Clio as a track car 'weak points'

[ASH555]

Hello

New to the forum, owned the Saxo below for 4 years and toying with a switch to a Clio 200, unsure if it will become a dedicated track day car as yet (really want a Clio cup race car) but my question is what are the weak points of the Clio 200 road car when tracked (5 or 6 times a year planned)

Thanks for any response

 

[ASH555]

ps sorry if posting photos of a Citroen offends anyone!

 

[knuckles]

I love that saxo!


cant comment on the weak points of a 200 as a track car though sorry.

 

[Fernandez]

Only weak point is lack of power/torque. Other than that they are a track weapon, corner like cars costing 3 times the price. Stick a meg engine in one and you'll surprise plenty of people.

 

[Chris]

Nah they are pretty hot out the box for the track, just better pads and perhaps a slightly altered suspension setup and they are then a bit of a weapon...

 

[The ANT]

Were you in the monsoon at cadwell park on the 21st? As I gave a bloke with a saxo track car a ride round as he said he was thinking about clios.
Though I sold the red 197 at the weekend

 

[ASH555]

Yes that was me, sliding round on the wrong tyres lol

 

[ASH555]

Only weak point is lack of power/torque. Other than that they are a track weapon, corner like cars costing 3 times the price. Stick a meg engine in one and you'll surprise plenty of people.

Tbh this is what the Saxo does especially in the dry and at circuits like Cadwell, I don't mind the usual maintainance and upgrades but i keep reading gearbox's are an issue?

 

[chris1888-197]

Hi mate I have seen many clio up knockhill mostly 172/182 tho was in a clio 197 with akraprovic exhaust and altered suspension @roscoe car and I was unbelievably surprised how well it went! There was a subaru who in the corners was nowhere near the clio! I have been alot of really quick high-powered cars and the clio was just as much fun. As the other members say, stick a megane lump in one and you will seriously suprise people.

 

[TB Rich]

Tbh this is what the Saxo does especially in the dry and at circuits like Cadwell, I don't mind the usual maintainance and upgrades but i keep reading gearbox's are an issue?

It's no worse than the MA box in your Saxo!

 

[ASH555]

It's no worse than the MA box in your Saxo!

The Saxo box has run trouble free, so sounds like nothing major to worry about ☺

 

[Yiannis197]

That saxo is hot!

Nothing to worry about really. Good pads and tyres and you are sorted as stock items won't cut it. Cup chassis is an absolute must of course but plenty of suspension choices around should you wish to go shopping. You seem to be an advanced driver so I can see you looking around for one

Gearbox is hit and miss with these cars. A few failed and loads are still running fine, even after people putting megane torque levels through them.

Only thing I would consider is a diff, quaife of gripper depending the usage.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[ASH555]

Thanks for the replies, guess it time to put the Saxo up for sale and find a Clio

[video=youtube;2OzODjhGi6w]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OzODjhGi6w[/video]

 

[The ANT]

I was surprised how fast that saxo was in the rain round cadwell. For what I was expecting it was ballistic, after following you on track it felt ages for me to catch you. Mind you I was surprised how slow everything else was in the wet. It was my first wet track day and from everything I came across on track the only stuff faster than the 197 had 4wd. Everything else looked too hard to control at those speeds in that amount of rain. As the 911 driver found first hand.
But i can't talk, I did destroy the clutch. (The friction material had started to break apart, oops)

 

[ASH555]

I was struggling for grip all day on scrubbed Ao48's which are awesome in the dry but scary on all that standing water, would have been fun had it been dry the Saxo has lapped at 1 min 47 round Cadwell which is very respectable for a 115bhp 1.6l 8v. I was amazed how much grip you got from those Bridgestones!!