Hi all sorry 2 put this in the 225 forum as i'm sure a lot of u will say
it should be in a clio forum, but how come the new 197 clio has the same top speed as a 182 clio + the 197 has a 6 speed box + not a 5 speed box ?

Just been asked by a Dealer if i fancied a test drive in a 197, but if
i was 2 swap 4 a clio i might as well get a 182 cup, or a trophy cause the 197 don't seem 2 be any faster on top end.

A 197 cup would be interesting - wonder if we might get 1 ?

Is it not a 6 speed box to allow for closer gear ratio's so the 197 can get it's overweight ass to 60 in a little over 6 seconds?

I didn't think it hit 60 any faster than the old RS Clios.

I'd have thought that the 6th gear was probably to allow it to be that little bit less high in the revs when cruising at higher speeds.

My missus 182 is great round town up to the 70 mark but sitting at 70 or 80 on the motorway doesn't feel that comfortable really. I'd guess its to aid fuel economy and cruising speeds.

I always felt my 172 needed a 6th gear for long journeys.

Hi m8 yep u could be right, its got the 225's disease ( it ate 2 many pies on the production line ! :lol: :lol: ).

Good thins is though that the Meg may be a chunky monkey but its got the torque to give it plenty of shove!! lol :lol:

Think of the torque + the oomph it would have if it was only a 1000 kg or less :lol: :lol:

The 225 is fast in certain situations but the 197 can still be faster. :wink:

I must admit i haven't had the pleasure ( as yet ) of racing a 197 clio, but i doubt v much that there's really much in it, if anything at all, raced a type r + i didn't win, but i didn't loose either, both decided 2 conceed as neither of us was achieving anything.

Initially i nailed the type r using the engines torque, but as soon as he hit the v-tech we were neck + neck, i'd put the 225 cup against a 197 even a 197 cup + i bet its still v evenly matched.

ill tell you now from first hand experience, a 225 will have the edge on a 197.

It all depends where and road conditions. With the 197 in the right gear and above 5k it would keep up with a 225, the 225 would pull maybe 1/2 - 1 car length depending on the length of the straight. The 197 makes it back up from the corners though with it being lighter as one factor.

Both cars are very similar though but both cars are suited to different tracks and driving style. It also depends on the driver.

ill tell you now from first hand experience, a 225 will have the edge on a 197.

Depends on the track. Which one was faster around cadwell anyone know? I know which was at brands but it wasn't a fair test.

i think to do a fair comparason, you need the same driver in both cars. :wink:

Yep. And without the instructors. Who wants to lend me a 225 for comparison then? :lol:

ive had a go against a tasty red 197 in my area, top end power i left it standing but corners i had to really work hard to gain any ground it seemed a bit quicker to me on the twists for sure but not enough of a gap that when a straight arrives you can plough past. on track with a good driver a 197 could give a 225 a real headache.

From what I've heard the 197 feels similar to a 182 due to the weight all be it with more bhp.

I know for a fact that thoug that my Megane would have the edge on my missus 182 Cup.

The 182 is quick but being N/A you need it high up the revs to get its full potential. Which means that where the turbo spools up at say 3000rpm in the Meg and hits peak power earlier than the 182 or 197 which I reckon would give it the edge.

I'd expect a Clio to have the edge due to its size when it comes to cornering. But I'd still have my money on the Megane in any real on the road situation.

Lets be honest though, whether its a Clio 197/Clio 182/Civic Type-R/Focus ST/Megane 225, they are all damn fast cars and totally dependant on the driver.

I kept up with some AMG Merc in my 225 and thats purely coz she was a useless, poser of a driver. :lol:

the megane is quick in a straight line, but it's its' in gear pace that can destroy many a better car... the meg's problem is traction, the weight doesn't matter as it has a lot of torque and the extra weight helps it to keep the wheels turning, and not spinning. ya get me? isit!!!!!!!!

from a standing start the 225 cup/F1 would be about a cars length (maybe not even that!!) in front of the 197 to 60 and more so after that, but both in gear at say 2000 rpm, the clio would be dust upon flooring the accelerator and then probably start to hold it's own when it reaches 5-6k...

the meggy is quicker end of story, but the 197 driver would probably be having more fun...

You are right there that the 225 is quicker due to its torque. This is more obvious on the road then on track where both cars would be high in their rev range and so the torque doesn't matter as much. Both cars are still fast but with both finding it extremly difficult to overtake as the 197 can brake later and is more nimble due to its weight.

I maybe biased but I do think the 197 after driving both cars.

well having gone through some serious twists against the 197 at speed id say they can do low/mid speed corners much easier but high speed corners probably not aswell. the torque on the meg is always there at the exit of the corner aswell.

both great cars.


in answer to original thread title autocar managed to squeeze 131mph from the 197. so i know this 100-130 doesnt take that long in the meg