Legendary Clio Renaultsport 172 Cup Production Ends

If your heart has been yearning for one of the greatest affordable performance cars of all time, in the shape of that pocket rocket the Clio Renaultsport 172 Cup, then you better move quickly if you want one. Introduced in August 2002, the special lightweight, rally version of the Clio Renaultsport 172 become a legend in the performance car market by offering giant-killing performance and driving thrills for up to £7,000 less than the competition. But the introduction of the 2004 model year Clio range signals the end of the Clio Cup.

Around 2,000 Clio Cups have been sold in the UK in the last 16 months and the final 200 are now on their way from the Renaultsport factory in Dieppe, Northern France. Priced at only £13,200 on the road, the Clio Cup was the fastest accelerating four-seater car on sale in the UK costing less than £20,000 with a 0-62mph acceleration time of 6.8 seconds and top speed of 138 mph.

The Clio Cup was conceived by Renaultsport - the competiton arm of Renault responsible for all the company’s motorsport activity from Formula One to rallying and single make championships – to cater for the small band of customers who want the ultimate in performance and driver involment.

A highly focused special edition, Clio Renaultsport 172 Cup was homologated for Group N production car rallying using as its base the Clio Renaultsport 2.0 172. With a finely honed sporting appearance inside and out and a suspension system modified for more incisive behaviour, the weight was reduced by 89kg by technical developments such as thinner glass as well as by removing some of the Clio 172’s luxury equipment.

The Clio Renaultsport 172 Cup is offered only in the exclusive and particularly dynamic "Mondial Blue" paint finish making it easier to pick out this future classic. But you’ll have to show some of that famous Clio Va Va Voom if you’re going to catch one!