Test urban sports: the sport who laughs (3 / 3)

You'll see the response of the chassis is impressive. " These are the first words spoken Christian has arrived with the Clio RS. I was wondering how he could say that by failing almost as fast lane between Park Renault and our point of rendezvous ...

From the first few meters, I understood ... the feeling of management is simply amazing and the grip frame seems unlimited, rather moderate pace at which I am aware of the Clio RS. The whole car seems a continuation of the pilot, responding immediately to any of its injunctions. For cons, the Cup chassis is sold by Renault as radical and it's not a joke! The suspension is a tremendous drought. Pass on a paved surface gives you the feeling of sitting on a washing machine spin position where the Grande Punto and the Ibiza pass without flinching. And when it is installed in the rear, it's downright unbearable, at least anticipate the contours of the road and take off the bottom of the seat when you see a speed bump or a pothole . Without compromise, therefore, the Clio Cup chassis.

Obviously oriented sport, it's time to pick out the bones of the Renault. We foresaw the potential leisurely pace, it turns out great driving dynamics. Where to begin? Management is a more than perfect calibration, returning detailed information giving the status of the car at all times. The chassis is even more impressive. On rigidity issue, turns in one movement with disconcerting ease, away from the vagaries of Ibiza. The closure of the set is just amazing. The inscription in turn is clear, the ideal placement. Once registered before, the Clio you answered just a minute adrift of the back, as if to say "I'm ready to leave." What a treat! It would have to drive this car for hours just to dare to touch the limits of adhesion.
As for the engine, it also shows a high level. On the one hand by his breath, which will crescendo until 7 500tr/min the red zone (a beep alerts you politely that it is time to change gears when you reach this scheme) and partly by its sound really flattering. The close ratio box is ideally she stepped to the sporty driving

character of the engine allowing the pilot anyway some delay in the shift. We would simply like a sixth gear a little longer, just to lower the noise level on highway. Anyway, for driving on small roads, this Clio fears nobody. Exceptional.
The verdict is final. Clio offers a KO victory over his two competitors. It seems like a real sport where the SEAT and Abarth are simply urban powerful. It's just too bad that the pleasure of driving it distills is matched by her discomfort in everyday life. To do this, Renault Sport chassis. But the Clio is both the most effective, more fun (like how the two are not incompatible) and especially the most successful on all fronts, including design.
This leaves only crumbs for the Abarth and SEAT. Let's start with the Italian ... This is still a good choice. At once funny, fun to watch and comfortable every day is a nice car. However, its benefits far below those of the Clio does not allow it to justify a rate almost identical. The fault lies with the kit esseesse beating down the bill to the tune of 5 800 €. An extra well expensive, given the short it brings. By cons, to € 17 990, the Abarth Grande Punto 155ch is a bargain. Affordable, bright, fun and as pretty as the esseesse, it is certainly possible to choose the version. Few cars in this price is also nice. We forgive so easily defeat the esseesse facing the Clio RS. This is simply not the best Abarth.

Remains the case of Ibiza. The strange case of the Ibiza do I want to write. This is a self almost as little involvement in daily that the C6 automatic driver of the Elysee. Its power and chassis to allow him a potential Honourable efficient on small roads. Said like this, it seems like squaring the circle, the perfect compromise between sportiness and usability. But it just to amuse his driver, who is too busy railing against the management of the automatic transmission when it wants to raise the tone. He does not miss much though. Maybe just a six-speed DSG would have made the Ibiza Cupra more fun with a manual mode really usable. It seems that the Volkswagen group has yielded to the lure of political correctness, we are imposing this box that shines on the cycles of European CO2 emissions calculations (however, the Abarth is nearly as well with its manual transmission). He prefers a hundred times the Clio has yet green dunce cap. But what a foot!