2003 Renault Clio 172 Cup from UK and Ireland - Comments

Alarm going off when the car is locked, fault switch.

In reply to the previous posts, that's all rubbish, you do no gain 10-15bhp from an induction kit, you're lucky to gain 2-3bhp!!! And you won't get 60bhp from a ECU and induction kit!!! The Cup can be a bit skittish in the wet, but you got to learn how to drive in the current conditions.

The 182/182 cup is not as fast as the 172 Cup, this is because the 172 Cup, even though it's got 10bhp less, still had a better bhp per ton figure than the 182/182 Cup!!

If you want the extra 10bhp, get a 182 manifold and then a custom performance exhaust system.

In all, the Cup is an amazing car, there is little on the road that will touch it for handling and acceleration. You would be hard pushed to get a better performing car for under 14k!!

I agree. I've got one and for the money there's nothing to touch the performance or the handling.

They are slow in a straight line, my pal owns a trophy and cries everytime I power past him in my astra turbo.

Clio slow, are you having a laugh mate? An Astra SRi Turbo would get out handled by the Clio any day.

Why would he be having a laugh? He says in a straight line, not round corners. The Astra would leave the Clio for dust!

Take the turbo off the astra and then see what happens. Clio is non turbo. Stick a turbo on the Clio and I'm pretty sure we all know what the outcome would be ;-)

If we are talking about the old shape Astra Turbo (e.g. SRI Turbo or GSI), then it would have to be chipped to beat the Clio in a straight line.

The VXR is faster, but not by as much as you might think, at least not until speeds of over 100 are attained, and really, who wants to go any faster than that on UK roads? Not me, and certainly not in a Clio...

But in any case, the Clio is praised as being a classic hot hatch. And the Astra? Erm, its rubbish really. Ugly, poor handling, and boring. Unless it's a VXR that is.

"take the turbo off the astra then see what happens" The point is, the astra comes with a turbo. I know what your saying, the clio has almost as much power without a turbo yes? But vauxhall could have made the astra with 300 BHP if they wanted too cos it has a turbo. My point is vauxhall wanted the astra to have around 200 BHP by means of a turbo instead of VVT (like the clio) Why? who knows, but I know id rather have a turbo, a lot more fun and a lot more torque.

Just went out for another good thrashing in the 172 Cup, it's an amazing car, feels like a cart.. would drive circles around any Vauxhall, turbo or whatever. I used to own a 270hp Scooby, the Clio is a LOT more fun.