"Mr. Cigarrette Times" It gives me chills to remember that in the first jet airliners that I flew in, manufactured in 1958, there were ashtrays in the pilots' flight deck (Aviation Medicine Finding later that "covering" the alveoli with nicotine, greatly diminishes flight capabilities)!
As much as I love the exotics, it's nice to see these more affordable cars that still deliver a ton of fun. In many ways the smaller less expensive cars can be more fun to drive because the limits are lower and you're not so afraid of bending a 7 figure vehicle.
@@golden.lights.twinkle2329 Also Ian said "you can easily park these in supermarket car parks". No chance! Most of these are now wrapped in cotton wool.
Brilliant! My Dad had a Williams 2 and 3 at the same time and this brings back so many fond memories! I remember being ecstatic when he put me on the insurance - what a car! Also valeted them regularly- seeing all the close ups brought back so many memories. Thanks again.
As always sir, regardless of the price your love of driving cars just enthuses us. I worked for a multi-national company that used to sponsor Stewart Racing from the early days and along with a few select colleagues I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Williams F1 factory (for our annual Mangers Day), back in the days of David Coulthard and Damon Hill, we were fortunate enough to spend some time in the factory museum and saw the No.1 Clio Williams (as the first limited car was noted), the model with the plaque on the dashboard. Also we were able to spend some time with the Nigel Mansell winning car. We had dinner in the evening and David was our guest for the evening, like so many drivers in motorsport he was the perfect gentleman, engaging and humble ... on his way to greater things.
Beautiful. I remember hammering my old wheezy 1.1 fiesta through windy b roads in the early 90s, daydreaming I was driving a Clio Williams ... Got to see my dream again at 12:30 😀
Amazing to see one again, i owned a Williams 1 back in the day, still one of the best handling front wheel drive hot hatches ever made, had so much fun in that car. Thanks for reminding me.
I recall going to pick up my Clio (a RT 1.9 D...lovely, but not Williams) from a tiny Yorkshire dealership. In the showroom, only big enough to 3 cars, was a Clio Williams. I obviously admired it and the sales manager said to me an 85 year old man had just bought it! He was an ex-Spitfire pilot who wanted to have a last thrill in his life! Good man, I hope he thoroughly enjoyed ragging it like Iain. Later I had a nasty moment in my Clio when going into a bend, the back caught some spilt diesel and flicked out instantly, pitching me off the road and rolling the car. I was ok the car was a bit battered. Then a year or so on, and I was talking to a Ford engineer when I had a brief pre-launch drive of the mk1 Focus. He told me they had noted how a Clio could flick out the back end, and made sure that trait was designed out of the Focus chassis. I said how I had experienced the sudden loss of grip too...
I guess this would happen if you hit the brakes hard just before turning sharply or in mid bend avoiding an obstruction this bringing the back end of the car around performing a 360 spin. It will happen in most front wheel drive especially if the rear is very light and the front heavy just like a pendulum effect akin to a rwd car.
Of all the channels on Classic Cars I follow hence appreciate, the one I enjoy the most is Tyrell’s superb features. No fuss, true expertise with just a hint of humour. A pure delight. Bravo and merci.
When I was young I used to drive front wheel drive cars such as the Lancia Fulvia then VW golf GTi 1.8 and a Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9. Without blowing my own trumpet too much I was very fast on tarmac B roads and never used left foot braking, although I used heel and toeing quite a lot. Left foot braking was more commonly used on rallies on loose forest tracks to help set the car up through the bends. It wasn’t necessary on fast tarmac roads as you could set the car up purely with throttle control.
Good to see the Tinkersdale to Dobshill road - I used to love blasting my cars through there when I was young, many, many years ago! Love the channel. All best wishes from Spain.
Citation of the month: ''' The frame bent after hitting a large pothole, but overall a great car '' !!! I can't stop laughing ! Made my day ! Great video as always Mr Tyrrell !
well it depends how he really did it, mybe the pot hole was so deep that the car actually bounced and touched the road with a subfrme, which i think what actully happened.
