Clio 200 - Tell me everything. Sell them to me.

[Daniel]

Cup pack steering is a marked improvement so don't rule it out yet.

 

[Gally]

Well that makes two of us. My biggest criticism of the mk3 was the steering. I honestly couldn't believe how light it was.

Still one of the things that put me off the 197... a car I actually think is so good!

 

[Nick172Cup]

Shame that the car left you feeling cold Dave, I had that exact feeling with the Megane 250 and the clio felt a bit better but not 15k+ worth it.

I thought the 200 I drove (Cup packed) had pretty good steering feel/weight so like Dan said drive one of them.

The interiors are shite in the new RenaultSport range, the only great thing about them is the Recaros and they fall to pieces! Lol

 

[TimR26]

The drive - gutted tbh. Over light steering (not sure if it is any heavier with the cup pack?!!?!?!) really ruins a car for me, & the 200's reminded me of the Ed30 that i had previously, but lighter. Very disappointing when compared to the Trophy, which offers a far more analogue helm. Clutch & gearbox however are superb, the former is considerably lighter, with the latter offering a really close/fast gate more akin to a CTR than the 1*2 it replaces. The engine, well again, a Honda similarity again, i found it similar to the FN2 CTR, smooth revving, easy to hit the limiter, BUT where is the 'kick' that you are waiting for/expecting? Put simply, it didnt feel particularly quick, although that is probably quite deceiving. Refinement was much improved over the 1*2 however.

I've only ever driven the 200 Cup a few times on Renaultsport track days but that's pretty much how I felt. The speedo tells you it's quicker but it doesn't feel like it and the controls feel much lighter.

That's reason why I didn't change my 172 for a 200 and chose the R26 instead.

 

[Gally]

I know the cup definitely has a different rack as Warren was going to change his. Sorry Fred was going to change it.

Miss his Brown face.

 

[Brett]

I know the cup definitely has a different rack as Warren was going to change his. Sorry Fred was going to change it.

Miss his Brown face.

Its apparently a lot harder to change than first thought because of steering angle sensors for the esp. Warren had actually bought a cup rack but never fitted it.

 

[ColinG]

I find the 200 steering quite heavy tbh.. :s

You sure the tyres weren't pumped up to the max??

 

[Sir_Dave]

Think ill probably have to drive another one at some point tbh, although my 1st thought wasnt 'omg i need to buy this, now' like it was with the Trophy

 

[aucky]

Exactly as many have said. Its a great car, lovely place to sit for a day to day drive but it just lacked the urgency, feel, and excitement of the Trophy. Not worth the extra money tbh.

 

[Fletcher]

I didn't think you would like the Clio 200 TBH.

 

[Christopher]

I've 87% ordered one. Insurance quotes (for her as a named) pending.

Ultra Red with black mirrors, front and diffuser, Cup chassis, black Speedlines, Recaros, projectors, rear tints, RS Monitor and Tunepoint.

We got a cracking deal on the car + her 133 as p/x since they're rare and sell well. We'll still try and sell it for a bit more privately though. 182 will also be going. Kinda sad after five years but things move on.

Four years warranty + free servicing too.

 

[Brett]

Great spec that Chris. Will the 200 be coming to Le Mans?

 

[Christopher]

It'd be a mid-May delivery if we ordered it today mate, so it depends when we do it.

With some luck it might be... if we get things sorted quickly! Failing that, it'll be the Twingo's send off.

I imagine the 182 will be long gone by then... hopefully.

 

[Ollie82.]

I didn't think you would like the Clio 200 TBH.

Neither did I. Dave rang me after he drove it and his first line was "Well i won't be buying one of those!"

I guess everyone is different. Mark surprised me when he got his as he's very much into his cars with a pureness of feel. Personally I love the look of the 200 (has to have the Speedlines though, those standard wheels are rank) the chassis is phenomenal and the brakes....wow.

Dave and I are quite alike though. We've both got used to ragging the nuts off of two of the last and probably best of a generation of light and uncomplicated hot hatches.
Everything got fat and comfy with the 197.....and pretty much every new hot hatch since.

Put simply, the purity has been lost compared to the tin can, chav tastic, 1*2. That makes me sad.

 

[The Boosh!]

Why RS monitor Chris? I'd have got the TomTom. RS Monitor is useless 99% of the time. TomTom is genuinely useful most of the time. Live traffic updates etc, it's great.

 

[Christopher]

It adds £2 a month and I like measuring G around town.

TomTom was a pricey option IIRC? I've got my TomTom iPhone app for that.

