Morning all,
Just to let the old school crew know that I'm back at last.
You'll see from some old threads that I've been taking time out from proper performance cars while sharing with my other half and moving around a bit. The good news is that the incremental approach started with a 60bhp Clio 1.2, through a 130bhp Grange Punto JTD, has now resulted in the next step... to a Clio 197.
Our annual mileage is under 8k these days, so fuel economy isn't the issue I thought it would be with a 197 - but city centre practicality is, so a small hatch fills the bill well. We'd recently taken to renting interesting vehicles to save actually owning one (took a kitch VW Camper to west Wales a few weeks ago!), but this is actually quite a hassle to get the one you want and then return it. The cost per mile of owning a 197 will be high for me taking depreciation into account, but so will the smiles per mile!
My take on the 197 (remembering I've owned all the Renaultsport Clios apart from a V6) is very positive. It's much more grown-up and subtle than the competition, perhaps than its immediate predecessors. I certainly don't see what the fuss is about lack of torque - I currently have 207lb/ft available under 2,000rpm in the JTD and I found the 197, if anything, even more responsive (no massive slug of torque, but no turbo lag either). It looks like a proper RS in the flesh with the bulged wings and, although you note the lack of toys compared to the Mk2 cars, the Mk3 is a very big improvment in quality and looks terms.
I should be picking up my standard Nimbus 197 within the week.
Just to let the old school crew know that I'm back at last.
You'll see from some old threads that I've been taking time out from proper performance cars while sharing with my other half and moving around a bit. The good news is that the incremental approach started with a 60bhp Clio 1.2, through a 130bhp Grange Punto JTD, has now resulted in the next step... to a Clio 197.
Our annual mileage is under 8k these days, so fuel economy isn't the issue I thought it would be with a 197 - but city centre practicality is, so a small hatch fills the bill well. We'd recently taken to renting interesting vehicles to save actually owning one (took a kitch VW Camper to west Wales a few weeks ago!), but this is actually quite a hassle to get the one you want and then return it. The cost per mile of owning a 197 will be high for me taking depreciation into account, but so will the smiles per mile!
My take on the 197 (remembering I've owned all the Renaultsport Clios apart from a V6) is very positive. It's much more grown-up and subtle than the competition, perhaps than its immediate predecessors. I certainly don't see what the fuss is about lack of torque - I currently have 207lb/ft available under 2,000rpm in the JTD and I found the 197, if anything, even more responsive (no massive slug of torque, but no turbo lag either). It looks like a proper RS in the flesh with the bulged wings and, although you note the lack of toys compared to the Mk2 cars, the Mk3 is a very big improvment in quality and looks terms.
I should be picking up my standard Nimbus 197 within the week.