The fact is that here in Montreal, Canada , we DO have large craters that actually destroy a suspension and blow a tire in 2 seconds....in winter and spring every year...
As much as I enjoy the vids of classic supercars, this is just as brilliant and feels more relatable for a middle class guy. Please keep up the good work covering all sorts of classic cars.
Great video again Iain. Really look forward to your and Harry's weekly uploads. Particularly like yours as you always drive round my old stomping ground, it really takes me back. (Y)
I'm loving this channel. Mr Tyrrell, It's so nice to see your experience, knowledge and dry whittled English humour. You say it as you see and know it. You actually get engineering by sound, knowledge and feel without needing to plug and play. There's no "look at me" nor a flogging of sponsorship.. So, from a chap in Australia 🦘 I say thanks mate 👍
I love the driving techniques described. I used to have a Lancia Fulvia coupè hf rallye1.6 first series pre Fiat, with negative wheel convergence, no servo brakes... That was fun !! Pity I have no longer the car, they are VERY rare today.
Many thanks for taking the time to make this video! It's great to see a bit of an "everyman's" car sitting pretty amongst all that exotica - always loved the Clio Williams and the early Renaultsport Clio's. These, and the Renault 5 Turbo's were well loved cars when I was growing up, so they're definitely modern classics in my eyes!
The Renault 5 turbo he mentioned is not the run of the mill machine. he was talking about the very rare homologated version with the Renault V6 engine mounted at the rear where the passenger seat was originally mounted. The Renault Williams Clio was not an everyman's car. It was about the same cost as the 4WD Escort Turbo
@@barryrudge1576 Thanks for your comment. I am quite aware there are different versions of the Renault 5 Turbo - obviously the rarer V6 Homologation being considerably more expensive. But compared to the normal exotica seen in Tyrrell's Garage, this Williams Clio is definitely more of an 'affordable' performance car, things being relative.
@@barryrudge1576 If I recall correctly, the mid engined Renault 5 Turbo 1 & 2 were 4 cylinder cars with rear wheel drive. The later Clio mid engined car was a rear drive V6. I believe Ian was talking about the front engined, front wheel drive Renault 5 Turbo, hence the discussion on how he learned to drive a front engined, front wheel drive car which you seem to have missed.
I enjoyed it a lot. Your explanation of left foot braking and heel and toe is perfect for unknown people and I love the Bond reference at the end. Thanks Iain!
What a fun video Iain! I’ve watched (and subscribed) to your videos since they first popped up in my feed. Your ability to articulate simply your approach to issues, based on years of experience, is absolutely wonderful. As I’ve watched, I’ve come to admire the depths of your lived experience in both the automotive world and the arts. Would you please consider sharing more of your ‘history’ at some point. The interview you gave to Cars & Guitars was really interesting. Perhaps Harry Metcalf or Chris Harris could provide you with an even better forum.
I always thought hot hatches are a more grassroots type of fun. Most of us would have begun driving in hatchbacks, old Fiestas and Clios feel natural to me because of that. But in all fairness Williams built a masterpiece with the Clio, even the 16v model is a cool little weapon unfortunately time hasn't been kind to the lil Frenchies. I look forward to the videos, it's rare to see someone with an interest in cars as a whole and not just flash badges and £££. Even though there's lambos and other beautiful machines around, this man knows what's going to interest us because he's a car nerd like us all 👍
Excellent as usual :) Had a 205 XS in the family way back. No GTI but what a fwd driving delight.. Skinny tires, only 85hp from a 1.4 but double barrel carburettor so great throttle response and eager to rev matched with low weight.. Charging up the Col de la Faucille, what a sensory experience..
This a lovely car to drive. On a particularly windy piece of tarmac, the way you can drive these just makes you want to turn around and go again. Cheers for showing this car, they're fabulous little things!!
