Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy 2016 v Renault Clio RS 200 Cup 2012 Comparison

2016 Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy v 2012 Renault Clio RS 200 Cup
Comparison Test

It's no secret that with the move to Clio IV, the halo RS model lost a little of its magic. Sure, it was substantially cheaper than the model it replaced, had five instead of three doors, a dual-clutch gearbox and a turbocharged engine, but the whole didn't add up to the sum of its parts. With the limited-edition Clio RS 220 Trophy, changes have been wrought to return that magic... for a price. There's more go and altered suspension, but can it rekindle the flame created by its legendary predecessor?

Although many attribute the birth of the hot hatch to Volkswagen's Golf GTI, it is the French that took the genre to the next level of driver engagement.

Read back through hot hatch history and it's the Peugeot 205 GTi that's perhaps most revered, though more recently it's Renault that's taken supremacy with its Megane RS.

The devils from Dieppe have also produced some cracking hatches from the Clio platform, familiar to Australian roads since the Sport 172 of the early-Noughties.

It was followed by the sublime 182, before a switch to the bigger, third-generation Clio platform brought the disappointing 197. Substantially heavier than before, it took an update to RS 200 specification before the magic returned to the sporting Clio range, with shorter gearing, firmer suspension and slightly more power.

Fast-forward to today, and we face a similar situation. The third-generation RS 200 was replaced by the fourth-generation RS 200 EDC, the latter standing for Efficient Dual Clutch… but that was just the tip of the iceberg.

The two-pedal set-up replaced a slick, tightly-stacked six-speed manual, and there was now a downsized 1.6-litre turbo-four replacing the free-spinning 2.0-litre nat-atmo mill. Two doors were added, taking the total to five. Gone were the Brembo brakes and Recaro seats, but the price drop was key; where the previous Clio RS was a $36,490 proposition, you could grab yourself a new version for $28,790 when it was released in 2013.

It worked, too; at least from a sales perspective. And we'll grant the newer car was easier to live with day to day. But from a driving standpoint – the primary purpose of buying a fettled hatch – the latest Clio RS lacked the excitement of the model it replaced.

Sure, there was decent underlying grip but the chassis quickly fell to understeer on-track, the brakes and steering lacked interactivity and the engine/gearbox combination lacked inspiration… and felt slower than the similarly-engined Nissan Pulsar SSS in a straight line.

If the Clio 200 EDC was a disappointment akin to that of the Clio 197 generation, then the news of the Clio RS 220 Trophy has brought RS 200 Cup-like anticipation.

Hardware play
The Clio RS 220 Trophy builds on the base RS 200 EDC spec, though it offers a lift in power to 162kW (from 147kW) and 260Nm of torque, 20Nm up on the RS 200 EDC. The tuned engine is also capable of hitting 280Nm in an overboost function, which is only engaged in the fourth and fifth gear of the improved dual-clutch transmission (up to 30 per cent quicker shift times, shorter-throw – though still fixed-position – paddles).

A reprogrammed ECU will allow 6800rpm upshifts in race mode.

Suspension has been firmed and the RS 220 Trophy rides lower by 20mm at the front and 10mm in the rear, while steering is sharpened by 10 per cent thanks to a 13.2:1 ratio. Limited to 220 Australian units, the Clio RS 220 Trophy sits on specific 18-inch alloys, though curiously the 205/40-series rubber is the same size as the RS 200, albeit using Michelin Pilot Super Sports in favour of the Dunlop Sport Maxx rubber normally seen on the 'standard' RS.

That's some fine on-paper fettling, but the $39,990 (plus on-road costs) sticker price makes the Trophy appear expensive in its competitive landscape; something like a one-size-up Focus ST is cheaper.

Expense in context is something the new car shares with the 2012 Clio RS 200 Cup, which cost $36,490 (plus on-roads) when new.

For the outlay, there's a tightly-stacked six-speed manual gearbox sitting behind a manic 7750rpm 2.0-litre screamer. It generates a stout 147.5kW but a relatively weedy 215Nm. Claimed fuel usage was 8.2L/100km, some 2.3L/100km more than the RS 220 Trophy… at least on the test bed.

Riding on 17-inch rims and fitted with 215/45-series rubber (Bridgestone Potenza RE003) on owner Sean's 28,000km Racing Blue example, but Continental SportContact 3s back when it was new, the Cup's red Brembo brake calipers, squat three-door stance and high-backed Recaro seats – not to mention the three chromed foot pedals and the white-faced tachometer's 8000rpm calibration – signify a time when Renault focused on the hottest of hot hatch driving experience, and damn the sales figures.

Can the Trophy take the Cup?
After a while assisting photographer Dishan with some static imagery, the itch to jump behind the wheel and sample some fantastic Bass Coast roads becomes overwhelming and I slide into the Trophy's emblazoned (and heated) seat.

There's a little cut-out section on the seatback, though filled with plastic. It suggests harnesses could slot in with little work, but it looks a bit naff against the 'pukka' Recaros fitted to the Cup.

What the Trophy does have is a better (lower) driving position, and the seats themselves remain comfortable without potentially bruising your thighs as you drop in.

