MK3 rs clio 197

[Justin182]

What i dont like about my 182 is no 6th (chilled out) gear. And so its a bit loud at speed. In the 197 i was hoping that the 6th gear would sort this problem but the ratio seems even shorter !!!

6th gear - 75mph at 4000rpm. (my rough calculations)

Has put me off again....

 

[miketheman2k]

It looks really bloated in some pics.

However it looks sweet in this...

But no standard xenons, alcantara or decent stereo? hmmm, Renaults are supposed to be good value - think they might be relying on their laurels.

 

[sh33n]

Yer ^

I think they're getting too big for their boots now, I seems that they think they can price it with the new ST, CTR etc and get away with it.

No chance.

And I'll be waiting for Cup / Trophy version anyway, think everyone has learnt their lesson there with the Clio and Megane constant revisions and models.

 

[sh33n]

Can I not delete a double post? Shocking! :dead:

 

[Rich]

I wondered whether all the nice bits would become extras like they where on the Megane, seems like that must be the new Renault way.

 

[Jay]

again no xenons, leather / alcantara etc as standard is a bit poo. Looks a bit bland also?

The colours don't really sound exciting? we need some stand out colours like new liquid yellows, infernos and racing blues?

again wait for the cup trophy version :evil:

 

[chris182]

With all the stuff thats being left off, xenons, leather etc. where are they going to make the weight savings for a 'cup' version?

 

[Zebrs]

What i dont like about my 182 is no 6th (chilled out) gear. And so its a bit loud at speed. In the 197 i was hoping that the 6th gear would sort this problem but the ratio seems even shorter !!!

6th gear - 75mph at 4000rpm. (my rough calculations)

Has put me off again....

Entirely agree. The RSs aren't motorway machines, I find driving mine on them becomes really hard work. Five fairly manic gears is fine, but it needs an overdrive/6th where you're not sitting at 4k in the outside lane.

I really hope Reno don't c**k this all up; the proto looked so promising!

 

[ukaskew]

Variable intermittent wipers, noooooooooo!!!! Do Renault not listen, we want a bog standard consistent intermittent wipe, none of this fancy variable nonsense, it doesn't work! I've tried it on every setting in my last two Clio's and if you let it be its gets to a point where you are driving blind before it does anything.

I'm betting it still does a courtesy wipe when you wash your windows as well, just when it looks fine it goes and wipes again once its dry leaving streaks over the window.

 

[Neil G]

Entirely agree. The RSs aren't motorway machines, I find driving mine on them becomes really hard work. Five fairly manic gears is fine, but it needs an overdrive/6th where you're not sitting at 4k in the outside lane.

I really hope Reno don't c**k this all up; the proto looked so promising!

Do agree with you..it's the only thing I don't like about my Clio...really wish it had a longer gear for M way cruising.

 

[courtster]

Hi Guys, I came here looking for your views on the Clio III RS and just thought I'd register and put my 2p worth into this mix - it seems you are all very negative about the Clio III RS.

As for the new car not being hard enough out the box, do you not think the unique (in Clio 3) double-axis front suspension, the rear anti roll bar, the polyurethane bump stops and not forgetting the 312mm cross drilled discs with Brembo 4-pot calipers are hard enough? Even the dodgy 'brake assist' off lesser Clio III's has been removed.

As for posters commenting the car looks like all the other small hatches out at the moment, you have to remember the Clio II is nearly a 10 year old design, it's time to move on.

As for the car not having all the goodies we like - thats due to the information being based on the French market car, on the continent they are given much lower specs, look at the Clio II RS, that didn't have Xenons etc as standard over there. I presume these will be standard when we get a Renault UK press release.

Just one thing I am not looking forward to, the ludicrous discounting that Renault managed with the last model, when you could get UK Clio 2 RS models for over 3k off list, this seriously devalued residuals. If you take your 2 year old Clio 2 RS to the Renault Stealer he wont even give you 8 grand for it. Whereas the Honda dealer who didn't discount the CTR will still give over 13 grand. Renault needs to stop the discounting on its flagship models, I can get a UK supplied 2006 Megane Cup for £4600 off list, whereas you'll be lucky to get £200 off the Cooper S or £400 off the 206 GTi and thats nearly as old as the Clio 2!

I'm sorry if I have offended anyone by my ramblings I don't mean any offence, I am hoping when I get my Clio III RS, you'll be warm and friendly - I'm off now to go and see if I can put a deposit down today

Cheers

Courtster

 

[bluenoes]

its bloody awful. looks just like many other new cars.

doesnt have any of the aggression of the last renaultsports.


with all the kit it would be ctr money and as much as i dont like the look of them, they're better than the new clio.

Have to agree, it does nothing for me at all.
Its trying to be a Golf lookalike or something, maybe trying to move to more of a family market?

No character at all, not like the 182/172

 

[blink172]

Well put Sir, nothing in that that will cause offence. Deposits wont be taken until the end of the month though. Would be nice to have a confirmed UK RRP for the cap and options.

Welcome aboard though mate

 

[chris182]

Variable intermittent wipers, noooooooooo!!!! Do Renault not listen, we want a bog standard consistent intermittent wipe, none of this fancy variable nonsense, it doesn't work! I've tried it on every setting in my last two Clio's and if you let it be its gets to a point where you are driving blind before it does anything.

I'm betting it still does a courtesy wipe when you wash your windows as well, just when it looks fine it goes and wipes again once its dry leaving streaks over the window.