Loving the combined heel/toe double de-clutch and left foot braking action. You can tell Iain is a musician from the coordination and rhythm of it. Like he was driving a grand piano at full chat!👍
I'm a fan of the williams but I'm a bit miffed at how japanese manufacturers so often get forgotten when Hot Hatchbacks are mentioned. Toyota Corolla Gti, the crazy Nissan Pulsar GTi-R (japan only), but most importantly, the Civic/CRX i-VT - 150 horsepower from a 1.6, in 1990!
Yep I owned a CRX VTEC for eight years before trading it for an Elise at Bell and Colville. CRX engine and gearbox could be thrashed everyday without fear of anything breaking. The joy of the Elise with a Rover VVC is that it doesn't need thrashing to make it go. Also had one of the very first Charade GTti in UK no water cooling on the turbos for the first ones so oil change every 3000 miles and the oil was black every time.
Awesome cars.. I had a clio William's number 008 in 1995... fast fun and fantastic.. If you want a future classic, from the same family, I have a clio 172 cup for sale on Ebay, only done 26k miles.. no reserve auction ends in 6 days
Although the 205 GTI was slightly emasculated in '92 by dropping the power by about 10bhp, it will always be the king of not only the hatches of all time but also all '80s road cars. The Clio Williams was the runner-up, and the Mk2 Golf GTI and Clio RS battle for third place. The 5 GT Turbo was contemporaneous top competition, but was a bit too raw and rudimentary to last as a most beloved classic. A service review of an original 205 GTI 1.9 would be interesting, noting the difference between its snappy oversteer and the more progressive rotation of the 1.6 GTI. Many preferred the delicacy of the smaller-engined version, but most love the brutal yet elegant bigger brother for its more testing performance and perfect looks.
Really enjoyed this. Thank you Iain. The mixture of classic cars you cover is so interesting. And your knowledge and expertise is vast and I love the fun at the end ❤️
I owned both a Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9 and a Clio Williams - one after the after. I loved the 205, but the Clio was my favourite - one of my favourite cars of all times. Nimble, fast, torquey, engaging and very, very quick point to point - plus it looks soooooo cool!
Good job my dear old dad taught me how to double declutch when I was learning how to drive back around 1964. I'll be out in the N line next week brushing up on it.
What a wonderful upload. I had a Williams 1 back in the late 90’s, which was a worthy successor to my 1.9 GTI. Bloody loved every minute in it. Sadly, it was wrapped around a lamppost by the next owner 😢
Love the Clio! Have mk2 Golfs in 2.0 8v and 16v flavours. I owned a 1.6 Sorrento Green 205 Gti from 04 to 06. Found it as a rolling shell 300 miles away and is now back home after 15 years and 8 owners. The only car i have nearly crashed several times but somehow managed to not total it. I'll be very aware of the lift off oversteer when she is back on the road! 😀
Sir, you don’t have to hope we enjoy your videos. I going to tell you right now that this is unquestionably some of the finest content on the internet. Full stop. Mr. Metcalfe and yourself and precious few others are keeping the eternal flame of informative and interesting videos alive and very well! The extremely high production quality and thoughtful & educational presentations by hyper talented individuals are something I tell everyone who will listen to me about. So, from a middle aged MX-5 driver from the Colonies, I can’t thank you enough. Bravo!
Someone who properly knows how to hustle a hot hatch, and can do so safely within the limits of the road and the car! A fine example of how much can be extracted from these pocket rockets! We have a 172 (the replacement to the Williams) and it too is a staggeringly fun car to drive, and flatters even the modest driver like me! Another top video and my ultimate indulgence content! 👍
My first car was a MK1 Clio 1.4 'S'.. I could only dream it was a Williams. I found my way into, and out of a number of roadside grassy banks in the rain, long before I understood lift off oversteer. Brilliant video as ever Ian
Thanks lain . Small but sweet ! Have to say l've left foot braked on both front and rear drive ....perhaps that's why l never made it as a race car driver !!
If by "station wagon" you mean "something that bears no meaningful resemblance to a station wagon and would never be mistaken for a station wagon under any circumstance" then yes, a Lamborghini Espada looks exactly like a station wagon.
