If you take the time to learn the car, they are fantastic.
There is a stigma around from overzealous journalists that tried to drift, or drove the cars like a 172. You can't do that in a Vee. You can't get in it and expect it to be a 1*2 on steroids its a fundamentally different machine. They're more of a grand tourer than a hot hatch. You have to really think hard on it, as you walk up to a Clio, you get inside and it looks and feels like a Clio (almost disappointingly so), but it's not a Clio (IYSWIM). The monster of a V6 over the rear wheels combined with a short wheelbase means it shares none of the handling traits of your usual RS Clio. I spent a lot of time learning mine, small tweaks to the suspension and geo, tyre pressures (i'm down to 20psi on the fronts!) as there is F-all weight up there, I can lift the front end off the floor with a ratchet strap over my shoulders! If you pile into a corner all out of shape that big heavy lump at the back is going to pendulum and bite you...HARD.
Most of the time i'm happy to trundle around accepting turned heads and pointing fingers, listening to the glorious V6 burble from the back. You dont even need to go fast to enjoy it. The noise is *delicious*.
However, presented the opportunity to drive it like a complete goon, i'll happily open the taps all the way now I am happy with the handling. It SHIFTS. Many people, including my close friends, have expressed genuine surprise as how well it moves around. My car has over 80k miles on the odo so I dont get precious about using it, it's no garage queen and it's a crime against petrolheads to lock these things away in investment basements. It was also recently endorsed by a professional racing driver, so i'm happy I got it right
This is my car in the videos:
Jamie Wall:
Presenter girlies:
And some utter cringe with my on film:
In summary: Clio V6's are more than the sum of their parts. It's the last of it's kind, we'll never see its like again. It's a privilege to own one.
