Renault Clio V6

The two Phases are genuinely different cars built at two different factories. Phase 1 (2001–2003, approximately 1,513 built) was built by Tom Walkinshaw Racing at Uddevalla, Sweden, with the earlier 230 PS / 227 bhp version of the PSA L7X V6, a 2,510 mm wheelbase, softer chassis and the pre-facelift Clio Mk II nose. Phase 2 (2003–2005, 1,309 built) was built by Renault Sport with Alpine at Dieppe, France, with the 255 PS / 252 bhp version, a 2,530 mm wheelbase (20 mm longer), reworked front and rear geometry, wider track and the facelift Clio Mk II nose. Verify the Phase against the VIN, the build plate, the launch-market documentation and the specific engine ID. The Phase 2 is materially more capable on the road and is the modern-classic pick for most enthusiast buyers; the Phase 1 is the earlier, purer, harder-cornered TWR-built car and is valued by collectors who prioritise the TWR-Uddevalla origin story.

Every Clio V6 is a heavily reworked Clio Mk II shell — Phase 1 is some 300 kg (660 lb) heavier than the sportiest regular Clio. The rework is factory (TWR or Dieppe) not aftermarket, but panel-gap and paint-consistency expectations are looser than a mass-production Clio: no two cars are perfectly identical, and door-shut lines especially at the wide-arch join deserve a close look. Rust is not a general concern on either Phase but does appear at (a) the rear arches on cars stored damp, (b) the front subframe / crossmember on French / UK cars used year-round, and (c) the boot floor around the V6 mounts on cars driven in heavy salt-belt winters. Inspect underside, arches and the subframe with the car on a lift before purchase.

The 3.0L L7X V6 is a PSA / ES9-family engine shared in tune with the Peugeot 406 Coupé V6, Peugeot 607, Citroën C5 V6 and (in a different tune) the Peugeot 407 Coupé V6 and Renault Laguna II V6. Well-supported by the PSA / Peugeot independent trade. Cambelt / water-pump interval is Renault-published at 72,000 miles or six years, whichever first — Verify against the specific service book because this figure has been adjusted downward by independent specialists to five years on cars used lightly. Coil packs, MAF sensors and the fuel-pressure regulator are known service items. Access is difficult because the V6 is mounted transversely behind the front seats — many jobs are engine-out or require significant trim / rear-cage removal, which drives labour cost. Route work through a Renault Sport / Clio V6-specific specialist rather than a general Renault dealer wherever possible.

The six-speed manual and the RWD driveline are Clio V6-specific and are not shared with the front-drive Clio Sport / 172 / 182 / Trophy hatch. Clutch replacement is a specialist job (V6 layout means the box is not easily dropped through the front subframe). Inspect for driveshaft rumble on lock, differential whine at motorway speed, and gearbox mount deterioration (typical on both Phases). Synchros on 2nd and 3rd wear on cars driven hard on trackdays. Budget for a specialist clutch and gearbox refresh at 60,000–80,000 miles on Phase 1 and 80,000–100,000 miles on Phase 2.

Both Phases use Clio V6-specific interior trim (bespoke seats with prominent side bolsters, unique door cards, model-specific instrument cluster). Replacement parts are increasingly hard to source and are Renault Classic / Renault Sport parts-network dependent — some items are NLA new and are only available via breakers or reproduction. Inspect Alcantara / leather bolster wear (driver's side seat particularly), headliner sag on cars stored hot, dash-top cracking on cars stored in sunlight and function of the air-conditioning (Phase 2 was fitted as standard). Original steering wheels, gear knobs and door cards command an increasing premium; a car with all original trim in serviceable condition is materially more valuable than one with retrimmed or replaced items.

The 159 Clio V6 Trophy race cars (1999–2003, Renaultsport at Dieppe) are factory-numbered — a genuine Trophy will have a documented Renaultsport chassis number in the 1–159 range and will trace back to a specific series entry (French Clio V6 Trophy, British Clio V6 Trophy, or international rounds). BaT Trophy lot pages verified during this review consistently cite the specific number (#79/159, #109/159, #118/159, etc.). Verify the Trophy chassis number, the Renaultsport documentation, the six-speed sequential transaxle (Trophy-specific), the 285 PS / 281 bhp engine tune and the series entry history. A road-registered Trophy is unusual — most are track-only — and any car sold as a road-legal Trophy carries a Verify flag against DVLA / DGT / equivalent national vehicle-registration records.