[Video] Ten minutes of Maxi Clio heaven | GRR
Nothing beats a good rally car hillclimb, with its starts, sprints and heavy deceleration pre-corner. And we’re not picky as to the protagonist. In this instance we bring you the more budget end of the rally spectrum, with 13 minutes of Renault Clio Maxi Kit Car action courtesy of YouTuber 19Bozzy92. Filmed at hillclimbs across Europe, the diminutive little rally cars show that size doesn’t always need to matter.
The F2 Kit Car class was introduced in 1993 to give manufacturers a more flexible and affordable way into rallying in the form of the FIA Cup for Manufacturers of Touring Cars (2-Litre), renamed to the FIA 2-Litre World Rally Cup the following year. The two-wheel-drive models could feature larger brakes, individual throttle bodies, and wider bodykits than the standard Group A models.
The K11 group was the most popular, with the car required to have a sub-1,000kg weight and be powered by 2.0-litre, naturally-aspirated engines, engines that could make up to 280PS and rev to 10,000 rpm. Leading the class were the Peugeot 306 Maxi, the Renault Megane Maxi, the Citroën Xsara Maxi, the Seat Ibiza, alongside the subject of our video. While initially, the racers were modified Group A models, after a couple of years dedicated models began to emerge, beginning with the Renault Clio Maxi.
And they proved particularly potent on the tarmac, often beating turbo four-wheel-drive Group A and WRC cars on tarmac stages. Unfortunately, this (and increased development costs) led to their ultimate downfall…
Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a mid-morning helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Fifteen minutes of glorious downshifts