The confusion is understandable, what with Espada's iconic faux external wood paneling, anemic powertrain, 4 doors, fold-down rear bench seats, tailgate, roof cargo rack and all. What would you say the other shared characteristics are? The 2-door coupe layout? The 46" height? The V12 and NACA ducts on the bonnet? The manual transmission?
That was some road test . It started off looking like it was autumn , Iain was wearing a sweater . The next shot it’s sunny Iain’s got his shades on a tee shirt and it’s spring .!! LOL 😂
Is there any chance we could get a shop walk-around from you and your crew someday, Iain? I spy some real beauties in your shop and would love to hear more about them. I suppose they are new episodes-in-making but I'm reasonably certain everyone who follows you would love an overview of what's in-house once in a while. Could we be so lucky? Go on!
My Mum had a 1.9 205, Clio 16V and Williams 2. All great cars but IMO eclipsed by the 106 Rallye’s. I had the S1 and the S2. The S1 was absolutely nuts and still probably the most fun road car I’ve ever driven. If they started building them again I would instantly buy two.
Lovely video of a great car. I enjoyed it. Regarding the debate if EVs will ever be as entertaining... well EVs have only just started and Williams 3 is a special edition, precision tool, technology that was evolving for almost 100 years when this car was introduced. It's a sure uncertainty ;) what we'll have to play with in some 60-70 years. Although I have an electric car of the supercharging kind, what it offers me is more SPEED in every situation and I use that potential to 7/10. But what I really enjoy is an older, slower car, on skinnier tires, where I can feel the engine temperature rising, slight changes in vibrations and sounds it makes, that rolls, shifts balance when I drive it through a corner at 50-60km/h, rather than 120. Being at an age where I can consider one, I already had some test drives, so if we can, we should enjoy the best of what both worlds have to offer.
I remember the classic Minis I grew up with handled like the 205 you described - with just a dash of oversteer. As best I've been able to work out, it seems to work best when the rear is light and the car has a really short wheelbase so you can provoke the rear into a bit of a slide - especially if you lift off the throttle or tap the brakes mid-corner. I've also been told the old Alfasud handled in roughly the same way, and for the same reason. Cheers, Ian. :-)
I have never driven an original Mini, but very much wish I had. I do however own an extremely original Alfasud. I think what happened with the Alfasud was, they got hold of a Mini, and took the brilliance of that, and added a tiny bit of passive rear steer. Multi link suspension at the back. The low centre of gravity, of a flat four engine, unsprung weight advantage of inboard discs, and I have forgotten what upside down front springs are called, technically. Basically it neutralises front end dip, and equalises front and rear cornering loads. I haven’t driven a Clio Williams either, but for me the Sud’s spiritual successor, was the Peugeot 306. It matched the Sud. 20 years later, but with quite conventional stuff. Ford hired all of the top Peugeot, Citroen, Renault suspension guys for the Focus and Mondeo, because the French are the masters of car dynamics. 😀
Not dismissing the specialness or number / extent of changes but the Williams is essentially a special edition of the 1.8 16V, the standard model in the range that is equivalent to all the competitor cars you listed, Golf GTI etc. Any car with flared steel rear arches / bulged bonnet in the range is a good starting point !
Well done Mr Tyrrell, Mr Iain Tyrrell 006.9, great interesting video one of the pass little gems, never had one, but they looked like a fun drive, 👍👍👍👍.
I can remember reading that the bmw m12 when tuned up for qualifying at around 1400bhp would stretch the head bolts, due to the heat and pressures caused running the crazy boost and fuel ratios for absolute power
Apparently the blocks were standard off the shelf BMW blocks that were left outside for a year to weather-age them. And that was a quote from Gordon Murray himself
I've always left foot braked in automatic vehicles since the 70ths. Why not ,2 pedals two feet. It took a while to get used to it. I will never go back, 82 years old now.
Ian: ‘I was in, of all things, an open-air Shakespeare production.’
