Now you’re a Renault expert, it’s time to buy one...

Renault Clio 200 / 2009-2012 / £6,000-£12,000

What is it?

There have been numerous performance cars spun from the Renault Clio during its nearly 30 years. But perhaps none are as sharp, precise and downright fun as this one.

Which, with bundles of joy like the Clio Williams and Clio V6 in the family, is quite a claim. But something good was clearly in the water when RenaultSport was putting the finishing touches to the Clio 200 in 2009. Few hot hatches have ever been so fit for purpose.

Driving

This is utterly magic. Sorry to jump straight to the ending, without any dramatic build-up, but there’s simply no evading the fact this thing is spectacularly good to drive.

The sign of a truly great car is when there’s no one standout element; each component is so well judged, and matches the rest so sweetly, that you can’t mark out a single area that stands tall above the others. So it is with the wee Clio we have here.

Hot hatches shine best when the road’s not so straight, of course. The Clio’s reactions are razor sharp, and while grip is tenacious, there’s a playful edge if you go looking for it. Fast Clios of old ask of close attention into quick corners, but the 200 faithfully follows its driver’s intentions.

A Ford Fiesta ST or Mini Cooper S is the more tail happy car, but neither has the Clio’s overall composure. And some thoughtful braking or a smart lift of the throttle makes it nicely adjustable and more than willing to pick up its inside rear wheel. On track, the Clio’s balance is simply superb.

You might have guessed it’s a firm car, particularly if you’ve got the Cup chassis fitted. But it’s not unremittingly stiff; there’s some aggression over badly broken roads, but you only need build a small amount of speed for the body control to sharpen up and the whole thing to feel perfectly judged.

On the inside

If we’re talking perfect spec, you want the Recaro seats. They were a pricey £850 option when new, but you know what? They were worth every penny of that. Years later, they still manage to make the plusher Recaros in the new Fiesta ST seem overwrought.

In fact, I’m not sure I’ve encountered a better performance car seat, and it’s worth hunting out a car with them on board when you’re browsing the classifieds for your new-to-you Clio. They can be retrofitted, too, mind, and some people pop them in other models, like the Clio V6.