06 Jul 05
The sense of confidence you get sitting in the Trophy is amplified by steering which communicates exactly what's happening under the front wheels. And while the driving position isn't ideal for those with long legs, you can soon get reasonably comfortable in the Clio's cabin. The throttle's quick to react, the brakes are strong - even after a sustained beating on a track - and the clutch is perfectly weighted. The five-speed gearbox has a slick, positive action and is very satisfying to use.
Those who like their tyres smoked will be glad to hear that the standard-fit ESP can be turned completely off. It allows a degree of tomfoolery even when it's switched on, too, limiting power to the front wheels only if it really has to. With the ESP off you can get the rear of the car to slide wide with some entertaining lift-off oversteer - although it is nowhere near as snappily vicious as it can be on a classic hot hatch such as the Peugeot 205 GTi. And comparing the Clio 182 Trophy to the venerable 205 GTi is inevitable, because the perky Pug is still one of the best-handling front-drive superminis out there. So it is ironic that the Renaultsport Clio, and not the Peugeot 206 GTi, is its spiritual successor.
Renault's decision to devote a separate division to designing, developing and building (some by hand) its range of sporty cars has paid dividends. Since 2000 we've had the Clio 172, 172 Cup, 182, 182 Cup and now the Trophy - not forgetting two generations of the rear-wheel-drive Clio V6 - all of which have been brilliant drivers cars. Peugeot on the other hand has struggled to bring 138bhp and 180bhp versions of the 206 to market in time to compete with the Clio, and neither has shared their forebear's unrivalled success.
Renault has raised the bar for hot hatch excellence - again. The Clio Trophy is the best of its kind that Renault has ever produced, and puts every other hot hatch on the back foot - including contenders like the excellent Golf GTI. Even Ford and Vauxhall should be more than a little worried with the launch of their hot Focus ST and Astra VXR imminent. And if the current 182 Trophy impresses us this much, just imagine what's in store with the third evolution of the Renaultsport Clio, due out in autumn 2006...