No one: ‘I find that hard to believe.’
Iain 'Afterwards, at the drinks thing, Marlon Brando approached and said he liked my method.'
No one: ‘I find that hard to believe.’
Spookily I read your comment at the exact second he said it whilst watching!
I remember seeing these at the Earls Court motor show where they had a promotions girl handing out free packs of Rothmans. Different times lol
Non woke, pro smoke.
Luxury!
Different times indeed! Free packs of Rothmans...jeez, try doing that today at a motor show!
"Mr. Cigarrette Times"
It gives me chills to remember that in the first jet airliners that I flew in, manufactured in 1958, there were ashtrays in the pilots' flight deck (Aviation Medicine Finding later that "covering" the alveoli with nicotine, greatly diminishes flight capabilities)!
@@MrCapi55 there are still ashtrays in some planes, despite smoking being banned years. Always found that strange.
I could totally imagine Mr. Tyrrell as 007's next Q.
I think maybe that was a subtle hint at an audition.
As much as I love the exotics, it's nice to see these more affordable cars that still deliver a ton of fun. In many ways the smaller less expensive cars can be more fun to drive because the limits are lower and you're not so afraid of bending a 7 figure vehicle.
Affordable?
@@golden.lights.twinkle2329 Also Ian said "you can easily park these in supermarket car parks". No chance! Most of these are now wrapped in cotton wool.
Never realised I’m 1 of 13! Been sitting in the garage since clutch went pop 7 or 8 yrs back. I really gotta sort it. I
Sort it out. These should be out and about not rotting in the back of s garage.
Be easier to sell to me 😂😂👍👍
do u sell it?
Best car show on you tube Mr Tyrrell , up there with Harry and chris Harris.
Chris who?
Go to the drive network on RUclips, Harris puts in some good work there
The dream car for a lot of teenagers in the 90s. Still love it 25 years after. Thanks a lot.
Brilliant! My Dad had a Williams 2 and 3 at the same time and this brings back so many fond memories! I remember being ecstatic when he put me on the insurance - what a car! Also valeted them regularly- seeing all the close ups brought back so many memories. Thanks again.
As always sir, regardless of the price your love of driving cars just enthuses us.
I worked for a multi-national company that used to sponsor Stewart Racing from the early days and along with a few select colleagues I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Williams F1 factory (for our annual Mangers Day), back in the days of David Coulthard and Damon Hill, we were fortunate enough to spend some time in the factory museum and saw the No.1 Clio Williams (as the first limited car was noted), the model with the plaque on the dashboard.
Also we were able to spend some time with the Nigel Mansell winning car.
We had dinner in the evening and David was our guest for the evening, like so many drivers in motorsport he was the perfect gentleman, engaging and humble ... on his way to greater things.
These little clio williams aro so amazing and fun to drive. What a beast when driven proprerly. The best ever hotchback!
Beautiful. I remember hammering my old wheezy 1.1 fiesta through windy b roads in the early 90s, daydreaming I was driving a Clio Williams ... Got to see my dream again at 12:30 😀
Amazing to see one again, i owned a Williams 1 back in the day, still one of the best handling front wheel drive hot hatches ever made, had so much fun in that car. Thanks for reminding me.
Quite! The most fun car I've ever driven! Those who've driven one KNOW!
I recall going to pick up my Clio (a RT 1.9 D...lovely, but not Williams) from a tiny Yorkshire dealership. In the showroom, only big enough to 3 cars, was a Clio Williams. I obviously admired it and the sales manager said to me an 85 year old man had just bought it! He was an ex-Spitfire pilot who wanted to have a last thrill in his life! Good man, I hope he thoroughly enjoyed ragging it like Iain.
Later I had a nasty moment in my Clio when going into a bend, the back caught some spilt diesel and flicked out instantly, pitching me off the road and rolling the car. I was ok the car was a bit battered.
