Clio sport 182 Gordini special

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Craig

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http://www.carkeys.co.uk/news/2004_march/06/2255.asp

To quote:
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To mark the 40th anniversary of the launch of the rear-engined Renault 8 Gordini - a potent road car in its day, and the winner in its competition debut of the Tour of Corsica - Renault has made two Gordini-style options available on the Clio Renaultsport 182.

The first is the once-familiar Racing Blue paintwork, available at no extra cost. This attractive colour is much less startling than the bright yellow of some of the showroom 8 Gordinis, which caused strong men to stagger back when they opened the bonnet and found the front luggage compartment looking like the result of an explosion in a custard pie factory.

Option number two is a pair of white competition stripes over the bonnet, roof and tailgate, as used on the works competition cars of the 1960s. These cost £295.

When fitted with the top 1255cc engine, with its power output of 95bhp, the Gordini would accelerate from zero to 62mph in 12.3 seconds, about ten seconds quicker than the standard Renault 8, and could be worked up to 106mph.

The Clio Renaultsport 182 manages the sprint in 7.1 seconds and has a top speed of 139mph. However, it suffers from the crushing disadvantage that, unlike the Gordini, it’s ineligible for Classic events.
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I wonder if this is a Eueo wide thing or just a UK thing,
 

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YUK! As much as I admire the idea, the colour and stripes do not suit the clio one bit.

As you know we had the NSW/QLD Sales Manager gives us a rundown on Renault's plans in Australia last week at the monthly meeting (RCCA for those who don't). He didn't mention it.

Cheers
KB
 
I doubt he would even know about it. Things happen in this neck of the woods a lot faster than they do over there.
 
Covert - finally something Retro from Renault for you! ;)

Surely approx AU$700 for a couple of white stripes isn't too much to pay for a faux Gordini!

My bet is that this is a UK only thing.
 
Craig said:
I doubt he would even know about it. Things happen in this neck of the woods a lot faster than they do over there.
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People in AUS wouldn't want you to know about it when there is 15 month old RSC stock hanging around.

However it would be nice if they did a special run of Daffodil Yellow ones for AUS :)

How about some factory supported modifications to go with the stripes? At least it would be bringing back the spirit of Gordini in that it would be modified over the standard car, justifying the legendary Gordini name and not some pretentious knock-off like a 17 Gordini.
 
A set of "racing stripes" and a new paint job doesnt make it a Gordni!. Is it based on the Clio Cup or the standard ClioRS???

Cya STalled
 
There almost there.

....however they need to throw skinny tires on it, use thiner gauge sheet metal, and throw some DCOE's on it.

Then I'd buy one. ;)
 
Simon said:
At least it would be bringing back the spirit of Gordini in that it would be modified over the standard car, justifying the legendary Gordini name and not some pretentious knock-off like a 17 Gordini.
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Yes you are right. There is no difference between a TL and TS/Gordini :crazy:
Hey a 17G/TS is a great car. No matter what it is called. At least a wanabe Gordini is better than no G at all!

Its also good to see that a paintjob can justify the name, but not an increase in power, brakes, gearbox and suspension.

If I had the money I would love a Cliosport exactly the same.
 
R17G said:
Yes you are right. There is no difference between a TL and TS/Gordini :crazy:
Hey a 17G/TS is a great car. No matter what it is called. At least a wanabe Gordini is better than no G at all!

Its also good to see that a paintjob can justify the name, but not an increase in power, brakes, gearbox and suspension.

If I had the money I would love a Cliosport exactly the same.
Click to expand...

I was hoping that Regie would go for an actual new 8G.....updated and re-engineered 2004 body work and mechanicals, something like the Clio Sport motor across the rear wheels and a safety cell type fuel tank somewhere in there. It could look good and go better...sometimes after several Coopers I have tried to sketch such a car but without a lot of success.

Given that the frogs worship the 8g, it's graven images are all over the place there, a "new" 8g would have to have a substantial market niche.

Tell me I'm dreamin.....

:cheers:
 
After posting the picture on a french forum chat, it turns out that this color is not so close to Gordini original's.
This is the "Bleu Dynamo" (J45) available on 2004 Clio RS color range as well as 4 other colours (Gris Titane 645, Noir Doré 267, Orange Sanguine D38 and Bleu Arctic J41) on any "standard" Clio.
The stripes are specific the the UK market.

http://www.forum-auto.com/sqlforum/section21/sujet169841.htm
 
STALLED said:
A set of "racing stripes" and a new paint job doesnt make it a Gordni!. Is it based on the Clio Cup or the standard ClioRS???

Cya STalled
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No, but 7.1 to 62mph and 139mph top speed should be ok...
 
R17G said:
Yes you are right. There is no difference between a TL and TS/Gordini :crazy:
Hey a 17G/TS is a great car. No matter what it is called. At least a wanabe Gordini is better than no G at all!
....
Click to expand...
I think Simon was referring to the name change from R17TS to R17 Gordini - I don't think he was trying to say that a R17TL is the same as a TS/G

So the car stays the same (essentially) but the name changes only. Mostly the R17G does seem to be excluded from "Gordini" only events, thus indicating it's level of respect.

Maybe a bit like turning up to a Porsche day in a 924?
 
Nice idea, probably won't see it downunder and as Mini people are finding out the stripes are more trouble then they are worth. Cases of pealing, lifting, not alligned etc etc.