Flick the starter and the Trophy sounds mini-Megane RS, an acoustic overlay that asserts itself further once the dual-clutch transmission has taken up drive (it's quite polished in this regard, though still doesn't like quick movements between drive and reverse) and you begin to sample the boosted mid-range torque the diminutive 1.6-litre engine provides.

Immediately there's ferocity to its power delivery that puts the base RS 200 in the shade. The Trophy is aggressive from the off, particularly if you leave the car in auto and select sport mode.

In this guise the Clio is almost frantic in its appetite for revs, but switch the gate across to access manual shifting (there's a traditional sequential style option with the gearstick if the sometimes-difficult column-mounted shifters aren't your thing) and you gain more control, the Trophy holding gears and relying on torque in favour of kicking-down.

There's an added benefit on upshifts, too, as the RS will still auto-upshift at the redline, leaving the driver to concentrate on what's happening at the wheel. Race mode, incidentally, will hold gears, choosing to hit the new 6800rpm limiter instead of upshift, for those times you need maximum gearbox control.

As familiarity builds, control returns as a buzzword. Grow too greedy with your throttle application and the Clio RS 220 Trophy will lean towards power-on understeer as the open differential allows the turbocharged torque delivery to push the Clio's liquid yellow nose wide of the apex.

The nose also tends to follow cambers under power, manifested as a tug at your hands on the wheel.

When I stop to chat with Clio RS 200 Cup owner Sean and mention the wandering under power, he reminds me that the older car – his car – has a trick front suspension layout that essentially banishes these traits. Similar to its Megane big brother, it offers an independent steering axis; expensive, but effective.

It works in practice, too. Sean tells me he has never experienced power understeer in his Clio, and I can see why. The old RS's steering has a clarity that is rare among front drive vehicles, which have to contend with simultaneous traction and turning management. The chassis playfully reacts to steering inputs, giving you the option to maximise grip through smoothness, or trail-brake (via those faithful Brembos) and have the rear axle deliciously tighten the line.

Get back on the power and the Clio RS 200 Cup doesn't run wide of the apex; instead, it hunkers down to accelerate out on a crest of revs and super-short gearing. There isn't the Trophy's torque, but the throttle response, rising redline blare and snappy gearshift mean you're having too much fun to care… and in terms of outright pace, there's not a lot in it.

Quibbles? The voluptuous Recaros are set too high, the ride is always firm, quick cross-gate downshifts can sometimes baulk, rear accessibility is compromised by two less doors and you do miss the torque of the Trophy's turbo donk. Then again, if these are deal breakers then a warm hatch is probably a better fit for your needs.

Swapping back into the Clio RS 220 Trophy you are thankful for the improved driving position and the more modern interior layout. Its ride is still firm, but less manic than its predecessor's and it's a more pleasant, quieter place to be when you aren't seeking that last rev.

Try and engage that demonic side, however, and you simply don't have the chassis communication to confidently keep pace.

Drive smoothly and there's plenty of underlying cornering power and a more stable chassis (whether that's a positive or not is down to personal preference), but its communication is more muffled through a less-sophisticated front suspension and new-gen electric steering, though it is improved over the RS 200 EDC.

Braking is decent for on-road use but lacks the pedal feel and repeatability of the older car. The Trophy would also benefit from wider-section rubber to better deploy its grunt.

A final exclamation mark: In driving the Trophy as intended, fuel consumption quickly breached double figures, some 4.5L/100km above its claim on the day. The Cup was about 1.3L over the mark.

Reflections
Many times during this drive, I went to justify the Trophy's less inspiring dynamic envelope by price… before remembering that with all the added kit, it's actually priced higher than the RS 200 Cup was when new.

Despite its limited status and undoubted equipment and performance upgrades, the Trophy's price jump is still a leap too far over the RS 200 EDC. That it is still bested dynamically by the previous generation Clio 200 Cup puts the gap into further focus.

The solution? Take your $40,000 and buy the zippy base model Clio ($18,290 plus on-roads) along with a 2012 Clio 200 Cup (there's several on carsales.com.au for under $20,000) for magical weekend blasts. It remains the Porsche RS of hot hatches.

2016 Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy pricing and specification:
Price: $39,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 162kW/260Nm (280Nm with overboost)
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 5.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 135g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety: Five-star ANCAP

What we liked:
>> Low-and mid-range performance
>> Satisfyingly faster gear-shift
>> Strong chassis grip

Not so much:
>> Can understeer and follow cambers under power
>> Can't match fuel economy claim
>> Massive cost increase over standard vehicle

2012 Renault Clio RS 200 Cup pricing and specification:
Price: $36,490 (when new, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 147.5kW/215Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 8.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 195g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety: Five star (EuroNCAP)

What we liked:
>> The most complete hot hatch chassis ever
>> Rev-hungry atmo four-pot
>> Near-perfect grunt/grip ratio

Not so much:
>> Too-high driving position
>> Always firm, usually noisy
>> The temptation to ring its neck all the time…

Images: Dishan Marikar