My Christmas present to myself this year was Forza 3.  Been playing it quite a bit lately, sampling the various cars from around the world.  Let me tell you, the selection is quite extensive and most of the great automakers from around the world are well-represented.  You want to race an SRT-8 Charger?  They have it.  How about a 1964 Ferrari 250 GTO?  It’s available for the right price.  In fact a majority of the well-known super cars make an appearance but this isn’t about them.  This is about the Renault Sport Clio V6 RS.

Raynalt  Renault?  Didn’t they make that Le Car thing?  Indeed they did.  They also partnered with AMC for a number of years before finally selling to Chrysler in 1987 and eventually halting imports in 1989.  It’s interesting to note that in 1990 Renault started producing the Clio, one of Europe’s best-selling cars.  Now in its third generation, the Clio has had a veritable smorgasbord of engines from the 1.o liter I-4 up to the 3.0 liter V-6. 

Up until the point where I aquired the Clio, I really had very little knowledge about it.  Just sounded like another ambiguous European car (which it basically is).  After racing and winning several events I had a newfound respect for the little French tramp.   I was shocked at how well that little FWD hatch handled the corners.  It’s like it’s a mid-engine, RWD car or something. 

 Well, now I know how I got into the mid-engine event.  After removing the back seat and extensively reworking the frame, Renault squeezed their 3.0 V6 in.  Add in a six speed manny and 255 bhp and you have a car awesome enough to end up in Jeremy Clarksons 10-car fantasy garage (or in Stigs case, the mud):
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvJbcpkyipM&feature=related[/youtube]
Oh, and it looks pretty good with battle scars too:

Stay tuned for more Cars of Forza articles.
Source:  Wikipedia 1,2,
Photos:  Diseno-art