Performance COTY
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YOU might see the Renaultsport Clio 197’s inclusion in PC08 and think “what drugs were they smoking?”
This Performance Car Of The Year article was first published in MOTOR Magazine November 2008.
Against world-crushers like the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG and BMW M3 – not to mention Porsche’s GT2 in the grand scheme of PC08 – dragging along (to date) the pint-sized French-mobile might seem like bringing a pea-shooter along to World War III. After all, it’s the only hot hatch – by pure and traditional definition – to get the Guernsey for this year’s PC08 stoush.
Yes, outright pace rules, but merit is also awarded on how each competitor performs to its intended purposes. And at BFYB08 earlier this year, judges unanimously voted the Clio first in its category for grin-inducing ability. It’s something of a hot hatch benchmark, it’s about the most fun a mere $36,490 can buy.
Not only does it deserve inclusion, it has the potential to scalp pricier and more-powerful rivals. Give three warm and fuzzy cheers for the underdog! Then cold, hard reality comes crashing down.
That it dispatched the RX-8 in a straight-line was of little consolation – though it raised plenty of chuckles – given that the Mazda was painfully underachieving on the strip. Nor was it kicking heads or taking numbers against the stopwatch at Wakefield. Its lap time of 1:12.6? Last. Its v-max of 162.33km/h on the straight?
Last. But then you look at its corner speeds and suddenly the picture of the Clio’s outright performance potential takes a vastly different and more promising slant. In terms of apex pace, it’s sixth in turn one, fourth in turns four and seven, fifth in turn eight… On average, the cheapest/slowest straight-line car here is quicker than half the field in the corners.
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With the added (186kg) heft over its much loved predecessor comes a more complete performance package with deeper reserves of ability, without turning into a soft, bloated mess. And while the electric-assisted steering lacks the connection of the Lotus, and the Brembos aren’t a patch on Merc’s eye-watering stoppers, both are exceptional by hot hatch standards.
It’s not a win, but by dispatching the HSV GTS, FPV GT-P, VW R36 and RX-8, this year’s PC08’s underdog scored a well-deserved victory, of sorts.
