Mini Test Road Test
The Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V is an acceptable bargain performance car at $20,805, but after driving a Clio Renaultsport 197 F1 Team R27, we’re left wishing the folks at Nissan would be forced to undergo training from their corporate masters at Renault. Particularly, the Renaultsport racing and performance-car division.
The Clio Renaultsport 197 F1 Team R27 is a modified version and special edition of the Clio Renaultsport, a car that is itself a hot-rod version of Renault’s popular sub-compact, the Clio. Fun fact: The R27 part of the name refers to the 2007 Renault F1 race car. The biggest change to the standard Clio is Renaultsport’s 194-hp, 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine that revs to a heady 7500 rpm and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Torque is rated at 156 pound-feet at 5550 rpm.
The R27’s chassis bears little in common with the standard Clio’s. The wheelbase is 0.4 inch longer, and the track is widened by 1.9 inches at the front and 2.0 inches at the rear. Seventeen-inch wheels are shod with 215/45R-17 tires.
The Clio Renaultsport and the R27 get a number of body changes over the stock Clio. These include wider fenders, the seemingly obligatory side skirts and front splitter, and a rear diffuser that Renault claims produces enough downforce to forego a roof spoiler. Inside, there are the usual sporty features—aluminum pedals, a chunky-rimmed steering wheel, and hip-hugging Recaro sport seats.
Despite the body kit, the R27 isn’t all talk. This little hatchback is a track-ready weapon, with little or no pretense of civility. The engine is as eager as a dog outside a butcher’s shop, the exhaust is raspy, and the fantastic short-throw shifter encourages you to change gears.
The R27 is honed for back-road pleasure, with plenty of grip, strong brakes, and a handling balance that can be minutely adjusted via throttle inputs. The steering is super accurate but doesn’t have the feel or liveliness of the rest of the package. Highway driving, however, is a bit of a chore. The engine buzzes annoyingly at 80 mph, and the punishing ride can become tiresome.
At the equivalent of $29,360, the R27 is nearly $9000 more expensive than the Sentra SE-R Spec V we mentioned earlier. The Renaultsport is clearly an expensive little car, but even with $9000 of modifications, we’d wager the Sentra SE-R Spec V still wouldn’t approach the same level of entertainment.