I was pondering more about the black roof. £410 is a lot of money. Didn't bother for that reason.

 

[The Boosh!]

It adds £2 a month and I like measuring G around town.

TomTom was a pricey option IIRC? I've got my TomTom iPhone app for that.

I was pondering more about the black roof. £410 is a lot of money. Didn't bother for that reason.

410 is minus vat so would be 500 quid with vat.

RS monitor is 120 with vat
tom tom is 500 with vat.

Honestly if it was my money i would 100% get the integrated sat nav. It really is great. The traffic system alone is worth it. Will also come with integrated bluetooth etc etc.

Anyway Ill not bang on, if you want to measure your Gforce in asda car park go for it .

 

[R-Sport.]

Think ill probably have to drive another one at some point tbh, although my 1st thought wasnt 'omg i need to buy this, now' like it was with the Trophy

I have one in Next month- mega minter----if you want a test drive of a cup packed one-

S

 

[Sir_Dave]

I've 87% ordered one.

You driven one yet? Nice spec btw, although i think Nav would be a must having seen the dashboard - needs something to brighten it up a bit really.

Neither did I. Dave rang me after he drove it and his first line was "Well i won't be buying one of those!"

I guess everyone is different. Mark surprised me when he got his as he's very much into his cars with a pureness of feel. Personally I love the look of the 200 (has to have the Speedlines though, those standard wheels are rank) the chassis is phenomenal and the brakes....wow.

Dave and I are quite alike though. We've both got used to ragging the nuts off of two of the last and probably best of a generation of light and uncomplicated hot hatches. Everything got fat and comfy with the 197.....and pretty much every new hot hatch since.

Put simply, the purity has been lost compared to the tin can, chav tastic, 1*2. That makes me sad.

This is what i found, after the 106 Gti's/Saxo Vts'/306 Rallye's and various 1*2's that i've owned previously, i was expecting great things of the 200, especially considering the bumming that they get from Evo, etc. But the steering was like a sodding EP3 CTR. Christ, people moan about the TT's helm, but at least thats heavy ...

I have one in Next month- mega minter----if you want a test drive of a cup packed one-

Think i've found one fairly local Steve, but to be honest, i'm not sure i'll like it. Ollie said the steering is the same weighting, just more direct.

FFS.

 

[Christopher]

Yeah, drove one when they first came out but Jo hadn't until yesterday, so that's why we went again.

 

[Revels]

Good work, Chris.

Surprised you've gone for tints. But saying that, with the RS Monitor, you'll certainly fit in racing around the Trafford Centre.

 

[Christopher]

LOL. It's her addition, that. 133 had them and they kinda work with the black & red theme we've gone for.

Also, if anyone didn't know, they've ditched the yellow stitching inside the cabin now, including on the wheel. Thank Christ. It's now all red.

The rev counters are now white, rather than yellow on all builds from February.

 

[Gally]

Neither did I. Dave rang me after he drove it and his first line was "Well i won't be buying one of those!"

I guess everyone is different. Mark surprised me when he got his as he's very much into his cars with a pureness of feel. Personally I love the look of the 200 (has to have the Speedlines though, those standard wheels are rank) the chassis is phenomenal and the brakes....wow.

Dave and I are quite alike though. We've both got used to ragging the nuts off of two of the last and probably best of a generation of light and uncomplicated hot hatches.
Everything got fat and comfy with the 197.....and pretty much every new hot hatch since.

Put simply, the purity has been lost compared to the tin can, chav tastic, 1*2. That makes me sad.

It feels almost too spacious! As stupid as that sounds. Weird cars, of course most cars loose that old school feel as they grow up. Most of the hot hatches are the same these days. I just hated that light steering.

It adds £2 a month and I like measuring G around town.

TomTom was a pricey option IIRC? I've got my TomTom iPhone app for that.

I was pondering more about the black roof. £410 is a lot of money. Didn't bother for that reason.

£410-£500 for a Black roof! Jesus H! What are they painting it with? Diamonds?

 

[Revels]

And I see from your FB post, they've ditched SG/AG

 

[Ollie82.]

of course most cars loose that old school feel as they grow up. Most of the hot hatches are the same these days. I just hated that light steering.

The times they are a'changin.

I think if you asked anyone over the age of say, 28 what they'd pick out of the Puegeot GTi range for example, well the obvious answer is the 205.
206 GTi 180 was just an afterthought so doesn't really count.
The 306 has that same DNA but was more mature and less rowdy but still had that thing that makes a decent hot hatch. They then lost the plot with the 307 GTi.

