It’s not every day someone presents you with the opportunity to buy one of Renaultsport’s finest hot hatchbacks, but that’s exactly what happened in summer 2024 when my neighbour offered me first refusal on his Clio 182 Trophy.
I’d been umming and ahhing about swapping my Rover Mini Cooper for something less rusty and more usable for some time. It was more than 30 years old and was in need of some costly bodywork repairs to rid it of some persistent corrosion. I had therefore reached a bit of a crossroads and was left with two choices: deal with the rust, or cut my losses and put it up for sale.
My mind was soon made up when my neighbour offered me the Clio, and while I was reluctant to part with my first car, I knew I would have been name-called by my car-mad colleagues if I’d have turned down. So the Mini went to a new home and I’m now the owner of Trophy no.318.
It’s by no means a concours example: the alloys are crustier than a stale baguette, some of the paint has faded and the steering wheel is very worn. There’s also a lingering damp smell, which has somewhat abated after strapping an army of Little Trees to the dashboard.
It’s also riding on Cup suspension as opposed to the factory-fit and super-trick Sachs dampers. The previous owner took them off to have them refurbished so they’re effectively brand new and ready to be bolted on.
Even with 20 years and 94,000 miles under its belt, it’s still the same free-revving, lightweight and fun hot hatch that made it so popular among enthusiasts in the mid-2000s.
With a bit of care and attention, and hopefully not too much cash, I hope to return it to its former glory.
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