Renaultsport Clio

The Clio 197 is arguably one of the finest hot hatches on sale. Add the Cup chassis, and its claim to the top spot becomes undisputed. There are more refined, quicker, cheaper and better-equipped rivals, but none matches the F1's dynamic depth and back road fun factor. If driving enjoyment rather than value is your top priority, then look no further. Just make sure you tick the 'delete stickers' option on the order form...

Car makers are never slow to promise that the millions spent on motorsport improve much more than sales and reputations. But unless you are in the market for a new Ferrari or perhaps a high-performance BMW, it's sometimes hard to see why.

After all, getting yourself behind the wheel of a machine boasting the kind of technology you would find on the Formula One starting grid is a seriously expensive exercise!

The Renaultsport Clio 197 F1 R27 bucks the trend. At £17,250, it's one of the cheapest cars currently on the market that can claim a direct link to the glamorous world of grand prix racing. Launched to commemorate the firm's back-to-back world championships, it debuts the long-awaited Cup chassis package - a racy set-up that draws on Renault's track experiences in F1 and elsewhere.

The adjustments are intended to improve the already excellent 197. So, does the brand have more to celebrate, or will it fail to leave the pits?

On the outside, there is no mistaking the Clio F1 thanks to a full set of garish stickers, the 17-inch anthracite alloy wheels and red calipers.

Inside, high-backed Recaro seats knock 6kg off the Renault's kerbweight. Otherwise, it's standard 197 both inside and out, with bulging wheelarches, air vents in the wings and an aerodynamic splitter below the rear bumper. The cabin shares its chunky three-spoke leather steering wheel and aluminium-finish pedals.

Underneath the bold decals, the chassis has been given a thorough working over by Renaultsport's engineers at Dieppe, France - which is where the F1 cars are built.

The springs have been stiffened by 27 per cent at the front and 30 per cent at the back, and the ride height dropped by 7mm. According to bosses at the company, the resulting Cup platform has a lower centre of gravity and even greater levels of grip. On the move, it is immediately clear that these changes have been a great success. Although the standard car was already superb when it came to the corners, the F1 is even better. Turn-in is eager and, once settled, it provides immense traction.

Lift the throttle and the nose tucks in, allowing the rear to edge out of line - albeit only as far as you want it to. The modifications have even improved the steering, so it's better weighted with more communication.

The standard Brembo brakes offer plenty of bite and fade-free stopping. And although the ride is firm, excellent damping means that it copes extremely well with poor surfaces, particularly at speed. What's more, all the time you are slicing through the bends, the high-revving 197bhp 2.0-litre motor eggs you on.

It's unchanged from the standard car's unit, although its slightly manic nature is better suited to the harder-edged F1. To get the best out of the engine, you really need to work the close-ratio six-speed gearbox hard. It's not the slickest, but changes are positive, and the throw is short.

Given that the new model is to be produced in a limited run of only 500 examples, it shouldn't prove too difficult for Renault to sell all of them in short order. The chassis upgrades certainly improve the driving experience, and make the newcomer a far better match to the hardcore powerplant than the standard 197. We'll have to wait until June to see how it stacks up on our potholed British roads, but the initial indications are good.

Best of all, though, from September Renault will offer the F1's Cup chassis as an option on all 197s.