200T EDC with Lux and Cup Packs (All comments are from a personal point of view) On the 06/07/13, Foxspeed and Roblynn1977 had a road trip to Wolverhampton Renault to sample the new Clio 200T. Like to say a big thanks to Matt at Wolverhampton Renault who was offering a no strings attached test drive to sample the new Clio 200T and to Rob who got in touch with him to set it all up. I thought this was a good touch for those who cannot get to the midweek track days cause of work. Matt was a very nice guy and could do with a few more like him in the sales departments across the Renault Garages. I must say overall it is a very good drive and i felt comfortable in it right from the off which is rare for me in a strange car. Its is very composed and to say this had the cup packs it is less hash then out going 200FF non-cupped Clio on our pot hole filled roads. Front Seats a very supportive and comfy, either in hash cornering or cruising. The rear seats aren't as comfy as the out going 200 and are more bolt up right. The rear leg room is also about the same between the 2. The Red stitching in the seats reminds me of the GT Turbo seats a bit and Love the Red seat belts. Head room is less in front and rear then the old 200 but there was still plenty of room for my 6ft frame front and rear. Steering to me had a very positive feel, feedback and was well weighted at speed or in town, could tell what it was doing through the front wheels. Steering wheel was a nice size and thinkness too to grab hold off. The Flappy paddle box which i had big doubts about is the best Auto/Flappy Paddle box i have driven to date. It did everything i wanted it to do, changed down when i wanted it to and up which the flappy paddles ive driven wouldn't let you drop a gear till it was ready, which was my pet hate with them over the years. All gear change's up and down the box in full auto or flappy paddle mode was very smooth and in Race mode was plenty quick enough through the gears i thought. The Paddles being fixed to the column rather then on the wheel i think was good and just where i like them, cause if there on the wheel and you've loads of lock on you've forgot which is up and which is down if they move with the wheel. The sound coming from the exhaust was ace when changing down and also when nailing it. It sounded like Darth Vader from the exhaust when sat in the back lol. To say we had a full car i thought it pulled rather well, either nailing it or just driving it along normally in higher gears, so there's plenty of torque there. It pulled like a train through the gears tbh when giving it the beans, seems to get to the rev limter very quickly. There was no lumpiness from it in the lower gears like you get in the out going 200 but i suspect the gearbox helps with this. The Brakes felt good also quite a hard short paddle and stop the car rather promptly, whether they would last with a good spanking on a run out or on track i do not know but on our little run they felt good. The one thing i didnt like about the car and is a complete gimmick is the R-link with the car sounds. it was alright for the 1st few minutes as a laugh but it just got annoying after awhile and in the back sounded dreadful at constant speeds. The Rev counter was also on the small side and hard to make out and could do with brighting up a little and what with the tini tiny little windows behind the rear door handles [lol] The Looks of the new 200T is now growing on me, but i still do wish they had made a 3 door too. I felt the rear doors didnt aid much anyway in getting in and out tbh, didn't really open wide enough and kept catching my size ten feet between the door and rear wheel arch or just kicking the door. Although my doubts about the gearbox has been resolved i do think it would be a great option to have but it should have been an option and not get rid of the manual altogether which i would still prefer as that is what a hot hatch is about. The new car overall feels a quality product over the out going model, everything feels much better screwed together and not as rattle inside. For a family man that has come through the R.S. range of the past and might want a blast from time to time when the mrs allows this is the ideal car for them. Would i buy one......well i still have a problem with 5 door hatch's with how they look. but if my circumstances changed that i needed the extra doors then i would deffo look at one of these, But 3 doors are not exactly hard to get in and out of tbh. Would also have to be in LY not seen the other colours yet other then white and i think white doesn't do anything for it personally it makes it look cheep the GT line looks better in white then the R.S. version does Here's some photos of the car we drove
Good write up pal, i was slightly impressed when i drove one at work wasnt sure what to expect from the gear box but it was pretty smooth and the exhaust note as u say is nice from in the car. I liked the interior but would i buy one... nah prob not.
