CONSIDER IT

It’s about time that the Brera was launched. Was it worth the wait?

If you’re an Alfa fan, then yes. The Brera comes fully equipped with the highest of Alfa standards, with leather all around, climate control, bi-xenon lights, a stonking good Bose soundsystem and a huge panoramic roof. The downside to all this goodstuff? The price tag. Dropping in at a hard-to-swallow RM309,000 price tag, the Brera will have its work cut out for it.

Thanks to the thick rear pillars, you'd end up reversing blind half the time.

Whoah. That’s pricey.

If that’s the case then read no further, and head straight to our Alfa Romeo MiTo first impressions section. The MiTo is priced competitively, looks awesome and is just as highly equipped (the little bugger comes with 7 airbags!) as the Brera.

No, I’m still interested to know more about the Brera. How does it drive?

Quite well actually. Despite being front wheel drive, the Brera is rather neutral when you’re hard charging it to your favorite Nasi Lemak stall. The exhaust note keeps things interesting, despite the noise coming from a rather unexciting 2.2 litre four-pot. Acceleration is alright, with 8.6 seconds to the century if you flip the ‘box into manual and do the rubber burning all by yourself. In the cabin, everything is as you expect it to be. Top notch materials and that intoxicating Italian leather that gets into your nostrils and excites your senses. Small little niggles that bother us? Passenger armrest is way too low, the rear seats are rubbish, the fiddly petrol cap needs a manual to operate and the flappy paddles aren’t flappy at all. They’re stubs. Alfa should scour the Ferrari parts bin and grab old 360 paddles and stuff them in.

Manual? So, the Brera is still using the Selespeed ‘box or a newfangled dual-clutch system?

Cabin is gorgeous, typical Alfa Romeo style and flair. Spec secret: it's the exact same cabin from the 159 which is RM50,000 cheaper.

Unfortunately, the Brera is still using the Selespeed (albeit a revised one, that isn’t as jerky as the 147’s) but it suits the car perfectly, what with its shouty Italian attitude and sexy physique, it just feels right that you’d need to grab it by the scruff of its neck and learn to drive it well. If you’ve never driven a Selespeed and your first experience of an clutchless manual is the Golf GTi, be warned, you might not be accustomed to it.

Alfas have been infamously unreliable in the past, will the Brera be any different?

You'll be seeing this a lot; the Brera is quite thirsty, even for an Alfa.

We’ll have to wait a few years to give you the right answer, but, as we’ve seen with the 159 since it was introduced a couple of years back in Europe, the electrics and everything that were horrid in the past are much improved, and seems to be running fine. We expect the same of the Brera. Plus, the new importers for Alfa Romeo have invested a lot of money to ensure peace of mind motoring and for the first time in a long time, you can finally have faith in the warranty of Alfa Romeo cars.
We must admit, that the main drawback to the Brera is the price. For RM309,000, buyers would expect 9 seats, 16 wheels and 11 turbos. As it stands, the Brera is a niche player that appeals to a small passionate group of motorists who may dream of the car, but is probably unwilling to part with the cash.

Feisty Little Thing

The name MiTo doesn’t actually mean anything. It’s not Italian for smart, cute or funky. It’s just a portmanteau of Milan (where it was initially designed) and Torino, the assembly factory.

Alfa Romeos have always been misunderstood in Malaysia. They’ve always been seen as too expensive or too temperamental. But they’re also achingly gorgeous and barring any issues, screams like Pavarotti on Xanax.

The designers played around with a photoshopped photo of an 8C and, came up with this.

The MiTo is special in this regard. It is neither expensive – at RM153,888 it’s the cheapest Alfa in 5 years – nor is it achingly gorgeous. It’s cute and adorable. In fact if you squint, it kind of looks like the 8c Competizione.

Designed in-house, the MiTo was always planned as a supermini, that would go head on against..funnily enough, its brother, the Fiat 500. In Malaysia, the MiTo’s natural rival would be the Mini (as Fiat isn’t selling enough of the 500 to be seen as a contender); though it must be said that the Mini is definitely a class larger.

