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Not another 197 test drive!



Tom

ClioSport Club Member
  EV (s)
Took a 197 out again at the weekend, this one had 35 miles on the clock (!)
I felt a bit of a dickhead driving it about (see pictures)

This was easily the worst one ive ever driven, sure it was tight but its so so so slow!!
Also the steering on this one seemed much harder to operate witch was odd.


DSC00183.jpg


DSC00182.jpg
 

Lee

  BMW M2C
Everything is slow compared to the TBR 182.

You know you'll end up with one in the end, stop fooling yourself.
 
And i didn't think the 197 could get anyworse... those stripes are absolute shite they could'ave at least put them on a RB wasters.
 

Tom

ClioSport Club Member
  EV (s)
Dealer/salesman was nice, which is handy.
He even let me take it on my "special route"

Quite liked the wheels, but the stripes were gash.
 
  E90
Dont they have 6 gears, heaven fcuking forbid the amount of gear change combinations you would get on a 20 min test drive, 62 million???? lol
 

Tom

ClioSport Club Member
  EV (s)
i had it for an hour, the gears are silly.
need to change down twice for something the 182 would cope with remaining in 4th.

R27 test soon at another dealer.
 

Gaz_

ClioSport Club Member
  Extreme mode
They are NOT slow. They 'feel' slower granted. We had one for a day, and ran it alongside my 182. There is nothing in it...... . The 197 needs working harder with the gears, but they are not slower. Cliosport myth 1000009998
 

Tom

ClioSport Club Member
  EV (s)
They are NOT slow. They 'feel' slower granted. We had one for a day, and ran it alongside my 182. There is nothing in it...... . The 197 needs working harder with the gears, but they are not slower. Cliosport myth 1000009998

Sorry mate, ive driven 5 of the things.

None of them would be quicker than my personal 182, the fact that you have to work it so hard to get the best out of it would make it slower in day to day life.

On a shorter circuit ive no doubt id hand one its arse, however it could have the potential to out handle the 182 on longer tracks like the ring.

No complaints with the handling at all. Just the power delivery is a step backwards.
 

Gaz_

ClioSport Club Member
  Extreme mode
They will. Not many peeps on here have had them side by side and **** them off as being slow. WRONG! :)
 

Gaz_

ClioSport Club Member
  Extreme mode
They are NOT slow. They 'feel' slower granted. We had one for a day, and ran it alongside my 182. There is nothing in it...... . The 197 needs working harder with the gears, but they are not slower. Cliosport myth 1000009998

Sorry mate, ive driven 5 of the things.

None of them would be quicker than my personal 182, the fact that you have to work it so hard to get the best out of it would make it slower in day to day life.

On a shorter circuit ive no doubt id hand one its arse, however it could have the potential to out handle the 182 on longer tracks like the ring.

No complaints with the handling at all. Just the power delivery is a step backwards.

Seriously you need to get them side by side. You will be suprised.
 

Tom

ClioSport Club Member
  EV (s)
If you read the previous test drive posts ive had no issues with the speed, but its not as quick or quicker than my 182 in a straight line.

This one was tight and a bit of a dog.
 

DrR

ClioSport Club Member
  VW Golf GTD
At least the 197 doesn't come with the chav wheels and exhaust options the others come with.
 
  Nippy white cup
I have seen 2 Corsa VXRs an I have to say I prefer them. Some of the styling is a bit ott but in general they look better imo..plus the engine will help things along.

Chris
 
  Roadster Coupe
I aint fussed on 197's. they've grown on me a bit. car retailer by me has got 6 of them, all brand new unregistered! got on in each colour. lol I'm liking the corsa more than the clio.

Is it me or are hatchbacks getting bigger? whats the point. lol
 
yes they are the new clio is 130kg heavyer its cause they have to be designed around health an safty an to meet new emisson regulations also to acomindate curvyer fokes sad i dont need a massive car but the clio will be the size of a megane in a few years lol

the worst one are the 205-206-207 you can see how bad it is
 
  Renaultsport 220T
I thought u said u liked the White stripes Tom?

It's interesting when you read the figures from tests like this one from Piston Heads against the Mini Cooper S.

"Our test figures bear it out. At the track, the 1,205kg Cooper S hit 60mph in 6.6 seconds and sprinted on to 100mph in 16.2 seconds. The Clio 197 managed 6.9 and 18.7 respectively. But that’s not all. In-gear flexibility is more significant than traffic light titillation. And here, the Cooper S turbo’s torque comes into its own. It muscles its way from 30-50mph in third in 2.9 secs and 50-70mph in fifth in 5.1 secs, against 4.3 and 7.3 respectively for the 1,240kg French charger. Oh dear."

And...
"The fact of the matter is any decent turbo diesel would leave the 197 driver flailing at the gears. "

Personally, having driven the car on track, and on the road, I wouldn't spend 17k on one.

Especially knowing that the F1 technology on the car is pish and nothing more than a marketing ploy, like the vents in the front wings which improve airflow. That ain't going to work as they are blocked on the road car.

It is a good car, just not a great car.

Maybe the cup version will fix all this. And I'll be persuaded to go buy one.

Until then the 182 is still much more fun to drive and more responsive throught the steering and more rewarding on track.
 


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