In politics and showbiz, they say, there’s nothing like bad press. In the automotive world, bad press is ‘bad’ for business. If anything, poor publicity will chop down on car sales, which says a lot about why the second-most funded department after Research and Development in any auto manufacturer is the PR department. For French manufacturer Renault, bad publicity has been working against the tide – for the Renault Clio V6, to its advantage.
Forgive me if things feel a little puzzling to this point. It was more confusing when the original Clio V6 debuted back in 2001.
Before its debut, there was a lot of anticipation in the auto world. It was going to be the first time a manufacturer mid-mounted a 255-ps (251-hp) 3-liter V6 in a hot hatch. As you’d expect, the reception was as insane as the thought itself.
Well, after reviewers finally got behind the wheel of the original V6 Clio, their verdict was negative. There were less than 3,000 global sales. It was so bad Renault redesigned it after two years in the market, releasing the Phase II Clio.
Jack of Number 27 YouTube channel notes, “ Even though these cars have such a fearsome reputation for not being very good handlers, they command quite a high premium now, in terms of value,” he said, introducing the Renault Clio V6 Phase II.
According to Jack, the average price of a Phase I Clio V6 is about £40,000 ($45,297). Decent Phase II units go for up to £65,000 ($73,608). So, why does a car with such a bad reputation still command high market value?
But think about it for a second. As mad as it sounded back then to mid-mount a V6 in a compact hot hatch, the idea alone was enough to excite the ‘crazy’ out of enthusiastic drivers.
Having TWR ( Tom Walkinshaw Racing) handle the project didn’t make it any better for the Clio. Reviewers concluded that the handling was pathetic.
“The upshot is, just after two years, the Clio was completely redesigned, and we’re not just talking about how they used a different sort of spring and damper rates, no. The suspension was completely different. It had different pick up points, the wheelbase was lengthened, different springs, and different dampers. I mean, the car was completely re-engineered,” Jack revealed.
Phase I V6 Clio was 300 kgs (661 pounds) more than the base model, Phase II had 25 hp, and 75 kilograms (165 pounds) more than Phase I.
Jack thinks the facelift version of the V6 Clio looks fantastic, feels more planted, and sounds phenomenal thanks to the engine placement. He also believes their lousy reputation is partly why they are so desirable.
If you are curious about how this hot hatch rips down the road, catch a glimpse of that action in the video below.
PS: Jack doesn't complete the review after a gearbox mishap.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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