Since Volkswagen's fifth-generation Golf GTI was unleashed here four years ago, no 2-litre hatch has quite managed to match its heat quotient.
The contenders included Opel's Astra Turbo, Citroen's C4 Coupe and Honda's Civic Type R. They were all either not as quick, not as agile or simply required too much work.
Now, we have before us the Renault Clio R27, known formally as the Clio Renault F1 Team R27. With such a mouthful of a reference to a Formula One car, you would expect the three-door Clio to be a sizzler.
Alas, it does not quite live up to its name. And it certainly will not unseat the Golf GTI. But it will perhaps give the other hatches mentioned a run for their money.
The car certainly looks the part of a hot hatch. Streamlined and hunkered down on 17-inch darkened rims shod with low-profile tyres, it has an air of aggression about it.
Those red Brembos peeking from behind the wheels add to the panache.
Its aerodynamic features are impressive enough: rear diffuser beneath the bumper exerts downforce to prevent lift at high speeds and front extractors to reduce drag.
You would, however, have to be approaching 200kmh to harness the full benefit of these features. Nevertheless, they do add to the car's visual appeal.
Inside, the Recaro bucket seats hold you snugly in place. They are surprisingly more accommodating and comfortable than other sports seats.
Perforated metal pedals and a red-marked steering wheel (a visual aid that comes in handy during the frenzy of a rally) and a six-speed shift stick complete the picture.
But when you start the car up, the disappointment starts to set in.
There is no hint of potency in the stirring engine. Gear engagement is civilised, and the car moves off in a way that promises nothing wild.
The car remains like this as long as engine revs are below 3,000rpm. Good enough for moving about town and blending with traffic. It is probably in this mode that the R27 achieves its not-too-shoddy consumption figures.
While its engine has enough pull to keep up with the pack in the city, overtaking on open roads will require some hand and foot work. Thankfully, gear changes are pretty slick.
So where is the verve? Mostly at 5,000rpm and above, that's where. Keep the revs high, and the R27 transforms from benign to beng effortlessly.
It starts to belt out a stirring aria that spurs you on to either brilliance or doom. Probably the former, because the Clio has an excellent chassis attached to an excellent steering wheel. The car feels well glued together and well glued to the bitumen. It is quite unshakeable around corners, and tracks like an arrow on straights.
Its stiff suspension is a pain over bumps, but is a joy for speeding up carpark ramps. The car's electronic nannies do not interfere unnecessarily. And its brakes are powerful yet usable in everyday conditions.
In short, the Clio R27 is both a sedate city runabout and a manic track machine. In the latter state (which involves nearly as much aggro as getting Bruce Banner to turn green), it could probably match the Golf GTI.
But it sorely lacks a middle ground, strange as that sounds in a critique of a hot hatch.
RENAULT CLIO R27
Price: $110,000 with COE
Engine: 1,998cc 16-valve inline-4
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Power: 200bhp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 215Nm at 5,550rpm
0-100kmh: 6.9 seconds
Top speed: 223kmh
Fuel consumption: 8.4 litres/100km (city-highway)
Agent: Wearnes Automotive
This article was first published in The Straits Times on 28 June, 2008.
