Turbos.
For me, the Clio 172 / 182 is the essence of what a hot hatch is. It's practical, but crucially small - perfect for B Roads. Nowadays, everything has got bigger, heavier and - of course - turbocharged.
Right now, the closest thing seems to be the Fiesta ST (conveniently, with 182bhp), a low kerb weight and similar footprint. It gets good reviews, but I personally think they look like a roller skate. There's also the small matter of them being £19,000 (you can get a couple of grand off that), or about £220 per month on PCP, whereas a very nice 182 is in the region of £4,000-£5,000.
So I've been thinking, what if I bought the 182 back? What if you could effectively have a brand new 182, with a warranty, and finance (if required) - would you pay for it?
One of my good friends is high up at Singer (the Porsche guys) and I love the obsessive detail of their cars. You can see where hours have been poured in to little details, yet the car is still very much a Porsche - just all of the best bits.
Recently, you may have also seen the gorgeous 'reimagined' Lancia Integrale by Futurista. It's incredible - but £250,000. Now I won't pretend the Clio 182 rivals the Integrale for pedigree, but it is respected as a great car - the amount you see on trackdays is testament to that.
So how would I make a Clio 182 worth £18,200?
I imagine starting with a shell that is dipped seam welded, with strengthening in various places to help out the suspension. I'd then look at what can be learnt from the aftermarket and Cup race cars in terms of suspension and brake design. I would develop the ride and handling with professional race drivers and journalists; every component would be bespoke to take into account a wider offset wheel and lower ride height.
The intention would be to make it quick on track (I would want to benchmark and exceed performance of modern hot hatches), but not at the compromise of 'liveability' - it wouldn't have ridiculous spring rates or bushing unless specified.
I know what you're thinking - you can already make a quick 182, and for little outlay. My difference would be I would be aiming to make it better at everything. It would have more sound proofing, yet less weight. It will be nicely appointed inside, and there won't be any squeaks. You will also be able to have a conversation on the motorway, because it will have a 6th gear.
Also, whilst many can make a quick Clio, it's normally only for so long. I would do proper OEM-style testing (10,000s of miles). I would plan to have the cars on ITBs running decent power, but they will have had the mapping required to ensure it starts on the button, every time.
I would also look to differentiate from the aftermarket scene with genuine unique details. For example, I have been speaking to Speedline about producing a forged version of the Turini wheel (it is THE wheel of choice naturally, but they've always been too heavy).
So am I off my rocker? I've seen people get laughed at for trying to sell Trophies for £8k. I wonder if someone can't get £8,000 for a mint, 'best of' version then I will struggle. But then I'm not really looking to target people like that; I want to appeal to people like me - those who grew up driving cars like this in their teens and twenties who want to re-live their youth, but without the pain of realising they have made a huge mistake once the rose-tinted glasses have been taken off.
I'm going to build my own one anyway, was just wondering if there would be a market in it for a limited build run - like I said I would do a warranty and provide finance.
Right now, the closest thing seems to be the Fiesta ST (conveniently, with 182bhp), a low kerb weight and similar footprint. It gets good reviews, but I personally think they look like a roller skate. There's also the small matter of them being £19,000 (you can get a couple of grand off that), or about £220 per month on PCP, whereas a very nice 182 is in the region of £4,000-£5,000.
So I've been thinking, what if I bought the 182 back? What if you could effectively have a brand new 182, with a warranty, and finance (if required) - would you pay for it?
One of my good friends is high up at Singer (the Porsche guys) and I love the obsessive detail of their cars. You can see where hours have been poured in to little details, yet the car is still very much a Porsche - just all of the best bits.
Recently, you may have also seen the gorgeous 'reimagined' Lancia Integrale by Futurista. It's incredible - but £250,000. Now I won't pretend the Clio 182 rivals the Integrale for pedigree, but it is respected as a great car - the amount you see on trackdays is testament to that.
So how would I make a Clio 182 worth £18,200?
I imagine starting with a shell that is dipped seam welded, with strengthening in various places to help out the suspension. I'd then look at what can be learnt from the aftermarket and Cup race cars in terms of suspension and brake design. I would develop the ride and handling with professional race drivers and journalists; every component would be bespoke to take into account a wider offset wheel and lower ride height.
The intention would be to make it quick on track (I would want to benchmark and exceed performance of modern hot hatches), but not at the compromise of 'liveability' - it wouldn't have ridiculous spring rates or bushing unless specified.
I know what you're thinking - you can already make a quick 182, and for little outlay. My difference would be I would be aiming to make it better at everything. It would have more sound proofing, yet less weight. It will be nicely appointed inside, and there won't be any squeaks. You will also be able to have a conversation on the motorway, because it will have a 6th gear.
Also, whilst many can make a quick Clio, it's normally only for so long. I would do proper OEM-style testing (10,000s of miles). I would plan to have the cars on ITBs running decent power, but they will have had the mapping required to ensure it starts on the button, every time.
I would also look to differentiate from the aftermarket scene with genuine unique details. For example, I have been speaking to Speedline about producing a forged version of the Turini wheel (it is THE wheel of choice naturally, but they've always been too heavy).
So am I off my rocker? I've seen people get laughed at for trying to sell Trophies for £8k. I wonder if someone can't get £8,000 for a mint, 'best of' version then I will struggle. But then I'm not really looking to target people like that; I want to appeal to people like me - those who grew up driving cars like this in their teens and twenties who want to re-live their youth, but without the pain of realising they have made a huge mistake once the rose-tinted glasses have been taken off.
I'm going to build my own one anyway, was just wondering if there would be a market in it for a limited build run - like I said I would do a warranty and provide finance.
