Renaultsport 200 review.
Car reviewed Renaultsport 200
Options:-
Liquid Yellow
Cup Chassis
Cup Spoiler
Satin black speedline wheels, with Satin black center caps
Extra Tinted side and rear windows
Electronic and heated folding mirrors
Cup stickers
200 carpet mats
Ok so first things first, I’ve only had the car for 2 days and I am no motoring journalist as this will prove, however I have owned 172 (2.5 years), 182 cupped (2.5 years), 197 cupped (2 years) all from new so hopefully it will give me something to judge a cupped 200 on.
So where to start, well there is the outside for starters, regardless of how you go about it there is no getting away from that nose, love it or more likely hate it, it’s a statement in its self. Personally I don’t mind it so much having seen it and studied it in the flesh, as you will read there is plenty I wasn’t keen on till I saw it in the flesh.
To try and disguise the harsh (as my wife puts it) front end I decided on creating a killer bee affect with liquid yellow paint and black accessories being the order of the day. To be honest the paint kind of takes your eye and detracts from its big black nose.
To help aid in blending the nose into the car a little more I added black speedlines, with the additional black centre caps, Renault being Renault have decided for whatever reason in that they will gladly give you matching centre caps right until you order black speedlines where you are expected to fork out another one hundred pounds give or take a bit.
Personally it is these little finishing touches that annoying finish the car off and to get them matched on every other wheel option bar these is just barmy.
Now those of you of a nervous disposition should look away now. I never really liked how the 197 finished at the top of the tailgate. It just sort of ended, well having slagged the cup spoiler and having never seen it in the flesh, it’s time to get the big spoon out and start eating the humble pie.
Having actually seen it in the flesh in my opinion it looks perfect but then again I like marmite. Much like marmite you will either love or hate it what is important is if you like it you get it fitted when ordering to save you having to get it painted as an aftermarket sale comes unpainted. The detailing on the side and underneath only goes to prove my black centre cap point even more.
Another annoying thing is the lack of a second rear fog light, like the 197 everything is in place and just requires a wire joining each rear cluster yet Renault in their wisdom has left it to its customers to fix.
So with that it’s time to get inside. I went for standard seats mainly due to having kids and recaro seats were just a tad too far when it comes to getting in and out the back without putting mine out. I did add the new 200 mats which clip direct into the cars carpets as well as having additional velcro in a good old belt and braces fashion.
Had I seen the yellow cloth option on the seats in the flesh I would have added that but the brochure images again do it little favours. So having settled into the driver’s seat and adjusted it as low as possible my first impression is you sit higher than in the 197. I find this quite odd as I presume they are the same seats in the same position. Oddly enough I also feel the peddles have also been slightly raised at the same time, again I am not sure if they have or it’s just me.
Now yet again I feel I should mention this, I hate the look of the rev counter in the image yet once you are looking at it, it just looks right. When its dark and you are using the lights (obviously) you cannot see the yellow section and the dash takes on a whole new look. I personally prefer the speedo to any previous model and just looks the part. One thing I am looking forward to (after the run in period) is getting an audible beep for when to shift up as opposed to having to look down now and again for the green shift light.
So on to the nitty gritty. The first thing I noticed is just how much low down torque there is available over the 197. All 197 owners will at some point have a holy *$%! moment when they pull out and the car fails to respond, the cold start patch went someway to fixing it but over the last 2 days and only being able to use low down revs I have never felt the 200 will suffer from the same problem. The 200 engine and gear box feel like that of the 172/82 in that it is eager and feels quick to respond to a dip of your right boot, where as the 197 felt sedate until provoked.
The next thing you will note is the difference in the cup chassis. Firstly it is notably stiffer (and yes bumpier in your old ladies eyes), from what I had read I expected to handle the bumps like the cupped 197, however it is far more like the cup chassis off the 182 than that of the 197. A lot has been said as to whether cup is essential or not but my answer would be down to where you live, turning right out of my street and travelling just quarter of a mile, the houses end and you are on single track unclassified roads. Second thing that you will note is the far sharper turn in, so much so in fact I had to check my turn in to stop me curbing the wheels.
Two things to note are that despite me hammering it through the gears (when warm) up to 3500rpm is my mpg reading of 31.5! In the 197 I could drive like a granny and only just see 29mpg at best. The other is a gain in exhaust note, I was always a lover of that of the 197 but the 200 seems louder and deeper which is a ++ in my book. All in all I can’t help but think the 200 in less of an evolution of the 197 and more of a standalone car in its self. The 200 is as much difference in the driving side of the 200 against the 197 of that of its predecessor the 182 was to the 197. Anyone who decides to take the 200 plunge will not be disappointed. I can’t help but think that this is how the 197 was supposed to be, not awesome but truly awesome. Can’t wait till I cross the running in period, until then I’ll have to stick to those unclassified roads.
Oh and if your left in any doubt as to If I like it, then no I love it!!!!!!
