Renault sport Clio 200 is a Cup of joy

It's easy to think that because of fuel prices, safety regulations, safety cameras and speed bumps, car enthusiasts might as well take the metro. Yet despite the increasing number of regulatory hoops that need to be jumped through, there are cars out there that offer huge thrills, are surprisingly focused and yet don't cost the earth.

Renault has a good pedigree in this department: 5 Gordini, 5 GT Turbo, and Clios from 172, 182 and right through to the 197 Cup all had the spirit and vim of a true hot hatch. And while in the older cars that might have come at the expense of refinement and comfort, nothing could wipe the huge grin they left on your face.

Now the Clio has a new grin of its own, courtesy of the range-wide refresh that now appears throughout the range. It gets a nose treatment that brings it neatly in line with the latest Megane, and it's a healthy improvement too, giving it more personality than before.

Add to that the body addenda that comes with the Renaultsport tag — bigger wheels, sideskirts and that rear diffuser — and the Clio 200 is a pleasing mix of track-car menace and French pertness.

It's eye-catching without being offensive, and you don't need to be under the age of 20 to be seen in one.

The facelift doesn't compromise its no-nonsense approach to hot-hatchery either. Go for the Cup spec model, and with a UK price of around Dh98,000, it's hard to think of a reason why you wouldn't. It saves time to list all the equipment that you don't get: electric mirrors, air conditioning, the Renault key card, curtain airbags or the soft-touch dashboard seen on other high-spec Clios, including the regular Clio 200.

With good reason too, because although these things are nice to have, they add weight, and so a committed B-road driver would much rather save the 36kg.

What the Cup gets instead is an even more focused suspension set-up. The 200 Cup's dampers are 15 per cent stiffer than the previous 197 Cup, which was stiffer than the regular 197 again. Small percentages it may be, but the upshot is that the Cup is significantly stiffer than the standard car.

There's a couple of other important reasons why you should go for the Cup, namely the pair of optional Recaro seats. They make getting into the back more difficult, and reaching around for the seatbelt can be a bit of a drag if you're short, but it's worth it. These are proper grippy seats, highly supportive thanks to the substantial bolsters and designed to hold you tightly in place so you can exploit the grip.

The powerplant is designed with performance firmly in mind too. It's the same 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four cylinder unit, but with a few minor tweaks to the exhaust and induction systems it now produces a mighty 197bhp. Just as before, the power arrives in a race car fashion and requires you to work the gears to extract the maximum from it.

Yet that is part of the pleasure, and zinging round to almost 8,000rpm is a thrilling experience that you will want to repeat over and over again. It rasps and roars when extended, and although busier than the standard car when pressed thanks to the shorter gearing, it's not incapable of cruising along without delivering an instant headache.

It's rapid and intoxicating in a straight line, but where the 200 Cup is even better is the handling department. It is controllable, deadly accurate, grippy and agile, with a level of finesse and balance that is worthy of a car with a much bigger price tag. Cup models get a quicker steering rack that adds an extra level of sharpness, a theme that runs throughout the car and the wonderful way it drives.

There is a small price to pay of course. This Clio is not quite as comfortable or quiet as the regular car, but it's small degrees of difference. You still get a decent boot, a sturdy cabin and a car that's easy to park and far from a pain to live with.

Yet when the conditions are right, it can thrill and delight in a way that few cars can match, whatever the price. Supercars don't have to have super price tags.

Specs & Ratings

Model Clio 200 Cup
Engine 2.0-litre petrol
Transmission Six-speed manual
Max power 197bhp @ 7,100rpm
Max torque 214Nm @ 5,400rpm
Top speed 227kph
0-100kph 6.9sec