It might not be as tricky to handle as the old Clio V6, but the FWD versions of the Renault Clio RS do have their own problematic handling tendencies, created by the combination of big power, wide tracks and really short wheelbase (2,583 mm or 102 inches).
This next video was shot at one of the famous Nurburgring Touristenfahrten, where you just turn up in your own car and race. Of course, doing motorsport in something designed for everyday use is a very dangerous thing. But the Clio RS is not exactly a regular road car.
When launched in 2005, the Clio 3 RS was a breath of fresh air in its segment, a dialysis of all that fluff which polluted hot hatch purity. Drawing inspiration and technology from F1, Renaultsport tuned its 2-liter VVT engine to 197 PS, enough to push the pocket rocket to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds. Still, it's never been tested by Euro NCAP and we have a sneaking suspicion they wouldn't have like the huge engine and completely replaced front subframe.
Renault sold Clio RSs by the bucketload, but their numbers have been slowly dwindling due to these Nurburgring crashes. This next one was shot this weekend by Youtuber MegaPeter96 and shows how a blue Clio RS smashes into a very long section of the Nurburgring barrier before coming to a stop. It looks funny, like a giant fender bender, but the track officials demand a very hefty toll for all those who smash into their protective walls and for every intervention of the recovery vehicle.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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