Skip advert
Advertisement

Renaultsport Clio 200 Raider vs 5 GT Turbo Raider

We bring the new Clio Raider together with its 5 GT Turbo predecessor

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Avg. savings
£2,921 off RRP*
Find your Renault Clio
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The Clio 200 is a sensational hot hatch, and this Raider limited edition adds exclusivity. But at nearly £22,000 – £4,700 more than the Cup – it’s costly, especially when the low price is so key to the standard car’s appeal. Driving it back to back with the GT Turbo shows how much more accessible a car’s performance is nowadays. It also proves Renault is in a class of its own for making engaging hot hatches with character.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Renault isn’t afraid of plundering its past. It recently gave us Gordini special editions of the Clio, Twingo and Wind and now it has revived another dormant badge, with the Renaultsport Clio 200 Raider.

The Raider name first appeared on a special edition of the 5 GT Turbo back in 1990, and unlike the Gordini editions it holds no great significance to Renault’s history. In fact, the 5 GT Turbo Raider was originally called the Alain Oreaille Edition in Europe, to commemorate the rally driver’s French rally championship win. The Raider name was only added when it became clear UK buyers had no idea who Oreaille was.

The new Clio Raider looks spectacular with its Stealth Grey matt paint (Diavolo Red is also available). A gloss black finish for the roof, rear spoiler, front splitter, diffuser, mirrors and 18-inch alloys give the car a menacing presence. A Raider badge is stuck to the B-pillar, while inside, a plaque confirms your place in the 50-car UK production run, plus there are leather Recaro sports seats and a white rev counter.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Clio

2018 Renault

Clio

54,931 milesManualPetrol0.9L

Cash £7,939
View Clio
Clio

2018 Renault

Clio

53,000 milesManualPetrol0.9L

Cash £7,790
View Clio
Clio

2022 Renault

Clio

14,551 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £15,353
View Clio
Clio

2022 Renault

Clio

21,833 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £13,894
View Clio

The GT Turbo looks just as pumped up, with its chunky bodykit and squat stance. Thankfully, this cherished car hasn’t had any of the questionable modifications which were so popular at the time. The unique Sports Blue paintwork is the same colour as used on the first two generations of the Clio Williams, although there are no gold rims here – the Raider comes with 13-inch body-coloured wheels.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Renaultsport Clio 200 has been one of our favourite hot hatches for a number of years, and the Raider, which is mechanically identical to the £16,930 Cup, does nothing to change that. Hold on to a gear and the Clio feels faster and more alert as the revs rise. The gearchange is snappy and the raspy exhaust note is addictive.

But it’s in corners where the Clio 200 excels, rather than the straights. The front end grips hard as the nose dives in, and small lifts of the throttle allow you to tighten your line whenever you like. It’s conclusive proof that you don’t need masses of horsepower to have serious fun.

Climb into the GT Turbo and you’re instantly made aware of how much progress has been made in 21 years. There’s no power-steering, while the heavy clutch action and seats that you sink into feel alien. But once you experience your first hit of the turbo, it all starts to make sense. The car weighs 830kg and has 120bhp, so it’s still quick, as long as the turbo is on boost.

By today’s standards, the delay between you flexing your right foot and the turbo kicking in is comical, but the way you have to look further down the road and plan ahead is huge fun. In bends it’s more secure than you’d expect – so you can use all of the car’s performance more often than you’d think.

A new Clio is set to arrive in 2012, with a Renaultsport model following soon after, and that means this naturally aspirated engine will probably have to make way for a smaller-capacity turbo. Still, if the 5 GT Turbo is anything to go by, Renault has serious form in that area.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,160Avg. savings £2,921 off RRP*Used from £8,886
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,924 off RRP*Used from £12,200
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £19,690Avg. savings £4,685 off RRP*Used from £16,811
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £26,995Avg. savings £7,541 off RRP*Used from £11,895
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Xiaomi YU7 2025 review: a world-beating new EV to worry the establishment
Xiaomi YU7 - front cornering

New Xiaomi YU7 2025 review: a world-beating new EV to worry the establishment

BMW or Mercedes would do anything to keep the new Xiaomi YU7 from sale in the UK and Europe, and this is why
Road tests
14 Jul 2025
New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range
MG IM5 - Goodwood front

New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range

The all-electric IM5 brings new technology and design to the MG line-up
News
10 Jul 2025
The EV grant is back: Government's new £3,750 electric car discount in detail
Auto Express creative director Darren Wilson charging the Lexus RZ

The EV grant is back: Government's new £3,750 electric car discount in detail

The government has set out its plan to help reduce the cost of affordable EVs by introducing a new £3,750 grant for new EVs sold
News
15 Jul 2025