Diesel Renaultsport Clio

[Tom]

Im doing some research work at the mo for another car company, on the market reaction to a sporty version of their current supermini.

My question to you lot is;

Would you buy a 160-180bhp Renaultsport Dci?

(If it mirrored the spec and the chassis setup of course.)

 

[jon_r]

Yes, because id imagine itll have shed loads of torque as well.

 

[RobFenn]

Nah

 

[David]

Yeh totally! imagine the mpg! and stil have the pwer not to mention xcellent torque from a diesel engine.

 

[R3OBC]

yup!! it wud defo pull the petrol 182 inside out id say

 

[Yugguy]

No. Never.

 

[rocko]

Oh my yes

 

[Smokey McPot]

50/50 depends how the engine sounds.

 

[blink172]

are the DCIs turbod? If so, the would be to easy to up the power and out hpower the 182/172

 

[Liam_Dynamique]

Think Id agree with Mr McPot, and also depends on what it could rev to. But my initial gut reaction is no, diesels are meant to be sporty.

 

[Hippychick]

Yes as long as it had the same spec equiptment wise as the 172 for instance...

There does seem to be a general lack in equiptment (toys) within small car diesel ranges that makes them look like and feel utility vehicles

 

[TheCake]

Fabia VRS. Do i need to say anymore.

 

[thestig]

Yes

 

[Big Iain]

I would I mean ook at the new golfs??

 

[thestig]

Theres a Golf Diesel Racer with 220 bhp and that shifts!!

 

[paddymph]

no way, imagine all the rattles! theyd be made worse by a dirty diesel lump!

not for me thanks.

 

[Smokey]

Yeah for sure, Diesel Turbos love a good chipping lol

 

[Pugboy]

i reckon in ten years about 90 % of all new cars sold will be diesels. the small cars and supercars will probably be the last to change...

Im not sure whether the power/torque characteristics of a powerful diesel are particularly suited to a small front wheel drive set up. low down torque = loss of traction i would think..

any thoughts people?

 

[Ang]

nope, not for me thanks

 

[Don]

A diesel with a turbo makes it similar to a standard engine of the same size (but with more torque). If they made a twin-turbo diesel engine, then that would be similar (obviously apart from the noise) to a turbod petrol lump. Ive driven a 206 1.9 TD and I was impressed with it when using it, but when stopped at traffic lights, the diesel tickover was horrible, it sounds worse than a petrol Renaultsport 2.0 performing a cold start!

 

[CRS172]

The handling would be too badly affected by the extra weight fro the diesel engine. It is difficult to see how it would do anything other than understeer badly. So no not really.

 

[y0z2a]

possibly...

I had the 110BHP 1.9 Si dTI before my cup so...

/y0z

 

[Tom]

Quote: Originally posted by CRS172 on 23 June 2004

The handling would be too badly affected by the extra weight fro the diesel engine. It is difficult to see how it would do anything other than understeer badly. So no not really.

depends what engine was used and how the chassis was set up.

so i dont agree.

 

[172mgw]

errrr defo yes, ive driven a fabia vrs and despite my intialreservations, it is a good car!!

 

[cliotuRS]

diesel DCI clios engine only weights 30kgs more ! so handling problems can be ironed out. Twin turbo models like new Jag + new vectra coming out are very fast for heavy cars. The concept twin turbo Vectra does 0-60 in 6.3 secs !! and that weights around 1600KGs or more !! Vauxual are up with the best with there new CDTI engines and even newer twin turbo TTCDTI. the signum and vectra have options of 3.0v6 CDTI engines !! hehe.. torque. C class merc only goes upto 2.7cdi (same sector) and thats very fast in the mid.

Diesels are getting faster and quieter.. but ironically have worse fuel consumption.

60mpg 130- 140bhp Clio DCI with RS bodykit and unique wheels.. extra sound protection for engine but with a sports exhaust note.

 

[Lagerlout]

I would. Maybe. It would be fast alright. But it would still be a diesel. They sound bad, they smell bad and they chuck clouds of black smoke..... Having said that, a 2.0 150 Dci engine in a Clio would be awesome......

 

[Pete]

Yes, provided you didnt loose the benefits of the decent fuel economy of the diesel + the extra torque etc.

 

[jon_r]

All those guys saying about the rattles in a diesel.

I had a DCi before the Cup, and the Dci was far better on the rattle front

 

[msa197]

Yes how soon can I order one?!?!?

 

[KnightAzul]

Finally, after years avoiding diesels I decided to test drive some of the more powerful diesels cars which are available today - for example, Alfa 147 JTD 16v with 140 horses, to see how things have changed in the last few years. It would seem that you are out of fashion if you dont have a diesel nowadays!!

I was most unimpressed with the "driving experience" - doesnt really matter what gear you are in they pretty much pull the same, the notion of a quick downshift to overtake is not there, they dont rev very high, the sound of the engine is not very inspiring, etc. Basically its boring! but great to get from A to B, which I guess is why they are so popular.

If they had a diesel to match the "driving experience" of my 182 Clio then I would seriously consider it.

KnightAzul

 

[Saner]

Quote: Originally posted by lagerlout1 on 23 June 2004

I would. Maybe. It would be fast alright. But it would still be a diesel. They sound bad, they smell bad and they chuck clouds of black smoke..... Having said that, a 2.0 150 Dci engine in a Clio would be awesome......

Diesels today dont smell bad, not as bad as unleaded petrol and they dont chuck out clouds of smoke. There also not as noisey as they used to be, but still the sound is something that puts me off buying one.

 

[rmccardal]

No, I dont do tractors.

 

[cliomk2]

I woudl as my DCI is amazing quick and is fast as well.

Id buy a bigger engine one No problems.



an 180bhp version would piss on the 182.

maybe not top end but 1/4 mile,0-60, 0-100. c ya.

 

[viceroy]

Nope...

A mate of mine has a 1.9 TDi polo and while he out torques me, I still have the better car in terms of overall speed...His is just easier to drive because all the torque is lower down

 

[Yugguy]

Youll still be changing gear every 3 seconds, especially on the low-speed sprints.

 

[Wezzie]

hmm id like the torque of it but i think people normally prefer a revy car as its much more fun ragging it to 7300rpm than about 4500 max before the diesel gives in and loses power. It would have to equal 0-60 of 6.5 secs for me to consider it tbh. Oh and yes diesels do chuck out smoke under hard acceleration no matter wot you say. Oh and it would sound like a tank or truck with a zorst system on.

 

[Roamer]

Yup I would.... in fact if I even get in the position to do another project... Id do a diesel.

 

[fizzy_drink]

YES!

Better MPG, better torque, better range, and quieter on motorway.

 

[cliotuRS]

diesel are quite limited on tuning. certain cars have specific tuning mods but generally theres not too much out.

Intercooler, Ecu remap, dump valve is all that there is. zorst aparently doesnt do as much as a turbo petrol and there arent induction kits (well i know of one) throttle bodies cams arent avaliable ((probably possible but try finding them for a specfic model)) as far as iam aware.. but i could be completly wrong.

my bro has a 183bhp (on kickdown) TDCI mondy, quick in fact, when on the move i can only pull three-four car lenghts.. not bad for a 1500kg car with simular bhp to mine.. although that is about the max for a 2.0TDCI. a 2.0T petrol can be pushed way higher to hundreds of bhp.

BTW i must add its got 320lbft of torque

 

[JAY172]

probably-new deisals are pretty quiet,reliable and economical.