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The 197 - Simply the Better Car



Ali

  V6, Trackhawk, GTS
I didn't think much of it. It's slower. Feels considerably less fun. Crap interior. Crap seats(The stds) Expensive! No ta. (Does look nice tho)
 
  172 Credit crunch edition
I have a 172 cup previous cars have inuluded 106 rallye S2, pug 205 1.9 gti, xsara vts, and dare i say it a fiesta zetec S!! lol
however when i was looking for a clio sport i looked at various 182's etc etc and was seriously considering a 197 but however it was the price that put me off. For instance i could buy a evo for the same amount. I settled on a 172 cup for much less money.
at the end of the day its horses for courses isnt it.
The 197 is a remarkable car and if it anything like the 172 cup, i will be in the market for one next year sometime. (when the prices drop)
 
  Yaris Hybrid
On 5th Gear they said you could get one for £13k? Where?!?! They said the info was on their website but I couldn't find it. I can upgrade in September if I wish but I am thinking of maybe another Veccy or keeping the 182 as the 197 is over priced and under spec'd.
 
On 5th Gear they said you could get one for £13k? Where?!?! They said the info was on their website but I couldn't find it. I can upgrade in September if I wish but I am thinking of maybe another Veccy or keeping the 182 as the 197 is over priced and under spec'd.

I posted the website address a few days ago for a place which does them for £13.3k
 
Voted Best Hot Hatch 2006 in Autocar ahead of the Focus ST and Golf GTi. Track and Race Cars also awarded it Best Hot Hatch ahead of the Mini GP, Megane 225 F1, Golf R32, Ibiza Cupra and Polo GTi. The same magazine awarded the Clio Cup Best Trackday car also
 
  FN2 Type R +MK6 Golf
I cant see it myself.The cars above are for the most quicker and handle better.
But i havent driven the clio so what do i know

ian
 
  Clio 182 / Lotus Elise S1
I drove a 197 yesterday. Seemed slower than my 182... put that down to it being 'tight' as it was new. Handling was great but then I have no complaints about my 182 when I rag it (which is often). Got offered a 0% Finance deal by the Renault dealer.

Then I popped in to a Honda dealer and sat in a Type-S (they wont have a Type-R demonstrator 'til Feb) and the interior look and feel was worlds above the 197 IMO. No idea what to do. Will have to see the road-tests on the Type-R before I decide as the driving exp is my main priority.

Despite my Renault dealer telling me the 0% offer on the 197 ends today (Sat @ 6pm)... I'm sure I can get a better deal on-line anyway. :)

Edit: Paragraphs help!
 
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  MINI JCW
Voted Best Hot Hatch 2006 in Autocar ahead of the Focus ST and Golf GTi. Track and Race Cars also awarded it Best Hot Hatch ahead of the Mini GP, Megane 225 F1, Golf R32, Ibiza Cupra and Polo GTi. The same magazine awarded the Clio Cup Best Trackday car also

I was looking at that track and race mag the other day and not only did they vote the 197 the best it was also quickest hot hatch round the track
 
  182... again!
Think you need a special 197 Defender badge Seb.

Images of a Land Rover Defender spring to mind...

Isn't it all down to personal preferances?

I bought mine knowing that a new model was on the way, helped with the discount though!

When I first saw and drove a 197 I was releived that I wasn't so keen on it's looks, inside or out and apart from the brakes being better I wasn't any more impressed with the driving experience. I missed the power band at 5000 revs...

I don't think it's such good VFM either...many of the features on the 182 are now optional extras! Also, there was an £8000 difference between mine and a Golf GTI, now it looks like the difference is maybe £5000!!

Lets not start on power to weight ratios...
 
  Impreza P1
I really like the 197 , but I have not test drove one yet it will probably only make me want one LOL.

It is personal preference at the end of the day but having my own personal preference i'd have this for 13k.

skyline 3.jpg

only 400bhp bye bye 197.

I know the running costs would kill anyones wallet but boy it'd be fun

For now ill stick with my Cup and GT Turbo they are to much fun to trade in.;)
 
  Renault Clio 172 Ph2
Kris - that would break down x10 more aswell (I know they can run 400bhp on std internals but all the same)

comparing a 197 to that, is like comparing mayonaise to mustard, both good just one extreme or the other
 
  Impreza P1
Very True Very True , ;)

Again personnel preference Im used to cars breaking down I own an R5 lol but for the money of a 197 there is alot of competition around , maybe not brand new but used .

Example you can get an R33 GTS-T 280bhp for around 7k with about 40,000 miles on the clock, to name one

But I do love the 197 and really would like to test drive one
 
  Clio 197
I can understand why people are comparing the 172/182 to the 197, since one is a newer version of the other...

...but actually they're different cars in the real world.



My friend Ian has just bought an Audi TT 3.2 V6, hard-top (proper version). He said that he won't sell his MX5 (2-3k) because he LOVES the rawness and feel of it.

That doesn't mean to say that his TT doesn't handle... and doesn't grip. He enjoys driving it, but it's a difference experience.

In a way, there's a similar difference between the 172/182 and the 197.


Had they both been sold side-by-side, people would choose one or the other based on preference. Unfortunately there isn't that choice...

I'd still have a 197 though, it's nice (in a different way).
 
  Tangoed Works
Have any of you had a look on www.civictype-r.co.uk there is the same debate going on about the old ep3 civic against the new 07 type r. Ie, heavier weight and not siginficant power increase.

All the ep3 owners are slating it. But i would agree that the 197 feels a lot slower in the real world compared to the 182 having driven one. Wont take away the fact that it is safer and better built tho.
 
  Renaultsport Clio 182
The 197 is not going to appeal to 1*2 owners because of the reasons we all bought our Clios in the first place. We'd all be CTR owners if we wanted a slightly larger better built but less well equipped car with little steering feedback for a few grand more.

The fact that the 197 will not keep up with a CTR is very worrying, direct comparisons will be made and will affect sales, and if the new CTR is 2 seconds faster than the 197 to 100mph then its game over!
 
  Yaris Hybrid
I must confess to not having read this part of the forum for a while so have missed out on a lot of info...

What is the 0-100 time of the 197? Have Evo tested it and do they have the figures in the back of the mag in bold?

Where did the new CTR times come from? I thought it wasn't getting a power increase and so with the extra weight I am confused as to how it would be any quicker?
 
  Renaultsport Clio 182
New 197 took 18.7 seconds to hit 100mph when Autocar tested it, thats 2 seconds slower than the old CTR and 1.7 seconds slower than the 182FF.

Might not sound much but its very noticeable from the driving seat!
 


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