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does no one like the 197?



  none, just walk
ive been away from the clio scene for about a year now since i owned a 172, but speaking unbias i must say the new 197 looks amazing! i will be considering one in the future, but i have notice on this site there isnt many around, i.e there isnt any on the owners gallery, nor is there people saying im getting rid of my 172/ 182 for a 197 etc.....

is there a long waiting list and thats why no one has a one, or are they being shunned buy the cliosporter?
 
  Turbo'd MX-5 MK4
I like the looks of them, but they are too slow and too much £££££. I opted for a much better deal on the Megane 225 to replace my 172.
 
  LY V6 with Recaros
I didn't like the looks of it much, but I was hoping my opinion of the car would change once I'd drove it, but it seemed too dull and slow compared to the 182, and far too expensive, if I had that cash I would buy a v6 or 225.
 
  Nissan 350Z
McBunny said:
has it ever looked aggressive since the valver/willy ??

Nope, and the valver/willy didnt look aggressive either. Hot hatches seldom do "aggressive".

As for the 197; its become more grown up. Its expensive, its too refined, and its become boring. Its missed the point entirely. Proper raw hot hatches are very thin on the ground now.

Every time i drive my 182 i grin like a loony. I cant imagine myself doing this in a 197.
 

Lee

  BMW M2C
The 197 is an excellent car. Here's a couple of posts I've put up in the past.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica] Having spent as long as I wanted in the car yesterday around Brands, without anyone telling me what I can and can't do I was able to drive the car how I wanted.

Obviously I've had a 172, 182 with Cup packs and currently have the Trophy as well as having driven 172 Cups, valvers and Williams so I'm quite up on my RenaultSport Clios.

Having driven then 197 at Oulton but only for a few laps I was lucky enough yesterday to get my hands on one for as long as I wanted at Brands, and with those new brakes that was a lot longer than I'd go in my car. lol

Thoughts on the car in no real order:

Brakes, they have to get mentioned first as they are truly amazing. They allowed you to brake so much later and harder and resisted fade lap after lap. I drove the car straight after Jeremy had finished in it, with no cool down period and the pedal was solid as a rock.

Handling wise it couldn't be a more surefooted yet adjustable car. The level of grip it has is far more than any previous Clio on road tyres I've driven. It settles into a corner so easily and just goes round. What is amazing is that if you want to adjust your line there's no sawing at the wheel or drama you can just lift and steer and it goes round. The rear end doesn't feel light anymore, and to a degree really feels like it steers from the rear as opposed to just dragging it round.

The steering is light, especially after getting out of the Trophy, but it weights up nicely under hard cornering, and offers decent feedback though not as much as the previous generation of RenaulSport Clios. The older car has the edge in that area for me, though the small chunky wheel is perfection.

The engine in the car I drove had around 2k on it and unlike the new one I drove previously had an obvious 5k kick as well as making a useful noise. When shifting up and getting back on the power there was the usual kick, which the new low mileage car lacked. The gearbox, although a little tight (being new) is excellent and didn't seem flustered when rushed, unlike the old unit which crunches 1st to 2nd when pushed hard! I did on a couple of occasions fail to get it into gear but I suspect that's because it was new and still tight. I had the same with mine for months.

Anyway, enough about the car. On track I had no problems catching and passing numerous 172s and 182 including a couple of Trophy. There was only one car (a Trophy) which I didn't pass as he was lapping at a very similar pace. I'd been out for a good while by then so figured it was probably a good idea to give the poor car a rest. The rest of the day I passed 197s in the Trophy. It's a shame people didn't get the chance to really push on, but then crashing someone elses car isn't a good thing.

Everyone else had to lap with an instructor so had to be a little more careful, as well as having a limited time in the car. Given a free reign you can really so how impressive the car is. It feels more of a precision instrument rather than something you can chuck around by the scruff of the neck.

After I'd done in the 197 I jumped back in the Trophy and it felt so different. I'm confused now as to which I prefer. The 197 will lap quicker without a shadow of doubt, but I fear it's weight disadvantage will hurt it's quick direction changes on B roads, though the excellent damping I'm sure will more smooth out the poor surface enough to still put it ahead of the previous models. If it were to lose a few pounds here and there then I have no doubt it would become the new greatest hot hatch ever. Once back in the Trophy what hits you is that you turn the wheel and it goes straight away, it feels light on it's feet, with minimal contact with the tarmac it skips along light, but surefooted. Into the first corner at Brands, hard on the brakes and the rear end isn't even on the tarmac, making you work hard to keep it in a straight line before chucking it into the fast sweeping right is great fun (hey Iain) that's something the 197 doesn't do, it will make it through the turn without any of the drama/fun and come out the other side ahead.

I think that just about covers my thoughts.

Lee


[/FONT] And more recently:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]I got to spend some more decent time in one at Cadwell yesterday and once again it seriously impressed me. The gearing goes a long way to helping out around a track like Cadwell, it's very rare you find yourself out of the power band in the 197, if ever.

