Bombinette

[petrolhead611]

This is how a French magazine described the Renault Clio 172 Cup,a stripped out road legal group N homologation special that I have just acquired an example of with only 31K miles. Renault made 3000 of these 1000Kg 172BHP little cars( for less than $2700).
Drove it home from Scotland yesterday taking as many country roads as possible. It will probably outcorner most cars( except Elises etc), and its normally aspirated 2 litre 4 cylinder engine is so flexible that it can accelarate from 38-138mph in top gear.
0-60mph in 6.9 seconds -that was really good 14 years ago when first introduced for a 12'6" long car,- and its not shabby now is it Mr Abarth 500.
Trouble is, my wife hated it at first glance and hasnt even ridden in it yet( little does she know that it has a boneshaking ride, the set up was developed for the track by RenaultSport- Renault's specialist car division- with really aggresive camber,wider track than the already not so ordinary Clio 172,lowered 1/8th inch,suspension tuned for oversteer on a front wheel drive car, and its so stiff that it will lift a rear wheel when pushed in corners,most of the braking effort on the front-so much so that the Annual Roadworthiness Testers here had to be issued with a special dispensation notice to pass the car with less than the usual permitted rear wheel braking )

[HardDrive]

Its not an attractive car to be sure, but I bet its lots of fun on a twisty road.

[Deschodt]

Attractiveness is subjective, especially in the US where hot hatches were never as big as in Europe. I like it, to me it's pretty like an A-10 Warthog ;-) Great car...

Bombinette, little bomb, I like it... Something to be said for proper FWD cars, this is one of them.

[petrolhead611]

Yes its no Ferrari in the looks department, its just a Eurobox, fitted with a roof spolier and front splitter, and flared wheelarches bu not as exaggerated as those on a 944, but it does have Speedline Turini wheels, which are really light motorsport wheels. It would be no fun on along US highway journey 'cos its geared 20mph/1000rpm, and has very little soundproofing. It will cruise at 4500rpm happily,maybe more but not tried, noisily(redline is 7200rpm).

[Joe Bob]

[Deschodt]

Although if I could afford something French in french blue, it'd have to be one of these:

[recycled sixtie]

It looks like a blast to drive especially in the UK on the B and minor roads. Not so much for motorway driving. I think you got a good deal PH. You mean you did not consult your wife? Join the club. My wife is complaining the Boxster is too hard to get into. Due to limited garage space this could be my last P car. It seems you have more space....nice.Guy

[onewhippedpuppy]

Sounds like fun to me. No wife = nobody to tell you to slow down.

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by petrolhead611

... Renault made 3000 of these 1000Kg 172BHP little cars (for less than $2700)...

If no 0 is missing in the price, I'll take a Baker Dozen

[Kraftwerk]

Seems like a good deal, and kinda fun, I think it looks alright too. I bet they had no trouble selling all 3000 of them.

[petrolhead611]

Thats a typical price now but most have done 80-120,000 miles( there are 1400 left on the road in the UK out of 2300 sold here). New they were about $20000. They are extensively used for track days.Many were raced for two seasons in the Clio Cup, a Renault sponsored formula.Now there is a series for them as a "low cost"(ha ha as if low cost and racing go together) formula. Mondial Blue is the colour of most of them, but a few were also made in silver-not so attractive in my view.
Wife still not had a drive in it, either as driver or passenger.