Looking for the ultimate hot hatch experience. One of just 1513 phase 1 Renault Clio V6s ever sold—and quite possibly the only one in the United States, according to the V6 Clio register—is for sale in Miami at a dealership called Real Muscle Classics and Exotics. Imagine a mid-mounted V6 pumping out about 227 horsepower just behind the driver's …
Yeah. Yeah, I do need this.
Ultimate? My FoRS and I respectfully disagree.
Mid engine, naturally aspirated v6, RWD hot hatch. It's cool in it's own right and probably delivers a much different experience than a modern hot hatch (and I'd own it if I had the means) but performance wise it would get eaten it alive.
I can't get the image out of my head that it's the illegitimate child of an Insight and R8 that was sent off to boarding school in France.
NGTD said:There is one up here in Ontario that's for sale.
It's only $43K CAD
Argh - I wonder how terrible it would be to get thing south to the us...
A buddy of mine has 2or 3 in his collection. Super rich dude (his dad owned an investment bank) and quite a skilled racer. He claims these things are practically undriveable on track, especially in the wet. Apparently, the second-gen versions have more benign handling. But the first-gen looks so much better!
84FSP said:NGTD said:There is one up here in Ontario that's for sale.
It's only $43K CAD
Argh - I wonder how terrible it would be to get thing south to the us...
I have some family, that lives near the border of Windsor maybe they can help smuggle it across the river. How much is that in US dollars 28k.
Would you be able to street-register it here in the USA? Canada lets you bring in “classic” cars at 15 years. In the US, you have to wait until 25 years.
I didn't read the story, but won't the EPA come and crush it?
The0retical said:Mid engine, naturally aspirated v6, RWD hot hatch. It's cool in it's own right and probably delivers a much different experience than a modern hot hatch (and I'd own it if I had the means) but performance wise it would get eaten it alive.
I can't get the image out of my head that it's the illegitimate child of an Insight and R8 that was sent off to boarding school in France.
Not really the point.
A new ND Miata RF is in the low 30s, you can buy a base model Mustang GT with the Peformance Pack for that right now, if not a bit cheaper.
Did those Clios not attempt to kill each and every individual who tried to drive it?
I found this video of some random guy trying to drive the car to work on Monday morning...
In reply to NOHOME :
That looks like fun. Moral of the story is don't let up on the gas, ever, in a corner?
Yeah, EVO magazine always loved these but acknowledged they were evil - and not necessarily fast enough to justify the evil.
is the front rubber smaller than the rear? and if so why I wonder. Maybe just camera angle.
Possibly an attempt to make it less loose. This is done on a lot of cars, even race cars.
bearmtnmartin said:is the front rubber smaller than the rear? and if so why I wonder. Maybe just camera angle.
Weight distribution is quite probably a factor.
We have guys wanting to do staggered setups on Miatas all the time. We discourage it because we like our cars to stop and turn.
bearmtnmartin said:is the front rubber smaller than the rear? and if so why I wonder. Maybe just camera angle.
Short wheelbase RWD car. Not only is it mid-engined, but the engine is a sizeable V6 lump that’s mounted pretty high up in the chassis. The thing is going to want to swap ends.
From what my buddy told me, it understeers like a pig on corner entry then instantly transitions to massive oversteer as the rear loads up. So, you try to unstick it and slide it into corners...but it has so little steering lock and the rear swings so quickly that it’s tough to balance.
This is coming from a guy who races pretty much everything under the sun, including cars like the Ferrari F50, 355 Challenge, and vintage Porsches. Also drove for Fiat in the Turkish pro series. He’s not new to mid-engined cars, sliding around, etc.
Personally, I love the way they look and sound. And I love the connection to the R5 Turbo. An early Clio V6 would be a dream car for me, but everything I’ve heard/read suggests they pretty much suck to drive.
Needs a big rear wing
A less expensive option would be a subie powered insight
David S. Wallens said:Don't forget that our friends at the Lane Motor Museum have one, too.
Each fall they host the Rally for the Lane, too, putting participants in cars from the museum's collection. Looks like this year they offered up an earlier one.
Beat me to it! I went to a members event this weekend and got to see it up close again. Beautiful car up close, looked like it needed some suspension work according to the paper on the windshield.
The0retical said:In reply to NOHOME :
That looks like fun. Moral of the story is don't let up on the gas, ever, in a corner?
When I read up on tracking the first gen mr2, the article basically said “when understeering, floor it. When oversteering, floor it. When going straight, floor it. When starting, floor it.”
Reminded me of this meme 
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