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Being sportier and more fleet-friendly is normally a combination that doesn't mix, but Renault has managed the impossible with its latest hot-hatch, the Clio 197 Cup.
The Cup model is sportier than the 'regular' Clio 197 because it has stiffer suspension, which makes the already excellent hot-hatch even more fun to drive without completely ruining comfort levels.
It's also less heavy thanks to the use of lighter weight components and the removal of aircon, although this lower weight doesn't improve the fuel figure of 33.6mpg or the 199g/km CO2 output.
What makes the Cup more fleet-friendly is the price drop, by £1000, to a P11D value of £14,730, which also takes the cost per mile to 48.1p. Renault has also longer gearing in fifth and sixth, too, to make motorway work less tiresome, not that you'd really want to spend that much time on a dull motorway when the car is so much fun on A and B roads.
The only downside to the lightweight materials is that quality also seems to have been lowered. Low-grade plastics have been used, seat materials were wearing thin after less than 10,000 miles, and a button from the dash came off and fell behind it.
Still, these things didn't detract from what is easily our favourite Clio, and probably our favourite Renault currently on sale.
Verdict: Lower cost, lower tax, more fun. Ideal for downsizing user-choosers, but shame about the poor quality
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