- XTC206 -
 
XTC206 said:
Nice idea, probably won't see it downunder and as Mini people are finding out the stripes are more trouble then they are worth. Cases of pealing, lifting, not alligned etc etc.

- XTC206 -
Click to expand...
Let's face it, if a Clio owner wanted to, he/she could probably apply the stripes themselves, it's not like we are talking major engineering change. So any Clio could be a faux Gordini!
 
People this is scary...

We're now talking about sticker kits on a clio...

Leave it to the Ricers & f00s!!!
 
Europa said:
Mostly the R17G does seem to be excluded from "Gordini" only events, thus indicating it's level of respect.

Maybe a bit like turning up to a Porsche day in a 924?
Click to expand...

Hey I know its not a 'proper' Gordini, but still a great car. So does that mean that 12G's are not welcome at Gordini days as they are very similar mechanically. I find it hard to believe that at his age he had much to do with the 12G.

Even though it had little to do with Le Sorcerer I still believe it fulfills his ideology. Ie an extra gear, more power and more fun to drive.

(Sorry about this but I have to stick up for my car) :D :cry:
 
Well I'II put in my 2 cent's worth, I have been saying that this is what should have been happening right down the line, renault own the name, the man is dead, everyone dies but the spirit of the car and the man can live on. I know the purists and gordini zealots have a lot invested in their "G"s and they don't want to see what they have diminish, fine.

But times move on, the Gordini name has been made by the fact that the Car under the gordini name was a hotter version from the standard everyday model. Of course we have seen the Gordini name dissappear from renaults favour for some marketing reason years ago, a mistake, and then alpine of dieppe being turned into Renault Sport, a mistake by most alpine owners thoughts.

But then I feel "Renault" has every right to turn any Renaultsport model into any Gordini they wish as the basic "Gordini" spirit is there in this case, we are not talking about a standard clio with stripes, we are talking a 180 RS Clio with hot engine, sports suspension, sports interior, the best hot hatch in it's class, to me that fits the "Gordini" name and to me that fit's the bill perfectly.

Why do I think this, because I feel Gordini owners are living with past glories, they can't expect renault to live in the past forever, and I feel this is a celebration of the past, and education of current drivers towards a future that has a sporty past that can be built on.

Like porsche looks at it's past to build on and moving into the future, like ferrari, lotus etc, why not renault. When you look at it with a harsh sporting eye Gordini's were pretty average cars in the arenas of competition win's on paper, they won hardy anything of note, a legend to their owners, but on paper they had a pretty fruitless sporting career compared to other marques. Alpine was not that better with the A110 and its world rally championship, the Le Mans win, and the R5Turbos with a few world rally wins etc.

I know this may sound harsh but against the rest of the marques like porsche, and ferrari on paper, renault's pretty average, we just have the passion to push them and love the cars for entirely emotional reasons. Also with Renaults past history of swapping from one form of racing to another when they have had enough, giving the brand a pretty haphazard sporting career. I feel that any re-igniting of past passions of the sporting names of the past to bring on some current passions to push sales, bring in new enthusiasts is a great thing.

Older Gordini owners should embrace this idea, and the new G owners, to give renaults overall sporting image a boost. And I would say that any older gordini owner who are still to one eyed to see the future will not matter as renault UK push to move these cars to the new sporting enthusiast generation, while the G zealot is still standing there still trying to convince everyone that their particular Gordini was the best ever made and how dare they use the G name.

I say move on, celebrate the past, embrace the future and get on with it, Gordini should be like HSV, FPV, etc where you can buy a new car, even get performance parts, yes Gordini cams, Gordini induction kits, t shirts, flags etc.

So all this may not appeal to everyone and I maybe shot down in flames for surgesting such satanistic ideas, but I reckon it's a good move forward, I can see other markets like japan, even australia where the G name was well known in the 60' and 70's could be used in the niche markets to inject some passion back into renault sporting image and celebration of it's history.

I mean look at the recent Melbourne Motor Show where we had a Megane Sedan as a hero car on the rotating stand, now thats sure to get the blood flowing, not. How about a R8G on one rotating stand while next to it is a Clio RS 180 Gordini is on the other. Now I would like to see that............

Please don't down me to much for that........ covert
 
I think the French fascination with the G's came from the idea that an ordinary vehicle accessible to most Frogs could be pulled from the ranks, tweaked on a budget and become a world beater. I think that the legend is about that and not a lot more. Those tin toy blue cars were a powerful affirmation of what the Frogs would like to think about themselves, and remain so today.

(NB: :clown: Warning from here on Bog commences a w*nk with both hands)

The notion of the "everyman" is common in the frog psyche. I could never understand their fascination with Jerry Lewis or the honest "idiot" type characters in a lot of French drama....for whatever the reason that kind of thing strikes a chord with them..... the original g's were the automotive equivalent of that Jerry Lewis type character with a bit of that French rooster added to the air horns.

The original vehicles are pretty unique in 2004 and a testament to the philosophy that gave birth to them.

The stripes business on the Clio Sport is just an attempt to cash in on nostalgia, but some people will like that idea and Renault are after all a multi national money making enterprise.

The Clio Sport is a top car in it's own right, but it's not the in your face, cut price, underdog that those 1960's rear engined incendiary devices were.

And of course Gordini is deady bones dead and unlikely to complain.

:mallet:
 
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