Renault Clio Renaultsport (2006 – 2009) Review
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Renault Clio Renaultsport (2006 – 2009) At A Glance
Very well liked by enthusiasts. Sparkles in a manner the standard Clio simply doesn't.
No air con makes the car harder to sell.
Is this car hardcore, or soft? On the one hand it makes you suffer. It has no aircon, just an ordinary CD/radio and no fancy bits at all. You even have to reach over and wiggle little stalks to adjust the door mirrors. The exhaust note assaults your eardrums.
Maximum power and torque both come very high in the rev range, at 7,250rpm and 5,550rpm. The gearing is very low at just 20mph per 1,000rpm in top, so it drones trying to cruise at 70mph. And if you've been feeding your bottom a bit too much you might find it won't fit into the narrow Recaro seats.
Reviews for Renault Clio Renaultsport (2006 – 2009)'s top 3 rivals
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Renault Clio Renaultsport (2006 – 2009) handling and engines
- Engines range from Renaultsport 197 to Renaultsport 197 F1 Team
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 22–33 mpg
Instead of little luxuries it gives you 0-60 in 6.6 seconds, third gear acceleration that won't feel too slow on a track day, sharp steering and excellent Brembo four pot calliper 315mm cross drilled front disc brakes.
Yet, tootling round town, variable ratio power steering makes it a doddle to park, the variable valve timing chain cam engine pretends to be a pussycat, and even the ride quality is acceptable.
What I like about it is that everything is there for a reason rather then for show. The vents in the front wings really do help the brakes to cool. The bib and optional spoiler help keep it tucked down onto the road. As the car speeds up, the steering sharpens up, and lets you know which wheels are gripping. You can fling it around like an expert, even if you aren't.
And that's the whole point. It's a track day fun car you can sensibly use on the road without suffering the privations of, say, an Elise or a Caterham driver.
It doesn't compete with the MINI Cooper S because that's an altogether more refined and luxurious type of machine. It's more focused than a Focus ST. Less gitty than a Golf GTI. Harder edged than a Honda Civic Type R (though the ride quality is actually better). The Clio 197 Cup is aimed at the same kind of bloke who bought a Mini Cooper S forty years ago, even though his haircut will be different. I'd guess its closest real competitors are the Fiesta ST185 Mountune. And perhaps the much more expensive MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works.
It came to pass that rather than a couple of drives to the auctions and a quick blast through the lanes, I got stuck with HK57KDZ for more than 500 miles of motorway. And, with the police alert spoiler on the back, that meant an unconvicting 70mph at 3,500rpm.
It wasn't purgatory. The ride quality and damping didn't reacquaint me with my breakfasts and I could turn the radio up to drown out the drone. One peculiarity of my car was it insisted I was only averaging 25 - 26mpg when, in fact, checking 354 miles of brim to brim, I managed 32.9, very close to its official combined figure of 33.9mpg.
So it's livable with. I forgave the wobbling passenger door mirror and the hatchback's occasional reluctance to unlatch. (Actually it was wobbling because it had become unstuck and a firm push fixed that little problem.) The optional Recaro seats were very comfortable. The sharp steering enabled quick lane changes to assist HGVs wanting to overtake other HGVs.
| Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renaultsport 197 | 34 mpg | 6.9 s | 199 g/km |
| Renaultsport 197 Cup | 34 mpg | 6.9 s | 199 g/km |
| Renaultsport 197 F1 Team | 34 mpg | 6.9 s | 199 g/km |
Real MPG average for the Renault Clio Renaultsport (2006 – 2009)
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Average performance
83%
Real MPG
22–33 mpg
MPGs submitted
23
Renault Clio Renaultsport (2006 – 2009) models and specs
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 3991 mm |
| Width | 1768 mm |
| Height | 1484 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2585 mm |
| Miscellaneous | |
|---|---|
| Kerb Weight | 1240 kg |
| Boot Space | 288–1028 L |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Servicing | 12000 miles |
| Costs | |
|---|---|
| List Price | £15,495–£17,495 |
| Insurance Groups | 30 |
| Road Tax Bands | J |
| Official MPG | 33.6 mpg |
| Euro NCAP Safety Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Adult | 5 |
| Child | 4 |
| Pedestrian | 1 |
| Overall | - |
On sale until April 2009
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| Renaultsport 197 3dr | £16,495 | 33.6 mpg | 6.9 s |
| Renaultsport 197 Cup 3dr | £15,495 | 33.6 mpg | 6.9 s |
| Renaultsport 197 Lux 3dr | £17,495 | 33.6 mpg | 6.9 s |
On sale until July 2007
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| Renaultsport 197 F1 Team 3dr | £17,250 | 33.6 mpg | 6.9 s |
Model History
April 2006
RenaultSport Clio 197 launched Spring 2006 does 0-60 in 6.6, top speed 134, 31.7mpg, 209g/km CO2. Price £15,995. Ordering opened Tuesday 30th May 2006 for delivery from 18th July 2006.