Renault. Clio Williams? Winner...apparently. Never driven one and I won't as im scared the rust will have eaten away at the seat rails and I'll go through the screen strapped to the seat when I first brake hard.
172. Not as pure but less of a handful and then perfected with the Cups and Trophy. 197? Let down. 200. What the 197 should have been to start with.

Turning point for hot hatches that made them turn from being light and fun to too heavy and compromised was 2006 and the bloody pedestrian safety regs meaning that now all of the front ends are nearly has high as Dave is tall. The scuttle line on a 200/Corsa/Mini/Fiat etc comes up to my waist which is saying something being 6" 4.

 

[Gally]

The Trophy manages to mix everything into one Sublime car imo. A modern "old school" hot hatch.

 

[Ollie82.]

Well I argue that the Trophy is just the safety conscious man's Cup. With spaffy suspension.

 

[Gally]

Lols! Cup > Everything iirc...

 

[Sir_Dave]

Well I argue that the Trophy is just the safety conscious man's Cup. With spaffy suspension.

And nice seats

Mines a 'cup' version at the moment anyway, got a sensor loose somewhere so no abs/tc ...

 

[Ollie82.]

Lols! Cup > Everything iirc...

Even the FRP?! Shocker....

So Dave, no ABS and that ARB with a leaking rear shock. Safe.

 

[Christopher]

And I see from your FB post, they've ditched SG/AG

Yeah, we both really wanted AG too!

Nightmare.

Drowned our sorrows in Recaros instead.

Plus, the new colour scheme on all 200 interiors is red, so it'd go nicely with the UR body.

 

[AK]

Over how many years was that figure you metioned last night, JDM?

 

[Christopher]

4.

It's their new plan thing they're smashing home on TV nowadays. Launched in February.

Four years finance (even though we're not financing much after the cash lump), four years free servicing, four years warranty.

 

[Gally]

Even the FRP?! Shocker....

So Dave, no ABS and that ARB with a leaking rear shock. Safe.

Pffft! Frp > Trophy > Cup. Everyone knows that!

Yeah, we both really wanted AG too!

Nightmare.

Drowned our sorrows in Recaros instead.

Plus, the new colour scheme on all 200 interiors is red, so it'd go nicely with the UR body.

Have they changed those yellow Recaros aswell? The stupidest seat idea ever to come from and brand! Why would you put a colour on a seat and make it the only option! Retarded!

 

[Christopher]

Yup. Recaros now have white dots on them, rather than yellow. lol

 

[Hixle]

Four years finance (even though we're not financing much after the cash lump), four years free servicing, four years warranty.

And then you're obliged to trade it in for a Grand Scenic, ja?

Looks a great deal tbf.

 

[Christopher]

And then you're obliged to trade it in for a Grand Scenic, ja?

Looks a great deal tbf.

Yeah lol.

Jo loved it on the test drive too... gave it a surprising amount of abuse. I think the 133's trained her well.

Poor thing only had 81 miles on the clock. It stunk of burning manufacturing film when we were done.

 

[Gally]

Neither did I. Dave rang me after he drove it and his first line was "Well i won't be buying one of those!"

I guess everyone is different. Mark surprised me when he got his as he's very much into his cars with a pureness of feel. Personally I love the look of the 200 (has to have the Speedlines though, those standard wheels are rank) the chassis is phenomenal and the brakes....wow.

Dave and I are quite alike though. We've both got used to ragging the nuts off of two of the last and probably best of a generation of light and uncomplicated hot hatches.
Everything got fat and comfy with the 197.....and pretty much every new hot hatch since.

Put simply, the purity has been lost compared to the tin can, chav tastic, 1*2. That makes me sad.

Even the FRP?! Shocker....

So Dave, no ABS and that ARB with a leaking rear shock. Safe.

Yup. Recaros now have white dots on them, rather than yellow. lol

That's bloody better! What they were thinking with the Yellow i'll never know! Any pics of the new seats?

 

[Christopher]

Nope, they're not even in the brochures yet!

The current brochures still show the yellow bits & yellow rev counter.

They've also discontinued the white Speedlines and the polished 'Raider' wheels.

Another change is the RS Monitor can be specified separately, rather than with a £500 pack.

 

[AK]

4.

It's their new plan thing they're smashing home on TV nowadays. Launched in February.

Four years finance (even though we're not financing much after the cash lump), four years free servicing, four years warranty.

Makes sense , lol.