Leather, climate and awesome soundsystem standard. Which is fair, seeing as this small car comes with a relatively big, price.

Alfa’s local importer, Auto ConneXion, is importing the most powerful MiTo and has specced this tiny car up to the hilt. You can expect Bi-Xenon headlights, automatic climate control and a powerful set of Blaupunkt speakers as standard.

With the MiTo, Auto ConneXion is close to offering almost every range of car from Alfa Romeo today.

BEG FOR IT

The Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, wow. That’s a long, long name.

You got that right. The Italians may be the sultans of style, but when it comes to names, they’re just behind the Japanese at butchering truly good ones. But, in this instance, the name is more than just a mish-mash of numbers and abbreviations. It stands for, wait for it… Longitudinale Posteriore (which is how the engine is placed) 560 (for the amount of stallions under the hood) and four, for four wheel drive configuration. Phew.

I’m a rich bloke, and I’ve already got two Gallardos, one being the Superleggera. Should I bother?

Audi inspired interior now looks dated. All new Gallardo in 2011 should bring it back to the present.

If you’re that rich, you should be sending some money our way. Which you won’t. So go ahead and spend your hard-earned on the LP560. It’s different enough to warrant purchase, with a Reventon/LP640 inspired nose and some fresh new light assemblies. The tinkering of the V10 has produced a slight increase in horsepower (about 30bhp), but if you’ve already got an SE, it won’t be that big of a leap. Even the E-gear isn’t that much smoother, in a nutshell, the LP560 is a rehash, that drives slightly better, looks perpetually prettier and sounds microscopically different.

So it’s ‘new’ but is it, any good?

To put things into perspective, the LP560 is 30kgs lighter than the outgoing Gallardo. This diet, combined with a shot of horsepower translates to the same power-to-weight ratio as the limited edition Superleggera. The numbers tell the full story: at 374bhp per ton, the LP560 shoots of to a hundred in 3.7 seconds and jets to 200km/h speed a full half a second quicker than the old model. Yet, it’s still no quicker than the F430 Scuderia, which, after starving from all those unhealthy Italian cuisines, is just as quick, if not quicker than the more powerful Lamborghini in almost all aspects.

LED lights are the rage. Lambo does the treatment for both the front and rear of the car. Looks gorgeous.

BUY IT

I already own the previous 325i Sports; should I upgrade?

No. To be fair, the ‘new’ 325i Sports isn’t just a facelift – it has tons of tweaks underneath and the sexy new light treatment sets it apart from the previous model – but neither is it all new. It’s more like a downloadable patch than a full-on upgrade.

So it possible for me to make my previous car look like this?

Not really; the new car has an all new front bumper, a new hood and the light housings are entirely different. It’s not impossible, but the cost to do such an extensive cosmetic change would be astronomical.

Put a quad exhaust in and you'd fool your neighbours into thinking this, was an M3.

You’ve reviewed the 323i, which is essentially, a 325i lite. Is the 325i really worth the extra dosh?

If you like your coffee strong and your women smoking hot, then yes. You’ll feel the difference immediately; from the weightier steering to the sharper responses. It may only have a few more horses over the 323i (since it shares the same powerplant) but power is just a small part of the equation; the whole package is just sublime.

At over RM300,000, should I opt for this, or the Mercedes-Benz C230?

Though the new C-Class is a huge dynamic improvement over the previous model, it’s still not as aggressive or exciting on the limit as the 325i. In terms of power delivery, the C230 has a little bit more oomph down low, but, when you’re blasting down the highway for that weekend drive, the BMW gets has the edge.

The wheel is very, very chunky. Ladies and men with tiny hands be warned.

Do I get a lot of standard kit?

Do you ever. How does a HD screen, with the new iDrive (and Sat-Nav) and Bluetooth sound? Still not up your alley? Well, then we’re pretty sure that the M-Spoke steering wheel, with a suitably fat diameter, M-bodykit with those spanking 18 inch rims and keyless entry will.

Hooligans rejoice. The 325i Sports comes standard with a nasty smoking habit.

