Renault Clio Sport 200 Gordini 2011 Review

IF the music is too loud you're too old. The same goes if the springs are too stiff. While I can always turn down the volume on the audio, I'm simply way too old for the highly-sprung Renault Clio Sport 200 Gordini Edition. This is a car aimed more at the cashed-up youth market who can still get away with wearing American basketball gear.

VALUE

At $39,140, it's not cheap for a manual three-door hatch, but it's more powerful and cheaper than the Mini Cooper S and Honda Civic Type R and a bit more expensive and less powerful than a Golf GTI. There is a stack of kit in the car with cruise and speed limiter control, multi-function trip computer, climate airconditioning, streaming audio Bluetooth, aux and USB inputs, full-leather trim, cornering lights and auto lights/wipers.

TECHNOLOGY

Although it bears the name of Renault's famous engine tuner, this is really an exercise in styling, rather than a tuning. It has the same engine output as the other Clio RS models.

DESIGN

It's like stepping out in a nice suit while wearing brightly coloured sandshoes. It just doesn't work and I certainly don't fit the profile of the "average" Gordini driver. However, you would feel quite at home with the sports styling if your Calvin Kleins were visible over your jeans with the crotch hanging down around your knees and a baseball cap was perched sideways on your scone.

This wasn't styled in an auto factory, but in pit lane: The Gordini badge shows up all over the place, there are two GT stripes running from front to back, drilled aluminium pedals, F1-styled spoiler, the steering wheel has a centering stripe like a rally car and "Renault Sport" lettering adorns the front and back windows like a race car.

You can't blame Renault for plundering its sports heritage what with its current F1 position and its long history of rallying success.

SAFETY

It has the usual suite of six airbags, ABS and stability control. However, the fact that stability control is "sports tuned" for late intervention and can be turned off completely means this car is destined for track days.

DRIVING

I left my spleen somewhere on the pavement just down the road from work. I won't say it's a harsh ride but I'm sure you could run over a book of Braille and be able to read every word through the seat of your trousers. It doesn't help that it rides on "cotton-reel" 17-inch wheels with a 45 per cent tyre profile.

This car is tuned for sport with lightning-quick steering (sans torque steer), a gearbox nearly as much fun as the Alfa Sud's and powerful, biting Brembo brakes. Despite the sport orientation, the gearshift is smooth and the clutch is light and manageable for daily traffic duties.

The engine is torquey but also likes to rev and with the close-ratio gearbox you can short-shift or completely skip gears and still get along quite quickly.

The driver is surrounded by race-tech styling, sports seats, drilled pedals and a sporty steering wheel. Unfortunately the steering wheel is not adjustable for reach, so tall people cannot get a good driving position without their knees getting in the way.

The audio and Bluetooth controls are hidden on a stubby third stalk behind the steering wheel, making it difficult to grab the right button and accidentally bumping it and changing the audio mode.

There is a surprising amount of boot space, but almost no rear legroom. Build quality is excellent and the pearl white paint of the test model is stunning.

VERDICT

This is more of an impulse buy than a practical solution to daily commuting and transport. It is a plaything that will suit the young and excitable. Everyone should own a sporty plaything once in their life and this one certainly stands out visually from the pack.

RENAULT CLIO SPORT 200 GORDINI EDITION

Price: $39,140
Warranty: 3 Year/100,000km with 24-hour roadside assistance
Resale: N/A
Service interval: 10,000km or 12 months
Engine: 147kW/215Nm, 1997cc, 4 ?cylinder petrol
Body: 3-door, 4 seats
Dimensions: 4017mm (L), 2025mm (W), 1484mm (H), 2585 (WB)
Safety equipment: ABS with electronic brake distribution, sports-tuned stability control, 6 airbags, cruise control, speed limiter, automatic lights and windscreen wipers, fog lights, cornering lights
Weight: 1281kg
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Economy: 8.2L/100km (9.4L/100km on test), 195g/km CO2, Premium fuel (98 RON), 55-litre tank