Tracked...Not waxed!
18 months on and I still bloody love the thing. I've owned my RenaultSport Clio 182 since the very end of May 2011, and in that time I've barely covered 10,000 miles. But I can honestly say that I've enjoyed every single minute of it, not least because the thing is so fun to drive!
I find myself looking forward to journeys that I know will include open stretches of road or twisty back lanes. The car seems so eager to be driven that even on days I plan on giving it a good wash and wax, I get the feeling it's looking at me in the same way a dog looks up at it's owner when they mention the park - it wants to go for walkies...or in this case it wants to be driven. I'm a sucker for a puppy face, so most times I give in. I have to admit, as a result many of the miles I have covered in this car have included a good thrashing.
The dirty girl |
All that changes however, when you are faced with the white circles of unrestricted sign posts, and a tree lined road heading over a crest. The car comes alive when you open up the throttle and reach the 5000 rpm mark. At this point the Variable Valve engine awakens and manages to head sharply towards it's peak power of 170 bhp. The steering suddenly feels reassuringly weighted as the front wheels tug through the column, and the suspension begins to feel planted and predictable over dips and crests. In the stroke of 2000 revs this car transforms from a crashy city car, to a light and nimble hot hatch.
No better place does the 182 show off it's agile characteristics than a fast flowing, smooth tarmaced race track. I took the car to Snetterton in Norfolk earlier in the month with the expectation that it would suit the fast flowing corners. How wrong I was. Not only did it suit them, it felt like it was built for them.
Despite the damp conditions, the direct steering and quick response made the car incredibly enjoyable to throw into high speed turns and balance on the throttle. The light weight of the rear meant a lot of 'oppo' was applied, with lift off oversteer becoming something of a game. The car felt completely at home balling down Revett Straight at over a ton, and managed to keep off it's door handles through Riches thanks to it's planted Cup suspension.
In some ways it's a shame the car handles so well; it means that the lovely Racing Blue paintwork is rarely shiny and the white wheels are often confused as being a dark anthracite. But when a car is this fun to drive, surely it's more of a shame to not use it properly?
In some ways it's a shame the car handles so well; it means that the lovely Racing Blue paintwork is rarely shiny and the white wheels are often confused as being a dark anthracite. But when a car is this fun to drive, surely it's more of a shame to not use it properly?
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