Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup

Consistency is clearly the key to success! The feisty Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup has been heavily revised for 2009, which is why it’s gracing our performance car shoot-out for the second year in a row. Yet despite a raft of suspension changes, the hot hatch posted the same lap time as last year.

Punching above its weight is something the Clio is used to, and that’s partly down to its starvation diet. Air-conditioning is optional, and the dash makes do with lighter plastics. Combine this low-weight approach with a responsive chassis, and the Renault proved to be one of the easiest cars to drive quickly on track. Lift off the throttle midway through a bend, and the nose tightens its line as the inside rear wheel rises off the tarmac.

The 2.0-litre engine needs to be worked hard, and doesn’t deliver its maximum output until 7,100rpm. But thanks to its rev-happy nature and the short-shift gearbox, this adds to the fun. Only the steering’s artificial feel and a high driving position let the Clio down.

Its talents extend beyond the track, too. The suspension was composed on the roads around the Anglesey circuit, although the six-speed transmission’s low gearing makes it a tiring companion on long motorway trips.

Admittedly, any car without air-con will feel spartan by modern standards, but in its striking £1,200 Alien Green paint, our Renault looked the part. Its aggressive stance and details such as the rear diffuser help to tick all of the essential performance car boxes.

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