[Mtek]

Had a nice friendly run off a traffic light with one of these Clios. It was carrying 3 persons and I was driving alone in my TDI150 (with the tuningbox on). 1st and 2nd gears acceleration was very even, but I started gaining ground on 3rd gear onwards, a car or 2 lenght - up to about 100mph where we had both to brake.

I was a bit surprised with the result since I expected the Clio to be a bit faster than my tuningboxed (180bhp on the rr) Golf, even if the Clio was carrying 2 extra-passengers aboard. Since the Clio is considerably lighter than Golf in the 1st place, we should have runned about in equal weight. Maybe next time I'll get lucky and run into one 172 with the driver only.

Anyone else has had "experiences" with the 172's..?

 

[Neil Mc]

[:O] In a word RAPID [:O]

 

[PowerHorse]

They are like baked bean cans with a jet engine strapped to them

Only difference is that baked bean cans have better build quality. []

 

[davey.m]

had a clio 172 before i got the golf and i will say mine was quick,had the clio chipped,decat airfilter  inlet manifold exhaust fitted and was rr`d to 186bhp,ive had the golf upsoluted and i would say that the difference between the two is slight..not had any dealings with a clio172 as yet but will lookforward to it if it happens

 

[Franko180]

I had a very brief run against one, maybe up to 70mph off some lights, but I was behind him, not side by side, so its not an ideal 'comparison' as I had to let him pull off the line before I could accelerate. It was from a standing start and I matched him pretty evenly, but had to brake at 70 and pull off the road as I was headed to a garage for fuel and he continued on. Would be interested in 'comparing' my car to one side by side from a dead start.

 

[Stewart]

Only difference is that baked bean cans have better build quality. []

LOL

 

[Gti Fly]

My friend let me drive his 182 last nite. Is it fast?

YES

The engine is manic. Lots of low down grunt, and then when u hit
5k revs, the engine note hardens and then you're catapulted towards
7k. Only the Rev limiter stops u from going further.

Brilliant hot hatch

 

[joenitro]

Yep!!!

A friend and I were in his company R32 and he lost to a 172 TWICE in a row off the traffic lights, up to about 80 ish (in a 40!!!)

The only way he could beat him was to literally sidestep the clutch at about 6000rpm! Then we got him, but he wasn't far behind that time either.

This is what annoys me about R32's: they're not actually as fast as everyone thinks. I guess the weight of the golf anyway, PLUS 4wd etc doesn't help things!!

Don't get me wrong though - lovely cars!

 

[Mtek]

My friend let me drive his 182 last nite. Is it fast?

YES

The engine is manic. Lots of low down grunt, and then when u hit 5k revs, the engine note hardens and then you're catapulted towards 7k. Only the Rev limiter stops u from going further.

Brilliant hot hatch

The 182 should be a tad bit faster than the 172, although in mag tests it seems there isn't much to it.

One thing I noticed while I was pulling beside the Clio, was that I changed to 3rd gear and the Clio still pulled the 2nd for quite a while - I was already half past my 3rd gear when he finally changed to 3rd gear...lol... That was when I finally started pulling on the Clio, on my 3rd and 4th gears. Of course my tuningbox smoke-free Golf at 180bhp is not exactly a performance reference, if it was properly remaped (+190bhp) I'm sure I would have pulled on the Clio sooner and stronger.

 

[Mtek]

.

 

[SimonGTI]

I used to own a 172 with decat, magnex,BMC+cold air feed and modified throttle body

and this ran around 160 bhp at the wheels on a rolling road. Had it on the weightbridge at 1100KG.

I would say that from a standing start they are similar in performance to my revo 1.8 T

The main difference is the Golf has loads more torque and in the Clio I had to change gears

more to keep the car in the power band. The Clio was very good through
the twisties and that was helped by the Koni sport suspension.

I know of people that have run around 14 seconds on the QTR mile at
Santa Pod after removing seats and spare wheel with a tune similar to
my old one.

 

[[email protected]]

Only if it runs the "vavavoom" upgrade![]

 

[[email protected]]

Yep!!!

A friend and I were in his company R32 and he lost to a 172 TWICE in a row off the traffic lights, up to about 80 ish (in a 40!!!)

The only way he could beat him was to literally sidestep the clutch at about 6000rpm! Then we got him, but he wasn't far behind that time either.

This is what annoys me about R32's: they're not actually as fast as everyone thinks. I guess the weight of the golf anyway, PLUS 4wd etc doesn't help things!!

Don't get me wrong though - lovely cars!

Did he turn the ESP off? If he did, then the Clio should have been miles behind in a straight, off the line, drag race.

 

[Mtek]

Are you really sure about that..? Check out this comparison test:

http://www.zeperfs.com/duel.php?IdA=1025&IdB=323

Accelerating off the line and up to ~100mph they run pretty equal, only afterwards th R32 starts gaining ground as the 240bhp show their law.

 

[[email protected]]

Like the site. The 4WD system should make it a no brainer over shorter distances from a standing start but only if they have turned off the ESP.

 

[GaryM]

Havent had a problem against any of the 172's or 182' I have come across.

They are there until mid second gear then I start to pull away.

 

[Mtek]

Like the site. The 4WD system should make it a no brainer over shorter distances from a standing start but only if they have turned off the ESP.

Glad you liked the site. Check out this one: http://www.track-challenge.com/main_e.asp

On the topic matter, just seen a friendly run vid between a tuningboxed Ibiza TDI130 and a Clio 172, and the beezer could outrun with some ease the Clio, accelerating side by side. So it seems that the Clio is just really not that fast.

 

[CBZS]

So it seems that the Clio is just really not that fast.

Sorry I just cant agree with that a 172 doesnt struggle to keep up with a CTR or scooby turbo round a track as proven by many car magazine tests. ? for performance I dont think there is a better car atm.

 

[Deadlock]

Havent had a problem against any of the 172's or 182' I have come across.
They are there until mid second gear then I start to pull away.

I had a rolling start with a cool guy in a clio 182, both doing 30mph, was no movement at all untill about 2 seconds after I slotted into 3rd gear, then crept passed, 4th gear it was all over just kept pulling! (he wounldn't have a chance if I had my new car![])

 

[Tim Sims]

Wouldn't say they are not fast? For a stock car there isnt much that offers everything the Clio does, esp performance, pre ?. I had a run in with a tuned one, filter, exhaust and i assume a chip..... Couldnt catch him, it was dead even from a rolling start. It is difficult to tell when you start behind and really on the other car to move off fisrt, but the gap didnt close or grow!

I'd estimate im 180-185 so its no slouch! though the weight of the Leon may change matters.... Roll on the next [] mod! []