And some next to the wifes family run around
Car reviewed Renaultsport 200
Options:-
Liquid Yellow
Cup Chassis
Cup Spoiler
Satin black speedline wheels, with Satin black center caps
Extra Tinted side and rear windows
Electronic and heated folding mirrors
Cup stickers
200 carpet mats
Ok so first things first, I’ve only had the car for 2 days and I am no motoring journalist as this will prove, however I have owned 172 (2.5 years), 182 cupped (2.5 years), 197 cupped (2 years) all from new so hopefully it will give me something to judge a cupped 200 on.
So where to start, well there is the outside for starters, regardless of how you go about it there is no getting away from that nose, love it or more likely hate it, it’s a statement in its self. Personally I don’t mind it so much having seen it and studied it in the flesh, as you will read there is plenty I wasn’t keen on till I saw it in the flesh.
To try and disguise the harsh (as my wife puts it) front end I decided on creating a killer bee affect with liquid yellow paint and black accessories being the order of the day. To be honest the paint kind of takes your eye and detracts from its big black nose.
To help aid in blending the nose into the car a little more I added black speedlines, with the additional black centre caps, Renault being Renault have decided for whatever reason in that they will gladly give you matching centre caps right until you order black speedlines where you are expected to fork out another one hundred pounds give or take a bit.
Personally it is these little finishing touches that annoying finish the car off and to get them matched on every other wheel option bar these is just barmy.
Now those of you of a nervous disposition should look away now. I never really liked how the 197 finished at the top of the tailgate. It just sort of ended, well having slagged the cup spoiler and having never seen it in the flesh, it’s time to get the big spoon out and start eating the humble pie.
Having actually seen it in the flesh in my opinion it looks perfect but then again I like marmite. Much like marmite you will either love or hate it what is important is if you like it you get it fitted when ordering to save you having to get it painted as an aftermarket sale comes unpainted. The detailing on the side and underneath only goes to prove my black centre cap point even more.
Another annoying thing is the lack of a second rear fog light, like the 197 everything is in place and just requires a wire joining each rear cluster yet Renault in their wisdom has left it to its customers to fix.
So with that it’s time to get inside. I went for standard seats mainly due to having kids and recaro seats were just a tad too far when it comes to getting in and out the back without putting mine out. I did add the new 200 mats which clip direct into the cars carpets as well as having additional velcro in a good old belt and braces fashion.
Had I seen the yellow cloth option on the seats in the flesh I would have added that but the brochure images again do it little favours. So having settled into the driver’s seat and adjusted it as low as possible my first impression is you sit higher than in the 197. I find this quite odd as I presume they are the same seats in the same position. Oddly enough I also feel the peddles have also been slightly raised at the same time, again I am not sure if they have or it’s just me.
Now yet again I feel I should mention this, I hate the look of the rev counter in the image yet once you are looking at it, it just looks right. When its dark and you are using the lights (obviously) you cannot see the yellow section and the dash takes on a whole new look. I personally prefer the speedo to any previous model and just looks the part. One thing I am looking forward to (after the run in period) is getting an audible beep for when to shift up as opposed to having to look down now and again for the green shift light.
So on to the nitty gritty. The first thing I noticed is just how much low down torque there is available over the 197. All 197 owners will at some point have a holy *$%! moment when they pull out and the car fails to respond, the cold start patch went someway to fixing it but over the last 2 days and only being able to use low down revs I have never felt the 200 will suffer from the same problem. The 200 engine and gear box feel like that of the 172/82 in that it is eager and feels quick to respond to a dip of your right boot, where as the 197 felt sedate until provoked.
The next thing you will note is the difference in the cup chassis. Firstly it is notably stiffer (and yes bumpier in your old ladies eyes), from what I had read I expected to handle the bumps like the cupped 197, however it is far more like the cup chassis off the 182 than that of the 197. A lot has been said as to whether cup is essential or not but my answer would be down to where you live, turning right out of my street and travelling just quarter of a mile, the houses end and you are on single track unclassified roads. Second thing that you will note is the far sharper turn in, so much so in fact I had to check my turn in to stop me curbing the wheels.
Two things to note are that despite me hammering it through the gears (when warm) up to 3500rpm is my mpg reading of 31.5! In the 197 I could drive like a granny and only just see 29mpg at best. The other is a gain in exhaust note, I was always a lover of that of the 197 but the 200 seems louder and deeper which is a ++ in my book. All in all I can’t help but think the 200 in less of an evolution of the 197 and more of a standalone car in its self. The 200 is as much difference in the driving side of the 200 against the 197 of that of its predecessor the 182 was to the 197. Anyone who decides to take the 200 plunge will not be disappointed. I can’t help but think that this is how the 197 was supposed to be, not awesome but truly awesome. Can’t wait till I cross the running in period, until then I’ll have to stick to those unclassified roads.
Oh and if your left in any doubt as to If I like it, then no I love it!!!!!!
And some next to the wifes family run around
)
