Trophy Reviews

OliS · Nov 11, 2005

Ok, as my post on Trophy review in CAR magazine got a bit off topic, I have started a new one! Here is a few reviews from the internet:

Channel 4 - http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-tests ... rophy.html

Channel 4 - http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-tests ... ort01.html

Independent - http://motoring.independent.co.uk/road_ ... 300016.ece

Auto Express - http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/roadtest/5 ... _clio.html

Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/mai ... fren23.xml

The Autocar reviews were in the following issues:

No 27 - 5th July 2005
No 39 - 27th Septemeber 2005.

The initial Autocar review can also be found at - http://www.autocar.co.uk/FirstDrive_Sum ... ?RT=216093

Enjoy!

eugegall · Nov 11, 2005

a few. wow im going to be here all day long. nice one mate

hyb · Nov 11, 2005

cool, i'll add them to me collection

http://www.japcomputing.com/hyb/

^ magazine scans and & internet reviews

mr StinKa gob · Nov 11, 2005

In that autocar review it says that they feel the car should have more power because it can handle the corners so much better. Has anyone modded the engine of one of these?

Seems this site ppl are leaving them standard, which i think is a good thing.

hyb · Nov 11, 2005

With it being the same engine as the 182, the people that have done mods to the engine don't see a huge hike in bhp. To get just over 200bhp you've gotta spend a few grand, which I don't think is worth it.

I think all limited edition cars should be left standard myself.

mr StinKa gob · Nov 11, 2005

I really have to try one of these to compare to my Williams.

Nik · Nov 11, 2005

I do agree with Autocar. In my 172 of course more power would have been nice, but I felt that it was just enough really. In the Trophy on track it does sometimes feel slightly lacking in power, even though it has more (in theory!).

I used to easily get wheelspin out of tight hairpins in the 172, but the trophy seems to just grip even with the throttle mashed to the floor. Obviously this is a good thing, it just doesn't make it feel so powerful as you rarely have to restrain the power in any way. I expect a lot of this is due to running better tyres though.

I think its really just a case of learning to use the extra potential of the handling improvements by carrying more speed into the corner.

If I had the money i'd certainly consider some engine mods, but it'll probably only ever go as far as exhaust / induction and ECU tweaks.

OliS · Nov 11, 2005

I used to run PE2's on my 172 and I had the same issues with wheelspin when coming out of tight hairpins, and like you say in the Trophy there is none of this.

I am still getting used to the Trophy, the changes that they have made to the chassis(wheels, hubs, struts) make so much difference in the real world. I seem to be driving similar lines to my 172 (my brain still seems to be in 172 mode!), but the Trophy has so much grip and such a responsive turn in that I find I am able to mash the throttle even before I reach the apex of a corner (which I know is not ideal) and still retain grip, from the apex to the exit, and keep on a good line. The 172's front wheels would have been spinning and squirming trying to find grip, but the Trophy is just so much more controlled.

The biggest issue for me is trying to persuade my brain that I can enter corners x amount quicker than I did in the 172

And yes, I do think the Trophy can handle more power, in fact I don't understand why Renault did not tweak it a little, around 200bhp would have been nice!