April 2007
Renaultsport 197 F1 Team R27 announced at £17,250 on-the-road, limited edition of 500 examples destined for UK market, each with numbered plaque. Cup Chassis to became optional on standard Clio Renaultsport 197 in late 2007. First customer deliveries June 2007. Built at Dieppe.
Called after 2007 F1 R27. Cup Chassis, plus 17” Anthracite coloured alloy wheels, extra tinted windows, red painted brake callipers, Recaro seats and exclusive Renault F1 Team decals (those on the doors and roof are a no-cost delete option). Ride height lowered 7mm. Springs stiffened by 27% at front and 30% at rear, giving reduced body roll and pitch when cornering. With a 10% increase in bending stiffness and more flexible bump-stops, the double-axis strut suspension system is also more stable when braking and offers greater steering precision when negotiating bends in quick succession. Has standard Clio Renaultsport 197's robust, powerful Brembo brake system, using 312mm ventilated discs at front and 300mm solid discs at rear. This offers a fantastic drive, far better than any other Clio.
November 2007
‘Cup’ chassis now available as an option on standard Clio Renaultsport 197 The ‘Cup’ chassis made its debut on the limited edition Clio Renaultsport 197 F1 Team R27. Has a 7mm reductio.n in ride height to enhance performance when cornering, uprated springs by + 27% at the front and + 30% at the rear and stiffer dampers (+10%) for enhanced handling, steering precision and stability.
Also from November 2007, for more relaxed motorway driving, the Cup models, as well as the rest of the Clio Renaultsport range, feature taller fifth and sixth gear ratios, raised from 16.1 mph/ 1,000 rpm to 17.1 in fifth and from 18.9 mph/ 1,000 to 20.5 in sixth.
The 197 Cup is stripped down to its bare essentials. The interior dashboard and centre console has been taken from Renault’s entry-level Clio Extreme model, whilst some items of equipment, which come as standard on the Clio Renaultsport 197, air conditioning and curtain airbags are moved to the options list for the Cup version, priced at £525 and £200 respectively.
Two other options available for the Clio Renaultsport 197 Cup are Renault i.d. 17” Speedline alloy wheels in satin black at £175 and lightweight Renaultsport Recaro seats at £850.
Other equipment such as cruise control, speed limiter and electric door mirrors, have been removed entirely or replaced. For the Cup has a traditional standard key with remote-control door locking. The steering wheel has height adjustment only.
November 2008
New Clio Renaultsport 197 Lux, priced at £16,995, announced. Offers £2,000 worth of equipment for just £1,000 more than the standard 197. All the thrills and driving pleasure of the 197, but with added comfort and refinement. In UK showrooms from January
Lux comes with extra features such as leather upholstery and automatic climate control, worth £2,000 as individual options, yet at £16,995, Lux costs just £1,000 more than the standard version. Also has automatic headlamps, automatic wipers, cornering lights, extra tinted rear windows, a 60W radio MP3 CD player, Renaultsport carpet mats and satin chrome finish to the fascia air vents. Outside, the Lux can be identified by brushed aluminium ‘Raider’ alloy wheels and a satin chrome finish to the door mirrors and to the air extraction grilles in the front wings.
Clio Renaultsport 197 Lux is available in a choice of Ultra Red, Racing Blue, Renault i.d. Glacier White (£150), metallic Deep Black (£375) or metallic Albi Blue (£375). Further optional equipment available are electrically folding door mirrors (£100), an electrically operated panoramic sunroof (£600), xenon headlamps (£550), Speedline wheels in either white or black (£100) or the acclaimed Cup chassis (£400).
What to watch out for
RenaultSport Clio 197 can be reluctant to accelerate when cold.
Faults reported with RenaultSport Clio 197 include a clunking noise from the front of the car when changing gears and a reluctance to pull away when the engine is cold. Dealer comment: "these are characteristics of the model you have purchased". Reader reports testing six 197s and two out of the six having the same problem, but the other four no problem.
