Renault Clio 172 (2000-2004]
Hot hatches from this era are rapidly gaining interest, and we think the Clio’s got potential to eclipse cars like the Mk4 Golf GTi and Focus ST170 in years to come. Why? Because being light, fun and fast it fits the hot-hatch ethos perfectly and as it only ran for a few years before being replaced by the more powerful but heavier 182, its future collectability is assured. In short, they’re terrific little cars that should be relatively cheap to run given the performance on tap.
The first 172s were well equipped with lots of kit as standard, but were priced higher than its main rivals. That all changed with the introduction of the strippedout Cup version in 2002 of which only 2392 examples were made. These were fitted with the lightweight Speedline Turini alloys, but had a cloth interior, no aircon, side airbags, ABS, ESB or even a simple stereo for that matter. For those into numbers, there were 1357 Clio 172 Phase 1s with the more bulbous headlights, and 3059 Phase 2 models from July 2001. Incidentally, the latter came with shorter gear ratios to offset the extra weight of ESP and other changes.
All in all, this Clio is a good prospect for future classic status, the only downside being the simple fact that most have been hammered or modified to oblivion, so finding a good one could prove tricky. Perennial worries include missed regular maintenance (the cambelt interval is every 72,000 miles or five years), knocking due to worn gearbox mounts, rotten factory rear silencers, prematurely tired looking interiors and rubbish quality accident repairs. Despite having cheap to replace plastic front wings and aluminium bonnets, rust is starting to be an issue too, the worst hit areas being the sills and rear arches. Oh, and don’t be put off by a badly disintegrated steering wheel covering; they all do that, sir!
As for the thorny issue of price, a meagre £2000 is enough for the standard 172, though we would spend £4000-£5000 for a more desirable Cup with the fewest number of former owners and a wad of paperwork. And at that price, it’s a bargain!