I’m a hooligan. I love my Subaru, but I’d want to move up. Can the 325i Sports satisfy my needs?

A sub 8 second sprint to a hundred, 240km/h top speed and 220bhp is enough to satisfy any red blooded male. It may not be as quick as the Subaru, but at least in the 325i, you’ll be able to hear what you’re thinking. It’s worth the price of purchase and BMW should be applauded for doing something for the enthusiasts.

• Or Try This: Mercedes-Benz C230, Audi A4 Quattro

Photos by Shahzeeq

Civic is a thrill a minute road racer with back breaking tendencies. Megane is less thrilling, but more kinder to your bum in the long run.

Can the 230bhp super-Megane keep up to the 222bhp Civic Type-R?

Let’s face it. Super special edition cars with zero-comfort, carbon fibre garnishes and wheelie bin rims are all the rage these days. Take the F430 Spider Scuderia 16M for example. Not only does it have an even stupider name than an Electrolux appliance, it charges you extra for it as well. I assume they charge you a hundred grand for each extra letter in the name and a couple of hundred thousand more for the stupid bits protruding out of its buttocks. It’s sheer lunacy, I know, but so far as I can tell, they’re all sold out. Before it’s even officially sold. Now, say what you want about Ferrari, they know how to milk their clients for every last dollar.

Though the Honda produces 8bhp less than the Megane, it is also a massive 85kg lighter than the Renault. So it should be quicker. But it wasn’t.

Despite getting a whole lot less for your money, these ‘race-bred’ machines are fast sellers and, partly caused by their limited numbers, holds their value pretty well, too. Some of these lightweight specials aren’t all that quicker than the regular donor car. Others, like the GT3 RS, isn’t even lighter than the already super-light GT3.  These days, having a sportier version of your ‘regular’ car is de rigueur. Heck, even the Fiat 500 has a go-faster variant. The people who buy these cars aren’t necessarily enthusiasts either; they’re buying them for the glamour of being seen as one. This, I believe is an error perpetrated by the car manufacturers themselves; they paint this wondrous imagery of long sweeping bends overlooking a vertiginous coastline with you at the helm and Elisha Cuthbert as your navigator. You are made to believe that you’re a weekend racer with the skills of Fernando Alonso and the sex appeal of Daniel Craig.

Can you see the problem with that? I could.

Because, in actual fact, the only racecourse you’ve probably been to had horses on them and the closest you’ve been to Elisha Cuthbert is on YouTube. It’s not as if I’m asking for a hard dose of reality, but I just can’t stand people who buy cars like these thinking they’re the next Michael Schumacher. These drivers believe that the only speed limit they should adhere to is the top speed of their cars.

Unlike the Megane 230 F1, which is both fast and comfortable, the Civic is built to be savagely fast and nothing else.

And while I’m here lamenting on the sorry state of hooligan drivers in our country, I can’t help but act like one when I’m in one of these cars. The appeal of having over 200bhp under your right foot mated to a supremely sorted chassis is just too much for my sensibilities.

Take the Renault Megane 230 F1 for example. It may not look as overtly aggressive as its smaller – and feistier – Clio brother, but looks, as they say, is utter tosh. Despite its plump rump, the 230 F1 is a proper performance hatch. Its 6.8 second sprint to a hundred is a whopping second quicker than the Volkswagen Golf GTi. Discounting the rabid Megane R26.R, the 230 F1 is Renault’s fastest Megane, ever. Its accelerative G-force is tremendously addictive and builds up as you shuffle through the gears. Even in sixth at just over 2,000rpm, the car still has the urge to shove you into its Recaros and keep you there until you’ve run out of road – or bravery. The temptation to bury the throttle at every occasion is immense and if you’re anything like me, there’s every chance that you’d end up looking – and acting – like a tool. But I don’t care. Because if I’m honest, the rush of speed is matched only by its sensational engine noise. And you’d want to hear that bassy soundtrack, over and over again. And once you’re done, you’d drop a cog and repeat the process. Ad infinitum. Clearly, there’s no better way to spend upwards of RM200,000. Or is there?

