Renault Clio RenaultSport V6 (2003-2005) Review

Overview

• Next: Reliability and Quality

Of all the silly ideas, taking a Renault Clio and dropping a V6 engine in the back of it ranks right up there with the best of 'em. It's not an easy job, either. First a regular Clio bodyshell gets pulled off the production line and carried to the Alpine factory, which is where all the modifications are carried-out, by hand. The result? A unique, 255bhp V6-engined, rear-drive monster, costing around twenty-seven grand. Which, when all's said and done, is quite a lot for a Renault Clio, even if it has two seats and makes a noise like a Porsche 911.

Just as well, then, that it's very good. The original model - unveiled at the 1998 Paris Motor Show and confirmed for production shortly afterwards - never really captured the imagination as successfully as other niche performance cars like Mitsubishi's Evos. But this model received some handy changes over the first Clio V6, including a power increase, a new six-speed gearbox, harder-edged styling and improvements to the driveability and handling. So, although it'll never be a bestseller, it should go down as a cult classic.