Rally for Beginners with the Sport Clio R3

You have to like the World Rally Championship. It's about as close as it gets to real racing, no track, no fancy pit crews, just you, the car and a dirt track. That's why there are so many people out there keeping their eyes on the rally circuit and that's why auto makers keep coming up with tuned versions of street cars.

Renault has done just that, 'unleashing' on the market, the Sport Clio R3 Maxi Access, which is a wicked looking hot hatch that it markets as an 'entry-level' rally car. Well, that's a bit of a twist which can wet the appetite of all you rally driver wannabes.

The car is designed for tarmac racing, so don't be thinking you'll be able to tear the dirt tracks like nobody's business. In order to cope with racing conditions, the car has been fitted with a roll cage, which not only increases rigidity and saves your life in case of an accident, but also makes the car look more professional.

The gearbox is a six-speed model connected to a limited-slip differential so you can corner at top speeds without fear of skidding off. Naturally, the suspension has been stiffened to cope with the added weight of the car and to improve handling.

The stock engine also got a beefing, now coming with a wicked 200 hp, given by the cam and the breathing tweaks. The reasons for this should be obvious and we've never heard anyone complain about more horse power from an engine. Never. Period.

And now, that we've wet your appetite, it's time for the bad news: sadly, the Maxi Access is only available in France, at least for the moment, and it's said to cost just a bit under 45,000 US dollars, actually, the equivalent of that in euros.