Am I going to get spanked??

[Greg200]

Thought I would ask this on the 197 side as theres more chance you guys would have came up against them.
My mates looking at getting an r26 in the next few weeks, what should I expect in terms of;

Straight line sprint- Dual?
B-road bash?

Obviously I know its quicker, but is it really night and day?

And does the trick diff make that much differance on the 'twisties'?

 

[N0ddie]

Theres no doubt that in a straight line drag race the superior power and torque of the R26 will win over the 200.

Is it quicker "in the twisties"? I'm not sure. The Clio will be more agile (quicker on its feet) but I dunno.

 

[richandgem]

Depends on s many things mate, main one being driver. If you are great and he is poo then you eat him, if your poo and he's great then visa versa. I've kept up with with stage 2 megs in m 182, but then been whooped by other lol

Straight line speed the meg will always have the advantage

 

[BenW]

I think he'd be faster but you'd be having more fun

 

[mbk197]

I've had a few run ins with a local guy who has an r26. Standard apart from exhaust. To 60 - 70, very little in it. After that he will pull but not as much as you'd think. Handling they are superior as well, but its far too capable for the road and on that basis I agree with the Ben. He might be going quicker but because its so planted and stuck to road, there is just no where near the involvement as the clio.

 

[Raptor6767]

R26 is faster.

Period.

If the driver knows how to drive it.

 

[marshall]

Good mate of mine has a r26, rapes the clio.

 

[Roger200]

You'll be faster at first....until he learns the r26. So make the most of it when he first gets it
Also mainly depends on driver.

 

[Ed...]

Ill tell u now the r26 makes rubbish drivers look good the diff in the corners meens they can power through and not worry about understeer. The turbo power meens tuning easily reaches 270 bhp so all in all you are going to be spanked. Oulton on the 12th was a true show r26 passed me (just about) on the pit straight nearly lost it on the corner but the diff saved him. Amazing cars but less fun to drive.

 

[pez1356]

My flat mate used to have an R26, was faster in a straight line than my 197. Through the twistys it depends, I could keep up with him but we wern't both like caning it as that would be a stupid thing to do on a public road. If you are just going to go out and have a little play you won't get spanked, however if you are going to go and rag it round b roads, you'll probably lose and 1 of you will probably end up in a ditch. Choose your path wisely my friend...

 

[Willis]

I found last time I was at Oulton that I could catch an R26 that was there on the brakes and keep with him through the bends but on the straights he was putting a car length on me as soon as he put his foot down... I later found out it was on R888's and had ''Stage 2'' engine mods. I think maybe he was playing with me (I like to think I was just being a driving God though), but it was great fun nontheless.

 

[nick197]

As has been said up to 70ish not much in it as long as the clio driver is really on it. It's so easy to go fast in an R26 you barely have to touch 5k rpm with the extra low down torque. In the twisties there really would be very little in it with the clio being lighter but then the R26 has the LSD.

 

[Paul]

Lets be honest that R26 @ Oulton was heavily modded too Woody. It was an animal!

I don't think you can ever have an out and out winner except on a track where a standard R26 will beat a standard 197/200/R27. It all depend on the driver, conditions, brave pills etc etc. If it is a bit greasy I think you will have the edge in the smaller, lighter car. But the best thing to do is wait until it arrives and put it to the test lol!

 

[Arran]

They're quite different cars too. Ok, they are both sporty models, but the engine set up and weight etc is different. There's no shame in being beaten by a car that has more power, an lsd and a much bigger list price. So I wouldn't worry. I was expecting to spank my mate in his 1.4 turbo Punto, but in reality there wasn't much in it. I didn't get a good start tbh, but I just praised his car and said it was decent. I think he was expecting a barrage of excusses from me, but truth is that it's actually quite a good engine and car.

 

[GrumpyTwig]

If you can convince someone to swap their crappy R26.R for my clio I'm game........

Also the one at Oulton was a rocket in a straight line compared to mine

 

[Not a Diesel!!!]

Have a 197 & a R26 sitting outside.

You need to be on top of your game in the 197 & keep it in the power band. R26 is easier to drive fast with broad spread of torque.

If its wet even with the diff the R26 will spin its wheels where the 197 is better getting the power down.

 

[quik97]

eds r26 annihilates the clio

 

[litchy]

.....completely different cars in every single way I can think of. Yes you'll get spanked and why wouldn't you......Renault wouldn't have sold many R26's if the clio R27 was 220 brake!!!! I guess the problem is (although it pains me to admit it), the bragging rights 'day to day' will always be more about the straights than the bends. The straights need very little drivers ability where the bends still need a level of bravery pills!!!!

 

[Greg200]

Some varying views there. Its his first performance car so I'd imagine I'll have the edge for a while. Not overly fussed as the clio is alot nicer to look at, and both of us agree on just how fun and capable the clio is. Might encourage me to start modding, so its not all bad (depending on what way you look at it).

I wonder if the next clio is still n/a and has the 220hp as reported, if it would actualy take sales away from the megane 250? As said the meg is totally different to the clio, could say more grown up, so I think they would attract the different buyer. I certainly hope the next clio is up on power.

 

[Ferg]

Megane is quicker than Clio in a straight line.
If a Clio beats Megane in the twisties, it's down to drivers.