forget about the 1.2, wont be any quicker than what you have now.
the earlyer 1.4 16v has 100hp and is resonably brisk for what it is.
the engine that replaced it in the later clio 3 models is the 1.2 turbo again 100hp resonably quick and cheaper tax and remaps see 125hp.
the 1.6 has 115hp in the earlyer models which is more or less in the middle in terms if running costs.
the 2.0 has 138hp but is quite rare to find one and insurance/running costs are obviously more.
the 1.6 vvt 128hp replaced the above engine which is whats in my gt and again goes pretty well but is only found in the later models that only just fall into your price bracket.
then your into deisel engines which unless your doing over 10k a year no point in justifying them imo
tbh the clio is the better car and you only have to look at prices of the deiiable older model mk2s v the desiable puntos of the same age to see that clios
hold there values better.
the punto turbo may be the quicker car in a staright line/have the most tunig patencial but the clio will run rings round thems in on twisty roads and will be much more fun to drive!!
somthing like this would be perect imo
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...21/keywords/dynamique s/radius/1500?logcode=p