't got a direct comparison with a 182 and I drove my 182 much harder on track than I drive the 250 on track, but my absolutely bog standard 250 was faster on a damp track at Bedford in January than pretty much everything on the circuit other than the serious track cars (exiges and caterhams) and a 220HP type r weighing less than a ton. But moderately track prepped integras, 911s etc, were all holding me up. And I probably only get 70% out of the car!