Variable intermittents are ok, had them on my megane, at least you can set the timing.

Its the automatic ones on the 182 i cant get on with, they never wipe when you want them to, and the different settings dont seem to make any difference.

 

[ukaskew]

Variable intermittents are ok, had them on my megane, at least you can set the timing.

Its the automatic ones on the 182 i cant get on with, they never wipe when you want them to, and the different settings dont seem to make any difference.

Is it not the same thing? Both of my Clio's have had variable settings, I'll be damned if I have ever even figured out which way makes it more sensitive or whatever as it seems to make no difference! I just do it manually now, its that or not being able to see due to rain or not being able to see because the normal speed is too fast for light rain!

 

[dk]

Hi Guys, I came here looking for your views on the Clio III RS and just thought I'd register and put my 2p worth into this mix - it seems you are all very negative about the Clio III RS.

As for the new car not being hard enough out the box, do you not think the unique (in Clio 3) double-axis front suspension, the rear anti roll bar, the polyurethane bump stops and not forgetting the 312mm cross drilled discs with Brembo 4-pot calipers are hard enough? Even the dodgy 'brake assist' off lesser Clio III's has been removed.

As for posters commenting the car looks like all the other small hatches out at the moment, you have to remember the Clio II is nearly a 10 year old design, it's time to move on.

As for the car not having all the goodies we like - thats due to the information being based on the French market car, on the continent they are given much lower specs, look at the Clio II RS, that didn't have Xenons etc as standard over there. I presume these will be standard when we get a Renault UK press release.

Just one thing I am not looking forward to, the ludicrous discounting that Renault managed with the last model, when you could get UK Clio 2 RS models for over 3k off list, this seriously devalued residuals. If you take your 2 year old Clio 2 RS to the Renault Stealer he wont even give you 8 grand for it. Whereas the Honda dealer who didn't discount the CTR will still give over 13 grand. Renault needs to stop the discounting on its flagship models, I can get a UK supplied 2006 Megane Cup for £4600 off list, whereas you'll be lucky to get £200 off the Cooper S or £400 off the 206 GTi and thats nearly as old as the Clio 2!

I'm sorry if I have offended anyone by my ramblings I don't mean any offence, I am hoping when I get my Clio III RS, you'll be warm and friendly - I'm off now to go and see if I can put a deposit down today

Cheers

Courtster

commented on your thoughts in the media thread, again welcome to CS!

As for the people complaining about the aut wipers, i think they are one of the best features on my car, work very well all the time, can't understand why people have so much trouble with them, just turn them on auto and let it do the rest, not really complicated and works very well for me.

 

[chris182]

Is it not the same thing? Both of my Clio's have had variable settings, I'll be damned if I have ever even figured out which way makes it more sensitive or whatever as it seems to make no difference! I just do it manually now, its that or not being able to see due to rain or not being able to see because the normal speed is too fast for light rain!

Variable, when you turn the dial on the stalk they wipe constantly at the same interval, somewhere between about 1 second to about 10 seconds, depending on the chosen setting.

Automatic, thats what the 182 has and relies on the windscreen sensor.

Mine have never worked how i would like either, and adjusting them doesn't seem to make any difference.

I hope they have gone back to variable.

Also the point about the wipers going off when you use washers, how hard is to lift your finger to operate them yourself when you've actually got some water on the screen, without the wipe that comes 5 seconds later.

 

[rodders]

Some middle age spread is occurring on the new Clio RS 197.
It's going the same way as each marque of the Golf.
0 to 62mph in 6.9 seconds & 134 mph top speed.
Is the latter figure a mis-print?
Lets see what the car magazines make of it in the spring against the 207 GTI.

 

[Daz_172]

its always the same when they bring out a new model, i hate it, but i know after a while ill start to like the look of it, wouldnt pay £16-17k though when i can get a 182 for almost half that and its just as quick and far nicer in my opinion

 

[blink172]

its always the same when they bring out a new model, i hate it, but i know after a while ill start to like the look of it, wouldnt pay £16-17k though when i can get a 182 for almost half that and its just as quick and far nicer in my opinion

Or when a Golf Gti, type r and cupra r wont be that much more coin.

Anyway, it doesnt matter until the 'official' prices are released at the end of the month.

 

[blaze]

Don't forget Blink the golf GTI is slower than our beloved's to 100, Not that impressive considering the HUGE price hike, and that it is a different class of vehicle.

For anyone that has an issue with the auto wipers you need to read the instructions. As in they cancell every time you start the car, so will not do what you think.

Blaze

 

[Sine]

An article about the 197 found on EVO website:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/64867/renaultsport_clio_197.html

 

[chris182]

Don't forget Blink the golf GTI is slower than our beloved's to 100, Not that impressive considering the HUGE price hike, and that it is a different class of vehicle.

For anyone that has an issue with the auto wipers you need to read the instructions. As in they cancell every time you start the car, so will not do what you think.

Blaze

Yeh, i know how they work, i just dont like them.

 

[blink172]

Don't forget Blink the golf GTI is slower than our beloved's to 100, Not that impressive considering the HUGE price hike, and that it is a different class of vehicle.

For anyone that has an issue with the auto wipers you need to read the instructions. As in they cancell every time you start the car, so will not do what you think.

Blaze

Huge price difference? Only going to be about £2k if you add on the options on the 197. Clio or Golf (bearing in mind the residuals and tuning options), no contest really. As I said though, wait until the official UK prices are realease, its irrelevant until then.