Tuesday 17th April 2007

Cup for Christmas

Renault 197 Cup will be on sale by the end of the year

---

R27 F1: Cup will gain this suspension

Renault has announced that the ‘Cup’ version of the current Clio 197 road car will be on sale by Christmas.

Essentially, it’ll comprise of a standard Clio 197, minus the air con and fancy audio system, and with the chassis from the recently launched R27 F1 edition. That means 27/30% stiffer springs front and rear, 10% greater roll stiffness, revised suspension bump stops and a seven mm drop in ride height.

Expect the Cup to cost under £15K when it does arrive.

...although this is a tough act to follow...

[eddy_hyde]

No LSD though

[MrKipling43]

You've got a right foot haven't you?

[Twit]

That won't solve the problem of steering (which is poo) and being outgunned by its main rivals in terms of pace.

Best to wait for the trophy version when that eventually arrives! I hate Renault, they are so exploitive of their buyers. Launch main car - sell a few. Launch cup - sell a few and get a few who bought base car to ungrade. Then launch trophy and repeat process. Why don't they just launch the proper version and be done with it!

[annodomini2]

eddy_hyde said:

No LSD though

Hippie!

[jon-]

MrKipling43 said:

You've got a right foot haven't you?

What a useless comment.

TRACTION CONTROL can be emulated by the right foot.

A LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL could only be emulated by foot if you had a split accelerator and the dexterity to independently manipulate throttle to both wheels insuring the optimum power for each of their surface conditions.

[Mr Whippy]

jon- said:

MrKipling43 said:

You've got a right foot haven't you?

What a useless comment.

TRACTION CONTROL can be emulated by the right foot.

A LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL could only be emulated by foot if you had a split accelerator and the dexterity to independently manipulate throttle to both wheels insuring the optimum power for each of their surface conditions.

Doubt it really needs it though. From what I've read it has an optimistic 197bhp anyway, and the Clio Trophy hasn't suffered unduly because of not having a complex differential.

Dave

[pbirkett]

Mt teg only has 197 bhp but that definitely benefits from its LSD.

Although it is about 200 kg lighter

[richyboy]

Anyone driven the R27, is it any better than the standard?

[PhillT]

richyboy said:

Anyone driven the R27, is it any better than the standard?

Yes, but don't know as I haven't driven the standard. I found the R27 to be really good, at least round a track anyway, and those I've talked to that have driven both say it's better than the standard 197.

[nickfrog]

LSD has really become the new bullsh!t topic when blokes talk about cars in pubs, hasn't it?
They are all very well on tracks and super smooth roads (rare in the UK) but on bumpy roads and with short suspension travel they can make a mess of things, Focus RS style.

[mbanham]

pbirkett said:

Mt teg only has 197 bhp but that definitely benefits from its LSD.

Although it is about 200 kg lighter

Have you had this dynoed, if you haven't done any work to this I bet it's around 175bhp!!

[EvoBarry]

nickfrog said:

LSD has really become the new bullsh!t topic when blokes talk about cars in pubs, hasn't it?
They are all very well on tracks and super smooth roads (rare in the UK) but on bumpy roads and with short suspension travel they can make a mess of things, Focus RS style.

The DC2 wouldn't be half the car it is without a slippy diff imho.

[pbirkett]

mbanham said:

Have you had this dynoed, if you haven't done any work to this I bet it's around 175bhp!!

No I haven't had it dynoed, but I do know for a FACT its faster than any standard 2.0 litre Clio

[VTECMatt]

A well set up car with an LSD will be far better than a well set up car with out.

[rimmer]

i think that maybe it would benefit from an lsd but maybe the guys at renaultsport deemed it unnessary for this model perhaps there is an even more hardcore model waiting in the wings to be released in the future like the trophy was.

[Twit]

rimmer said:

i think that maybe it would benefit from an lsd but maybe the guys at renaultsport deemed it unnessary for this model perhaps there is an even more hardcore model waiting in the wings to be released in the future like the trophy was.

Of course there is! This is Renault we are talking about...!

[tigger1]

Twit said:

That won't solve the problem of steering (which is poo) and being outgunned by its main rivals in terms of pace.

Best to wait for the trophy version when that eventually arrives! I hate Renault, they are so exploitive of their buyers. Launch main car - sell a few. Launch cup - sell a few and get a few who bought base car to ungrade. Then launch trophy and repeat process. Why don't they just launch the proper version and be done with it!

Yeah - no other car maker does this do they?

[Davislove]

these really do look great in the flesh.................shame its got duff steering by all accounts

[Twit]

tigger1 said:

Yeah - no other car maker does this do they?

No they don't not in the way Renault do with boggo hatches. Proper sports car makers do but they are more specialist markets.

When they released the Clio Williams they said they would be a very limited run... Until they all sold out and then they did more. When the 172 cup was first launched it was a limited run only until they all sold out... Then guess what! With the 182 they launched the 182 then the the cup pack, and the trophy is the ultimate evolution. They have done the same with the megane!

I really dont understand why anyone buys a hotish renault at launch when you know better ones are going to arrive 6 months and a year later. Why don't they just launch the best version of the car first?!?!

[Tripps]

Twit said:

I really dont understand why anyone buys a hotish renault at launch when you know better ones are going to arrive 6 months and a year later. Why don't they just launch the best version of the car first?!?!

because they'd sell fewer cars?

I'd wager that a significant number will buy 197, 197 Cup and 197 Trophy as they are released.