Renault’s hot hatch beast is a true point and squirt machine; you don’t have to be incredibly talented to use 90 percent of its potential.

The Honda Civic Type-R is the antithesis of the Megane. If the Megane is seen as boisterous, the Civic Type-R is absolutely, positively hardcore. Where the Megane gives you the impression of limitless thrust, the Civic Type-R bombards you with a never-ending rev meter. In the Honda, you don’t buckle yourself in. You strap yourself on. If ever there was a road rocket, this is it. Each kilometre feels faster than the last, even though it really isn’t that much faster than the Megane. But the epic cacophony that constantly floods the cabin gives the illusion that the car should no longer be measured in km/h but instead, in warp factors.

In the Megane, you know when you’ve changed gears.

Not in the Civic, though. Each gear change does little to dampen the thunderous VTEC wail that only gets louder as the taps open up and it goes, faster still.

Renault's rump isn't complimentary. Type R is very much like its Civic sibling and offers its buyers any choice of color as long as it's white.

And the faster it goes, the harder you’ll wail. There’s plenty of evidence to suggest why Honda chose to use such unforgiving dampers (being honed on a multitude of Japanese race circuits is one), but nothing will prepare you for its severity. Imagine riding a rabid alligator that’s being towed on tarmac by a tank and you’d still be a ways off. The Type-R is absolutely unforgiving and it makes no excuses for being so. This, in itself, lessens the Honda’s appeal to a larger audience. Unlike the Megane 230 F1, which is both fast and comfortable, the Civic is built to be savagely fast and nothing else. It’s a race car with number plates.

On paper, the K20A-engined, Civic Type-R accelerates from rest to a hundred in 6.2 seconds. Which, if you’re any good at math, means it’s quicker to the ton by 0.6 seconds over the Megane. The Honda though producing 8bhp less than the Megane is also a massive 85kg lighter than the Renault. So, it’s a given then, that the Civic would be the faster car.

So I decided to put this claim to the test. Despite giving the Civic three different trials, it lost to the Megane by quite a fair margin. All three times. Maybe it’s down to the gearing, or driver skill. Though I highly doubt you’d need to have Formula One style reflexes to perform straight-line sprints.

It would’ve been game over for the Civic if not for its immense handling attribute.

The Renault goes one way only: effing quick.

Push the Megane into a corner, and the front will start to feel rather vague, instantly forcing you to back down. Push it even harder and you feel the weight of the Megane diluting the steering, and the previously electric connection you shared with the car’s chassis on arrow straight road begins to dissipate. The only way you’ll ever get the most out of the Megane is when you throw caution to the wind and pummel the car into the bend.

Do that and the car’s brilliant LSD kicks in, constantly swapping power between the wheels and shoving the small of your back into the seat with mind-numbing grunt from the car’s massive 230bhp. Once you’ve gone deep into the recesses of the Megane’s inherent brilliance, you reach a zenith where neither understeer nor oversteer exists, just pure grip.

The Civic on the other hand, beckons you to go even faster into a corner, massaging your ego whilst you deftly tuck the nose in with the grace of a seasoned racing driver. It too, shares a slippy diff, but this one seems even more capable then the Megane. In fact, if you’re gifted with some form of talent, lift-off oversteer is a trait that the Civic has in abundance and, it’s bloody easy to catch it when it lets loose too.

The Megane is happy to go around bends at speed all day long. The Civic though, feels like it was created to do just that. I’ve honestly driven racing cars that feel duller than this.

In full attack mode, the Megane’s six-speed manual disappoints. It hates to be rushed and finding yourself in fifth after changing up from second is a common occurrence. Initially, I thought this to be a trait associated with all Renault cars, but, having driven the scintillating Clio RS (shod with a brilliant manual ‘box), I realized that this niggling fault is found only in the Megane. Obviously, this minor issue won’t cause much of a problem within the city limits, but, if you’re a regular track haunt, you’d best get used to the six-speeder, fast.

Once you’ve gone deep into the recesses of the Megane’s inherent brilliance, you reach a zenith where neither understeer nor oversteer exists, just pure grip.

