Replacing a legend is never easy, but Renault is talking a good fight with the latest Clio Renaultsport 197. ANDY ENRIGHT reports

As much as I loved the old Clio Renaultsport 172 and 182 models, it was immediately apparent what was wrong with them.

Forget about the so-so interior materials quality or the rather odd driving position. The big problem was that not enough dentist’s daughters drove them.

Think about it. The hot Clios sold pretty well to testosterone-charged blokes who liked to harass Porsche Boxster drivers at trackdays but that’s a market that can rapidly become saturated.

For true commercial success, you need a car with wider appeal. Your dentist’s daughter or some other young middle-class female might drive a MINI Cooper S or even a Honda Civic Type-R if she’s really got some attitude but rarely would she ever drive a hot Clio. Renault is now looking to change that.

The trouble with broadening appeal is that hardcore customers will dig their heels in and proclaim that the car has gone soft, that Renault are selling out in search of filthy lucre.

One suspects the Renaultsport 197 isn’t going to pan out like that. For a start, Renault have resisted the urge to pointlessly chase big horsepower figures.

Renault’s stylists have endowed this car with some subtle go-faster cues without turning it into a caricature.

The front and rear wings are slightly wider than the standard Clio III and profiled side skirts, a deeper front spoiler and 17-inch alloy wheels all feature as standard.

The extractor vents on the trailing edge of the front wheelarches help cool the air under the bonnet. The most notable styling point is the rear diffuser system. In effect, it means that the latest Clio Renaultsport has no need for a rear spoiler. It works by channelling the air flow rapidly, lowering pressure and therefore creating a suction effect underneath.

The interior is light years ahead of the old Clio 182, offering plenty of space and a driving position that feels it has been modelled on a normal human being rather than a medical case study book.

The engine that powers the Clio isn’t a whole lot different to that which saw service in the Clio 182, although Renaultsport have teased the power output up by 15bhp to achieve that hallowed ‘100bhp per litre’ figure - the preserve of the best engine designers.

Renault quote a sprint to 60mph in just 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 134mph. The 209g/km probably won’t put this Clio at the top of company car wish lists but that was never its agenda.

A combined fuel consumption figure of 31.7mpg is fair for a vehicle with this sort of performance.

Renault has made a very smart move in toning the Clio down in terms of visual excess but giving it some serious potential under the skin.

Those who want a wilder looking car can turn to the aftermarket for lairier spoilers, alloys or body-styling accessories, while the rest of us can appreciate what is a good-looking car that doesn’t draw too much attention. It’s now a model with far wider appeal.

FACTFILE

Renaultsport Clio 197

PRICE: £15,995 - otr

INSURANCE GROUP: 15

CO2 EMISSIONS: 209g/km

PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 134mph/0-60mph 6.9s

FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Combined) 31.7mpg