AUSTRALIANS are spoiled for choice in ‘C’ segment small-car hot hatches, so where are all the iconic babies such as Peugeot’s seminal 205 GTi? Back in the 1980s and early 1990s – that’s where, before safety legislation and the weight of consumer expectations for gadgets and refinement forced car-makers to build ever-larger and heavier successors. And, really, the latest Renault Clio Renaultsport is no different. Or, at least, that’s what it might seem like on paper or after a brief drive. Live with RS 197 for a while, though, and you will see that this model has lost virtually none of its predecessor’s
joie de vivre...