Seeing as these cars share ‘racing’ elements derived from motorsports, it’s great to see that both the Renault and Honda come equipped with massive front Brembos measuring 312mm for the Megane and a whopping 320mm for the Type-R. Despite numerous tests and countless pummelling sessions, both cars withstood the challenge extremely well, with no discernable fade throughout the period.

On the inside, both the Megane (save for the Megane’s ‘limited edition’ plaque, which really isn’t the case) and the Civic share the same trait. They’re both functional cabins, with good visibility and well-placed instruments. Unfortunately, they’re both highly unimaginative as well. Neither is a cabin that you’d swoon over, but they definitely get things done.

The torture chamber. You'll spend many hours cursing the Civic's unforgiving demeanor. Suspension is too rough for our roads.

Seeing as they’re both derived from regular, humdrum saloons, space – in terms of both luggage and passenger room – is in abundance. In the Honda, you’ve got room all around for you and three of your friends. The same goes for the Renault, though I must add that headroom in the back is a wee bit tight if you’re built like a giraffe. Regular people will fit into the Renault just fine, and seeing as the ride quality in the Renault is a lot more comfortable than the Civic, it’s the cabin of choice for long haul driving jaunts.

If I’m honest, these two cars attract wildly different people. The Civic for instance, attracts boy-racers, rev-hungry enthusiasts and perhaps even a masochist with a penchant for pain. It beckons you to sharpen your driving skills and punishes the uninitiated. If you’re willing to put the time into learning the mega Civic’s skillset, be prepared for huge dividends. The only drawback with the Honda is that it’s always a race car first and a road car a distant second. And, after driving the Honda for a full day, I went to bed that night still jiggling from being thrown about in the car.

Renault pips it. Just. Civic is hugely entertaining, but only as a weekend car. Megane is a better all rounder, so long as you can live with its hideous rear end.

The Megane 230 F1 on the other hand, is a true point and squirt machine; you don’t have to be incredibly talented to use 90 percent of its potential, but for the budding racing driver, extracting the last 10 percent turns the hot hatch into an amazingly serious performer. Either way, it’s still a proper car, with proper seats and a pliant ride.So where does this leave us? Well, my heart beats for the Civic. I love its addictive engine and its razor-sharp handling. But I just can’t live with its incessant noise, horrid ride and boy-racer looks.

With the Megane, I get all the power of the Honda with just as much practicality and none of the detrimental boy-racer connotations. It’s a car that I can realistically use as a year-round steed, regardless of the weather or road conditions. Clearly, the Honda is the sharper tool but, in the grand scheme of things, being a master of one trait just doesn’t cut it.

And that’s why the Megane gets the nod.

]]> http://blog.getacar.com.my/2009/05/2008-civic-type-r-vs-2008-megane-r26/feed/ 0 http://blog.getacar.com.my/2009/04/2009-bmw-z4/ http://blog.getacar.com.my/2009/04/2009-bmw-z4/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 06:42:38 +0000 admin http://blog.getacar.com.my/?p=230

BUY IT

The Bangle mangled  Z4 is gone, now replaced by a sleeker, more instantly sexy model. But is it trying too hard to appeal to the SLK crowd? You’d be surprised, says Adlin Yusman.

We definitely like the looks, but is BMW towing the line in terms of wild design ideas since the departure of Chris Bangle?

Not really. The official line from BMW is that all the designs for their cars are sourced internally, within their very own design departments. It’s a democracy of sorts, with only the highest number of voted designs being brought through to the board level, where, Chris Bangle and other board members are expected to make the final call. Though Chris Bangle may have led the team with his protégé turned successor, Adrian van Hooydonk, they are quick to admit that their designers are given free rein to decide how any new model is supposed to look.

The photo is stretching the truth a little. Getting the Z4 sideways isn't as easy as it used to be.

Looks can be deceiving. In the metal, the new Z4 is taut, composed and every bit the roadster BMW claims it to be. Despite the optical illusion, the Z4 is in fact a whopping 150mm longer than the previous car, not to mention a rather portly 240kg heavier as well. Thankfully, it has translated into a seamless piece of motoring symmetry, with intersecting lines flanking everything from the door handles to the petrol nozzle.

