Rally Pocket
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Clio 200 Cup Review
Renault have a strong legacy in the hot hatch category, it all started with the Renault Five Turbo back in the 1980's, a rabidly quick stripped out shopping cart that enjoyed great success in the World Rally Championship and flew out of show rooms equally fast. Renault have let up on delivering low priced, high performance hatchbacks to the market and the Renaultsport sub brand is one of the most respected in the class. Their latest offering the Reanualtsport Clio 200 Cup, arrived at my showroom after a four week delay, which I was not best pleased about,, all this was instantly forgotten about when I laid eyes on it's beautifully proportioned ugliness.
The 200 Cup is a track focused machine and it makes no bones about it. The interior is bland to say the least for new cars every sweep and curve in the bodywork is there for a reason, to make the car cut through the air more efficiently. The engine is a beast, the two litre naturally aspirated unit kicks out just shut of 200bhp and its suitably rev happy. Although torque is improved over its processor, the 197, it is still at tad wheezy below 4000rpm, wind it up however and it begins to sing, developing peak power at around 7,100rpm.
The Clio's ace up it's sleeve however is it's road holding. This thing really turns on a dime, I've done a lot of car reviews but this is one of the best cars I've ever driven in the twisty bits, miles ahead of Ford cars. It just holds on without creating a drama, it does eventually understeer if pushed. If this happens simply lift off and the front will tuck in. Simple but devastatingly effective. The springs are stiff but still provide a bareable ride on the rough, potholed English carriageways and A roads.
Top Gear Rally Pocket 2 (TG Rally) - Nintendo Gameboy Color (Gameplay Video)