Hot Clios group test

Remember Nicole and Papa? The much loved TV ad was first aired in 1990 to coincide with the launch of the original Renault Clio. So, 2010 marks the 20th birthday of the French hatch – and it’s a milestone we couldn’t let pass us by.

The supermini has spawned some of the world’s greatest hot hatches, and the UK is the biggest market for Renaultsport sales. To celebrate this anniversary, we’ve gathered the four best sporting Clios from the past two decades to crown the ultimate champion.

WATCH THE HOT-HATCH LEGENDS IN OUR EXCLUSIVE VIDEO HERE

Dark blue paint and gold alloys can mean only one thing to performance fans: the Clio Williams. Built between 1993 and 1995, it soon earned a reputation as the Nineties’ premier hot hatch, and no meeting of contemporary Clios would be complete without it. The car we have here is the most special example in the world. One of only 390 MkI models built, its ‘0001’ dash plaque shows it’s the first model off the production line, and the very motor once owned by Formula One team boss Sir Frank Williams.

But if the Williams isn’t wild enough for you, how about the storming Clio V6? With a 255bhp Laguna-sourced 3.0-litre V6 where the boot and back seats would normally be, it’s more supercar than supermini, and one of the maddest road machines Renault has ever produced.

The original Clio V6, introduced in 2001, has a reputation for being one of the scariest handling cars ever. Fortunately, we’re trying out the much improved 2003 model, but with rear-wheel drive and a lot of weight swinging around behind you, it’s still not easy to pilot…

Sporting Capisicum Red paint and side-sill decals, the 182 Trophy is the most focused driving tool here. Only 500 Trophy limited editions – built to mark the end of the Clio 182’s production run in 2005 – were produced, yet Renault made each one count. Lower and stiffer, race-derived suspension plus grippy Recaro seats give it a hardcore character, but can it keep pace with the more powerful contenders?

Finally, we have the latest Clio Renaultsport 200 Cup – the culmination of 20 years’ experience and a model which has really wowed us in recent months. It has sublime power and poise, but among such charismatic cars as we have here, is it just too sanitised? Click the links on the right to find out how the challengers fared on track.

Verdict

It doesn’t get any harder than this. Picking between four hugely talented cars, each with its own area of expertise, is no mean feat. But we have to go with the best all-rounder – the one which can deliver heart-stopping thrills and be used as a daily driver, too.So, the crown goes to the Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup. In the supercar class Audi’s R8 has proved performance models needn’t intimidate, and the Clio 200 pulls off a similar trick for hot hatches. It’s easy to drive quickly, and so adjustable and forgiving at the limit, anybody can enjoy its full dynamic repertoire. This is a victory for all four of our hot Clio contenders, though. If it wasn’t for the handling finesse of the Clio Williams, the focused chassis of the Clio 182 Trophy and the utter madness of the Clio V6, the Clio 200 Cup wouldn’t be half the car that it is.