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My Clio 200 is almost 8000km now.

I've owned a SC'ed MCS Works, a 182 FF and a Trophy but the Clio 200 is my clear favourite. It's the best looking in my opinion (though not in photos to be fair), it has the best chassis, feels the most powerful and has by far the best brakes.

It's also ponderously well-built, ridiculously good value and offers practicality on a par with the ubiquitous Golf.

I did my first track day with it on Thursday and I was blown away by the car's willingness to entertain - simply snatch a quarter turn of lock before the apex, dab the brakes with the left foot and ride out the predictable slide for as long as you like. Where the 182 and Trophy would bounce about or kick a wheel, the 200 just glides around the corner, front and rear end responding perfectly to your brake and throttle inputs.

The gear change is as brilliant on the track as it is on the road and the brakes were strong and remarkably fade-free even after several 15-20 minutes sessions.

Equally impressive was how well the car soaked up the punishment - I drove it to the track on Thursday, spent a few hours hurling it around at full whack, lashings of opposite lock and several trips to the limiter along the way. Thursday evening I drove it home from the track. Friday to Monday my girlfriend and I drove it 1500km through the Alps and down to Liguria in Italy for a weekend by the sea. Car didn't miss a beat all weekend and there was absolutely nothing to suggest that it'd been on the track just two days previous (apart from the tell-tale wear on the tyres of course...)

Trully awesome car.

www.bespokedrivingtours.com
 
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g40steve said:
Your wasting your time mate trying to inform this lot :D
A lot of what you are saying, i said 18 months ago :wink:

Ah, so you're "I told you so Steve" today then?

Actually you're right you have been banging on for aaaaaaaaaaaaaaages but that was about the 197 and we were right not to listen to you on that one as the 200 is a much better car, and still only as good as the T :)
 
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g40steve said:
Your wasting your time mate trying to inform this lot :D
A lot of what you are saying, i said 18 months ago :wink:

Steve - what are you driving these days?
 
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Let us not argue about whether the Trophy or the 200 is better.

Let us instead be happy that Renaultsport's fine tradition of building utterly awesome hot hatches continues apace.
 
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MadUsa1 said:
Let us not argue about whether the Trophy or the 200 is better.

Let us instead be happy that Renaultsport's fine tradition of building utterly awesome hot hatches continues apace.

Well there's no argument about it is there? :wink: And if i didn't pull Steve's leg at every possible opportunity people would think I was really ill or something.
 
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saw my first 200 on the road today. an alien green (is that the real name).
im in agreement it looks a lot better in the flesh than in glossy mags.
the owner had a cheeky glance at the t too!!
 
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Re: new clio sport 200 (facelifted model)

I was in Worcester today, and every time I've been there I've driven past a Renault garage on the way in and out. Until today I finally decided to go in to have a look if they had a new clio 200. They had one in stock, an all black one, FF with cup packs and those sexy red brembo's. I had to see one in the flesh and I have to be honest it was aesthetically pleasing, much nicer than the magazine photos!

So I went in and asked them if I could have a proper look at it. I have to be honest and I love the Trophy to bits but it felt so comfy in comparison, and seemed to have a much better build quality as well, especially the steering wheel. Thought about taking it for a test drive, but just my luck, apparantly they where moving it about an hour before I got there and managed to puncture the front nearside tyre, tipical!

I had the Trophy with me and I asked the salesman what he'd offer me for the T againt one and I was pretty impressed, in fact very impressed with the offer. I'm not sure if I'll get one yet but it may be on the cards in a few months.

Any clio 200 owners got any ownership experiences they could write up? Now that they've probably broken the engine in!! :D
 
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There's loads on the renaultsport forum. Everyone is so impressed with it. It's what the 197 shouldve been after the Trophy. Even some owners have said their new 200s run better than their ran in 197s.
Mines coming this week, I'll put some pics up to show what has replaced 353 :D
 
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