The hardtop looks amazing, but will it take up a large amount of boot space when it’s down ala SLK?

No more than the previous car, actually. Through some motoring witchcraft, BMW has built a sturdy (and ultra-silent) two-piece roof which folds into and on itself, into the boot. Once it’s stowed, the space shrinks from 300 litres to 180 litres, but that’s a small price to pay for the security of a hardtop.

Granted, it’s only natural for BMW to opt for a hardtop for the new Z4, but has it lost the previous, canvas-roofed super quick drop time?

Unfortunately, yes. Previously, the Z4 could drop its top faster than your girlfriend could drop hers. The newer car takes twice as long to drop the top, so if you’re thinking of going al fresco at the traffic lights, think twice, as the roof is unable to operate when you’re in motion.

A more resolved rear end. Roof doesn't drop during motion due to the third brake light being obscured.

In one word: brilliant. We currently drive the previous Z4 – and though that car’s canvas roof is already superlative – but the new car truly behaves like a coupe once the roof is up. Even the handling goes up a notch or two.

So is it any good to drive?

As a comfortable, brisk GT; yes it does. Though the nose is still three miles long, the car feels more forgiving this time around. It’s not nearly as harsh over back roads as the older car and on ultra smooth tarmac, the Z4 tracks straight and true and, helped by the scintillating 3.0 litre twin-turbo powerplant, the 300bhp roadster feels adequately powered. Despite hosting the test drive in Spain – with empty winding roads and a beautiful, mountain lined vista – some of the cobbled village roads gave us ample opportunities to test the new car’s adaptive dampers. In regular – or normal – mode, the car feels pliant, like a 3-Series running on 19s. But punch it into Sport or Sport+ and the Z4 will instantly bruise your back on anything other than perfectly tarred highways. When driving slowly, even the wheel starts to wiggle a little more in Sport+, especially over village streets, prompting you to provide counter-input to a sensation that is, for the most parts, rather vague.

Now that BMW has fazed out the horrid electric steering, does the Z4 feel more involving to steer?

35i comes with the sportier seven-speed dual clutch 'box. It's smooth, and blips heartily on the downshift.

Boot space is adequate when the roof is dropped. Roof up, and you'd have just as much space as a regular 3 coupe.

We’ve not driven the new Boxster yet, but we’re sure it’s bound to be just as exciting as the new Z4. This car, in this exact guise (Z4 sDrive35i) will most definitely cost upwards of RM500,000 with some estimates predicting the car to actually cost even higher than the outgoing Z4M. At that stratospheric price range, the car had better be perfect. Which it is, mostly. 5.1 seconds to a hundred, 260km/h top speed and a trick roof makes it a tempting buy.

Granted, the Porsche may be a few tenths quicker to a hundred and has a higher top speed, but it lacks the Z4’s all weather usability and the ‘all new’ moniker tag.

Despite the car’s shortcomings (lack of slippy diff, long bonnet, too many gears on the dual clutch sports tranny available only for the sDrive35i) it doesn’t do much to harm the car’s outstanding credentials.

Highly recommended.

• Or Try This: Porsche Cayman S, Nissan 370Z

The exclusive distributor of Mitsubishi cars, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia would further strengthen their lineup with the upcoming Mitsubishi Pajero Sport SUV. It basically stands in the mid of the Pajero and the Outlander. Inspired from the success of its toughest rallies, the new Pajero Sport is now the best of both worlds which also feature dynamic and sporty exterior lines and complemented by a wide array of performance and safety technologies.

The vast interior space – its 3-row, 7 passenger, seating configuration can be varied to accommodate the most complex cargo scenario.

The new Pajero Sport has received positive responses ever since its global debut in Moscow last year. The Pajero has also earned praises for its futuristic look and comfort of a luxury SUV.

