Cllio Trophy Update

[Cailean]

Think you guys hit the nail on the head, it's a generational issue. I'm also 48 and love the NA 200, it's so much more old school and the most similar to what I drove as a young lad - Escorts etc. It gives me a huge grin most of the times I drive it, I doubt the 200T will do that. The 200T is more suited to the younger generation and has too many gismos for me.

My 200 is now 5 years old and I keep thinking of changing. As the 200 is my second car (not the family/wife wheels) I only do about 7,000 pa in it, so will be hard to justify £22k for its replacement, for that price I would probably go for a new'ish 265 over the 200 Trophy, having said that I would like to try out the 200 Trophy.

You can't blame Renault for going down the 200T route in order to get sales (and don't forget we are a small market here in the UK).

 

[nutnutwelshman]

It's not a age thing iam 54 this year and on my 11rs

 

[Jimmy]

Cailean kind of sums it up in his last sentence - Renault are chasing sales figures and profits and therefore a bigger portion of the market. Hence why they 'softened' the 200T in comparison to the 197/200: it appeals to a wider market, rather than the hardcore hatch fans that the 197/200 and prior to that the 1*2 appealed to.

It's a sign of the times - after all, who would have imagined the day when Porsche now openly label themselves as a manufacturer of SUVs, who also do sports cars on the side..... Same as why Ferrari will now turbo charge their cars....

 

[TB Rich]

No Rich in race mod it's fine buddy but iam a very old man anyway

In race mode its instant. Theres no waiting...

Mine would never be out of race mode D) so I don't see what the fuss is then! Too many armchair journo's perhaps? Anyway the Trophy is quicker in all modes as I understand it so one assumes this to be the fix people are after. I'm guessing with retrofitted software (if possible) it'll help the 200T, however the 197 got a bit of a beating when lauched yet the 200 was highly praised - now we all know it's the same car! - however the damage to 200T perception will have mostly been done already.

 

[MikeO]

Think I'm the "really" old man in this thread (59) and I also love my car. Not perfect by any means. Though I think the Trophy has answered a number of my minor criticism. Mind you ... would like the switches behind the paddles to have a tactile click, as well as a shorter throw.

Very much looking forward to finding a dealer with a Trophy demo (lets hope it's easier to do than when they originally launched the car!!!). Not in the market for a new car this year, but come next year I may well be looking to waste (ha ha) some more money on the worst depreciating asset ever (IE. cars in general).

Though appreciate that whatever Renault do with the current RS Clio, there will still be plenty that don't like it. That's life though folks. Be a boring world if we all liked the same thing

PS. Unluckily I don't think there's an updated software for the gearbox coming any time soon for current owners. Already been stated by Renault CS on the official Renaultsport forums. A bit of a shame really, as I can't imagine the map for the Trophy would take much tweaking to suit / work for the stock 200t. Shame on you Renault :'(

 

[Chris]

The people reviewing the car are too used to driving ferraris and nissan gtrs with millisecond delays, thats what I think anyway.

Race mode you dont have ESR/Traction, so I just generally keep it in sport, which you can notice a very small wait before it changes gear, but its pretty much instant tbh. In race, you pull the lever and its changed... Its not like your waiting around for a second for it to change gear for you, you pull and its done basically.

From reading, the trophy normal mode will be the same as race on a normal 200t, so id be curious to try the trophy in race.

 

[MikeO]

I find the up-shifts even in sport mode are pretty decent. It's just occasionally the down-shifts seem to pause very slightly before actually initiating the gear change. Not sure why and it doesn't even seem to always do it. Still faster than I could change with a manual box. While I'm quite willing to admit that it's not the fastest changing DSG box I've used, I still think some of it is a "perception thing". As the paddles don't really give you much of an idea when you've hit the trigger point of the switch. Hence my comment about the switches themselves needing a tactile click. Only my personal opinion obviously.

 

[Foxspeed]

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/general/renault-clio-220-trophy/32367

 

[Kazumz]

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/general/renault-clio-220-trophy/32367

I thought trophy was an extreme version of Renaults Franchise? ... This doesn't look all that extreme to me ...

 

[MikeO]

Price lower than I thought it might be.

Shall be very interested to try one myself. Just got to find a demo now.

 

[Ashton]

25k+ with the trophy seats, lick of paint and rs monitor


I'll pass thanks

 

[MikeO]

Wait for a year and pick up a nice Renault X-management car (like I did with my current car). Might be interesting then (price wise).

Always deals to be done at some point.

 

[Rogue]

They don't spec the cars well though. I really struggled to find one with RS monitor and it's only a £200 add on!

 

[Chris]

They don't spec the cars well though. I really struggled to find one with RS monitor and it's only a £200 add on!

I know right, mine has everything, over £2.5k extras then the idiot didnt put a cup chassis on it...

 

[Yiannis197]

How much was the Silverstone or even the raider when they were released? I believe that's a fair price considering the price of the early model. Especially considering that there have been some major changes, mechanical and chassis related.

The reviews should be interesting..

 

[Sideshowfred]

Well it won't be long until some reviews are out as i was lucky enough to get a passanger ride in this last night. Felt bloody quick and the way it went in to corners amazed me. Only comment the driver made was that he thinks it could do with a diff as it did seem to understeer as the power was being put on out of the corner. He also said that one of the road testers reckons it's a lot better than the standard 200t on gearshifts but is still 'not quite there'. Found it strange that he was more excited about looking at my 200 than he was looking at the trophy