I apologise. I take it all back, well most of it. I have called you surrender monkey’s, cheese eating surrender monkey’s, I have made many jokes. I have laughed that all one needs to do to cripple your military power would be to burn down the factories that make your white fabrics, because all you do is wave the white flag. I have made derogatory comments about your exceedingly confusing language, I am sorry France because I have been shown something brilliant. It is an impossibly sexy, painfully sleek, 2.0L nat-asp masterstroke. It is, the Renault Clio Sport, and as you may have gathered by now despite my bias I rather like it.

Renault Clio Sport black

Right off the bat it is quick, there is some engine lag with the power quite weak low down. In fact one would be forgiven for initially thinking you’re in a turbo, but no the 147,5kW at 7,100rpm all comes from good old fashioned uncompressed air. The acceleration isn’t too brutal but we are way up here on the highveld so the performance has been great, especially considering its price and equipment level.

The ride is quite hard and the brakes are top notch. I know because this morning a dog took offense to the aggressive black Clio Sport and charged into the street with teeth out. Slamming on the Brembo brakes resolved the potentially disastrous situation instantaneously. It was probably a German Shepherd, that would give it good reason to hate a car like this. It has the goods to make it onto car of the year lists in my opinion. Read more in the full road test coming soon in Drive.

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