Priced at RM170,000, the new Pajero Sport would join the current line-up that consists of the Lancer Sedan, Grandis, the Lancer Evolution and the pickup-truck, Triton

Visit your nearest Mitsubishi showroom from April 2, 2009 onwards to see what the Pajero Sport has for you.

This is where it gets really interesting. The super Clio goes up against our pocket rocket of choice, the MINI Cooper S. Can the French match the Brit for sheer driver appeal? First tests don’t come much tougher.

Story by Ned Aznir
Photography by Shahzeeq

We know the little MINI Cooper S well. We drove it right after its debut last year and later drove it to Cameron Highlands by beating some of the quicker Porsches on the way up. Impressed by its performance, we gave it a deserving award – as the year’s best hatchback.

In a straight line, all 200 of the Clio's horses would trample over the Mini's 160bhp.

It’s a giant killer whose brilliant dynamics and feisty performance have humbled many a bigger hot hatch. But the market is looking worryingly competitive for MINI at the moment. Enter the 197bhp RenaultSport Clio RS, a car that, for all intents and purposes is a MINI killer. In order to succeed, the Clio has got to be better than good, it has to be legendary.
If you’d told me that the Clio RS and the MINI would be the same length, I’d have scoffed. But here they are, and I’ve got a scoff stuck in my throat. It’s an amazing trick of scale and proportion. The MINI is a size smaller in width and height which only makes it harder to grasp that BMW is selling the Cooper S for RM 239k, some RM 28k more than the hottest Clio.

Then there’s the brand. There are many reasons for wanting to own a Brit fashion accessory but, for hot hatch purists, a quick blat in a Clio RS shows that the Cooper S is more interested in being a ‘big premium’ small hatch than a true hot hatch.

The bold new Renault could be a flash in the pan, but is it as hot as its protruding arches claim to be? Well judging by Fernando Alonso, Carlos Ghosn and Formula One, Renault may be trying to sell itself as an uncompromising sporty brand. With affordability and aggressive looks coupled with a dynamic edge, it’s a deadly combination that the company hopes will attract young and enthusiastic buyers.

Looks are one thing, but to compete with the likes of the MINI Cooper S, our current class leader, the Clio will need a wide breadth of ability. We took both to the empty roads on a late Sunday night to find out if Renault has created a serious hot hatch contender.

If the MINI is a modern cult, the Renault is fast becoming an icon in the hot hatch world. Performance was never going to be a problem but the supple and grippy chassis means that all 197bhp is transmitted cleanly and with enthusiasm. Renault knows what it takes to make an enjoyable front-driver and the Clio carries on the tradition. Despite the sterling package, the latest version is not without its doubters, though. Unlike its predecessor, the new RS is more refined, better built and a whole lot more mature.

The Mini is the epitome of style; Clio, with its Formula 1 style rear diffuser, is all about naked aggression and purpose.

Driving a hot hatch is all about bang-for-your-buck thrills. And in this respect, the Clio certainly comes out fighting. Where the MINI puts the emphasis on agility and subtlety, the Renault is unashamedly a hot hatch of the old school. The Clio was always a good-looking car and Flavio Briatore’s mechanics doesn’t disappoint in the aero-styling stakes. It’s a car you just want to jump in and manhandle it by the scruff of the neck. In the world where hot hatches have become more apologetic, it’s a refreshingly honest design. Forget the political correctness; the Clio appeals to the hooligan in all of us.

Put your foot down in the tiny Renault and there’s no hanging about admiring the solid way the torque builds as you do in the 175bhp Cooper S. The Clio’s peak torque may not be as great as the MINI’s (215Nm versus 240Nm) and doesn’t arrive until 3,500rpm, but when that naturally aspirated two-liter 16-valve engine comes on song at about 7,000rpm, the Clio just legs it into the distance.

It’s a great engine too, gutsy right up to the limiter. The Cooper’s turbocharged motor is an inherently smooth engine but in this application feels unnecessarily noisy and curiously anodyne when you really stretch it. Power is abrupt, with an inconsistent power delivery.

