France
Peugeot has finally pulled the plug on 205 production after several years of gradually phasing out its hugely popular supermini which first saw the light of day in 1983. Its successor, the 206, is one of the largest cars in its sector, but its chances of sales success have been bolstered by the fact that it is also one of the most stylish and entertaining to drive superminis on sale in Europe. Its 1.1, 1.4 and 1.6 petrol engines and particularly the 1.9 diesel offer good levels of performance and refinement, but the car's chassis offers handling which is almost unsurpassed in this size of car. Going against the appeal are an interior full of hard, grainy plastics, and an awkward driving position.
The original 1990 Renault Clio was a huge sales success all over Europe, setting new standards in just about every area for the supermini sector. Its successor capitalises on a spacious and comfortable interior as well as competitive pricing and generous equipment levels. The only models on sale for now are the 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 petrol units as well as the economical 1.9 diesel, but two high performance versions are due soon. For hot hatchback fans there will be the renaultsport Clio 172 - which has a 2.0 engine with 172 bhp and a top speed of around 140 mph. For those wanting even more power and speed, there is the mid-engined renaultsport Clio V6, which will be powered by a 3.0 V6 engine and have a top speed of 155 mph. Both cars are not expected before 2000.
Read more about this topic: 1998 In Motoring
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