Handling wise I was chucking it about as much as I do the Trophy on there's absolutely no drama, it just flatters you and gets on with the task in hand, which is corning fast and smooth. As always the brakes were amazing. Mine were really starting to grumble after 10 minutes.

I still rate it a much better all round car than the Trophy as it's nice on the road and very capable on the track. I still love my Trophy though.
[/FONT]
 

eugegall

ClioSport Club Member
i saw a red one with full tints driving yest and it looked amazing. dont like them in the showroom but on the road they stand out
 
cliomk2sport will eventually change, it used to be a mixed balance of mk1s and mk2s but now its rightly called cliomk2sport so i cant see why it wont change to cliomk3sport in the future...
the 197 is dog shiiiite
 
  Monaco Blue 172
still undecided. it sorta seems too big and boat-like compared to previous clio's. as to aggressive looks, imo u cant really beat the vee's in that dept ;)
 
  Ultra 197 ex 172 Cup
depends what you mean by 197, you mean the new clio shape or the performance ?

I don't like the shape, i think it will be a stop game like the original 172, that only had its shape for 1 year then renault changed it. i think that will happen to the new clio

haven't driven a 197 so don't know about its performance, but from the specs it sounds more girly, think i would rather get a megane 225 instead of the new shape clio, as its gone to the pink side
 
  Clio 182
I won't be changing from the 182 - it's too big for me for starters, dash is far too high and it just feels like a big car which isn't what I want. Plus it's overpriced.
 
  80MPG BEEZA
thing is in terms of hot hatches the 172 mk1 and 2 where quicker then the valver and it looked aggressive which caught peoples eye. the new 197 is just a big fat pile of sh*t i certainly wont be getting one everytime i see a new clio i wanna key it because it looks so bad, why did the get rid of the beautiful big fat back end the mk2's had? if i had to make a new clio it wud just be the same as a 182 but make the headlights abit meaner end of.
its trying for the future but its failed i'd rather have the new civic or leon, the 197 is w*nk to say the least I FREAKING HATE IT! grrrrr
 
  MERCEDES CLS AMG
Karen said:
I won't be changing from the 182 - it's too big for me for starters, dash is far too high and it just feels like a big car which isn't what I want. Plus it's overpriced.


what do girls know about cars .... ?
 
  Ultra 197 ex 172 Cup
Batman said:
thing is in terms of hot hatches the 172 mk1 and 2 where quicker then the valver and it looked aggressive which caught peoples eye. the new 197 is just a big fat pile of sh*t i certainly wont be getting one everytime i see a new clio i wanna key it because it looks so bad, why did the get rid of the beautiful big fat back end the mk2's had? if i had to make a new clio it wud just be the same as a 182 but make the headlights abit meaner end of.
its trying for the future but its failed i'd rather have the new civic or leon, the 197 is w*nk to say the least I FREAKING HATE IT! grrrrr

cos of british designers
 
  80MPG BEEZA
does anyome have the name of the designer/ers or where i can contact them?
i actually want to right them a letter stating my thoughts to releave some tension
 
I like it, but I have no real desire to own one.

My only real niggle is how much bigger, and heavier, it is than the previous generation clio. But I suppose that is always the way with new cars now.
 
Storm_Force said:
I like them.. picking mine up on Monday.

Fair play. Hope you enjoy it. There is a lack of actual 197 owners posting their experiences on the site, that I for one would be interested in.
 
  MKIII 138
Plattsy said:
the 197 is dog shiiiite

what do you drive ?

have you ever designed or made a car ? dont think its dog shite now is it.

looks fantastic inside and out and the quality is right up there with the best compared with 1980`s plastic toy 172/182. some people demand hardcore only some want a bit of both.
 
  Turbos.
Exactly, yes it is more expensive than a 182 was when new, but then you are getting more for your money. It's still a relative bargain.
 
  Nissan 350Z
Thing is, if I was worried about ability and refinement yada yada, I'd buy a BMW.

Thats the issue most have with the 197. Its just too, well, tame.

Is storm force our first member who actually owns one?
 
meggerman said:
what do you drive ?

have you ever designed or made a car ? dont think its dog sh*te now is it.

looks fantastic inside and out and the quality is right up there with the best compared with 1980`s plastic toy 172/182. some people demand hardcore only some want a bit of both.

we wont know the quality until its been out for a year or two though... based on past experience it will probably fall to bits as well, but that depends on how much input Nissan have had. Looking at the high weight, poor power output I'd say very little.

Personally I think they look pretty tacky, seats are nice though...
 
C

clio172cup20

Its a nice motor,
at the end of the day... £17k on a Renault
No thank you!!!
Still a renault
 
  A Fcukin Car
I cant say I do like it TBH, looks just too big and ugly and rather tacky IMO. If I had £17k I definatly wouldn't be buying a Renault 197!
 
  Megane Mk4
I like the exterior, but thats it. I test drove one and found it heavy, sluggish and just rubbish to drive....

I won't be replacing my 182 with one tbh.. The clio has lost the appeal. :(
 


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