Chassis-wise, both the Clio and Cooper are hard to separate, though they have very different approaches. The Renault has a more organic feel, tucking into turns with more roll before settling into a comfortable, responsive stance. Back off, and the weight transfers and its tail shifts to tighten the line; hit the gas and the front tyres drift progressively on the wet surface, the steering communicating their grip lucidly.

Mini is the better steer for regular drivers; petrolheads will prefer the Clio's excellent on throttle adjustability

The Cooper is just like your average BMW, it rides pretty stiff and you can enjoy its dartiness, too, because its roll-free chassis is much more neutral and just as grippy. The Clio on the other hand exhibits a gymnastic, adjustable and engaging poise that makes the Cooper S feel inert. I’m not saying that the Renault would necessary run rings around the MINI, only that it feels more alive and relies on your input to make it perform, which makes it more rewarding, more satisfying.

A confident driver would enjoy the Clio’s ultimate adjustability, while a nervous passenger would feel happier in the MINI. The extra grunt of the Renault makes it a more frantic ride, of course. The Cooper’s chassis is never stressed quite as highly, yet back-to-back there’s very little difference in their twisty-corner pace.

Both are unapologetic gas guzzlers; but Clio is more thirsty than the Mini.

Drive the Cooper back-to-back with the Clio, and its shortcomings are brought into focus. Not only is the Clio more refined, it’s also more fun. Crucially, it feels more thoroughly engineered. It’s in slower corners that most of us like to play with the car’s balance. While we’d like to think that four-wheel drifts aren’t the preserve of racing and development drivers, unless you’re feeling really brave it’s the tight bends that serves up the slidey moments.

Approaching a well-sighted corner, the MINI feels good under braking and reassuringly planted. Turn-in isn’t razor sharp but it locks onto its line cleanly enough. The disappointment comes when you get on the power in the corners. The nose runs wide surprisingly early, the inside wheel scrabbling for grip. Try again with a sharp lift on turn-in and it’s the same story. Steering throttle isn’t on the menu but the MINI’s main problem is that it feels crude – we blame its extremely short wheelbase. The Renault manages to carry more speed into the corners thanks to its brilliant in-gear acceleration.

Approaching the apex I have to wind off lock as the front digs-in hard. A slight adjustment of style and the Clio shines. Driven smoothly, it is also quicker, more committed and more satisfying. Understeer isn’t eradicated, but the Clio does a better job of containing it, while lift-off oversteer is there for the taking. Never snappy, it just adds to the Clio’s wider handling repertoire. It’s also more confidence-inspiring when a fast sequence of bends approaches.

Both cars run on high grade rubber, but it's the Clio that has more ultimate grip.

The MINI’s four wheels on the other hand, remained planted throughout and only occasionally sliding its four-wheels on hard corners but strangely, it gets unsettled through the sweeping bends by getting its balance the wrong way round. A bit more security at high speed coupled with more fun in slower corners would’ve transformed it.

Which was exactly what the Renault did. The steering sends lucid messages when you’re nearing the limits of adhesion. And, when you breach them, there are so many options in the Clio that makes the Cooper feel a bit one-dimensional.

It could’ve been so different. The hottest MINI (besides the 210bhp JCW) has plenty going for it; sweet chassis balance, deliciously torquey engine, solid build quality and a strong hot hatch heritage that is second to none. But the MINI has rewritten its DNA. Knife-edge thrills have made way for political correctness, and involvement has been diluted in the pursuit of all-round usability. I enjoyed the Cooper S but it never left me sweaty-palmed and buzzing with adrenalin. It’s a more grown-up sort of hatch, if you like.

For those of us who still hanker after the raw thrills of a car like Alec Issigonis’s original, the Cooper S doesn’t quite hit the mark. Which surprised me even further to find out that the Renault Clio RS, which clearly has no Issigonis DNA whatsoever, is more Mini, then the MINI. And that’s legendary.

Unhappy with the result? Well, the MINI resolves its issues by introducing its hottest model ever produced – the 210bhp John Cooper Works. Tested and driven, read about it in our February issue where we also put the feisty 230bhp RenaultSport Megane R26 against the sizzling 200bhp Honda Civic Type-R, to a very, very, surprising outcome.