Then a year or so on, and I was talking to a Ford engineer when I had a brief pre-launch drive of the mk1 Focus. He told me they had noted how a Clio could flick out the back end, and made sure that trait was designed out of the Focus chassis. I said how I had experienced the sudden loss of grip too...
I guess this would happen if you hit the brakes hard just before turning sharply or in mid bend avoiding an obstruction this bringing the back end of the car around performing a 360 spin. It will happen in most front wheel drive especially if the rear is very light and the front heavy just like a pendulum effect akin to a rwd car.
Of all the channels on Classic Cars I follow hence appreciate, the one I enjoy the most is Tyrell’s superb features. No fuss, true expertise with just a hint of humour. A pure delight. Bravo and merci.
When I was young I used to drive front wheel drive cars such as the Lancia Fulvia then VW golf GTi 1.8 and a Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9. Without blowing my own trumpet too much I was very fast on tarmac B roads and never used left foot braking, although I used heel and toeing quite a lot. Left foot braking was more commonly used on rallies on loose forest tracks to help set the car up through the bends. It wasn’t necessary on fast tarmac roads as you could set the car up purely with throttle control.
We loved the Renault's here in Australia, from around that era, had Renault racing classes, which was great TV.
Always learn something interesting from your vids. You and Harry’s garage are my fave car reviewers to watch these days. Thanks
Good to see the Tinkersdale to Dobshill road - I used to love blasting my cars through there when I was young, many, many years ago! Love the channel. All best wishes from Spain.
Father’s Day is complete! A new video from Ian!
Citation of the month: ''' The frame bent after hitting a large pothole, but overall a great car '' !!! I can't stop laughing ! Made my day ! Great video as always Mr Tyrrell !
well it depends how he really did it, mybe the pot hole was so deep that the car actually bounced and touched the road with a subfrme, which i think what actully happened.
Same here!!
I thought exactly the same - classic comment.
The fact is that here in Montreal, Canada , we DO have large craters that actually destroy a suspension and blow a tire in 2 seconds....in winter and spring every year...
As much as I enjoy the vids of classic supercars, this is just as brilliant and feels more relatable for a middle class guy. Please keep up the good work covering all sorts of classic cars.
Great video again Iain. Really look forward to your and Harry's weekly uploads. Particularly like yours as you always drive round my old stomping ground, it really takes me back. (Y)
A video of your personal car history with photos would be amazing!
I'm loving this channel.
Mr Tyrrell,
It's so nice to see your experience, knowledge and dry whittled English humour.
You say it as you see and know it. You actually get engineering by sound, knowledge and feel without needing to plug and play.
There's no "look at me" nor a flogging of sponsorship..
So, from a chap in Australia 🦘 I say thanks mate 👍
I love the driving techniques described. I used to have a Lancia Fulvia coupè hf rallye1.6 first series pre Fiat, with negative wheel convergence, no servo brakes...
That was fun !!
Pity I have no longer the car, they are VERY rare today.
Great Video Iain,
Good to see you mix it up a bit with different metal.
😀👍🏻
Many thanks for taking the time to make this video! It's great to see a bit of an "everyman's" car sitting pretty amongst all that exotica - always loved the Clio Williams and the early Renaultsport Clio's. These, and the Renault 5 Turbo's were well loved cars when I was growing up, so they're definitely modern classics in my eyes!
The Renault 5 turbo he mentioned is not the run of the mill machine. he was talking about the very rare homologated version with the Renault V6 engine mounted at the rear where the passenger seat was originally mounted. The Renault Williams Clio was not an everyman's car. It was about the same cost as the 4WD Escort Turbo
@@barryrudge1576 Thanks for your comment. I am quite aware there are different versions of the Renault 5 Turbo - obviously the rarer V6 Homologation being considerably more expensive. But compared to the normal exotica seen in Tyrrell's Garage, this Williams Clio is definitely more of an 'affordable' performance car, things being relative.
@@barryrudge1576 If I recall correctly, the mid engined Renault 5 Turbo 1 & 2 were 4 cylinder cars with rear wheel drive. The later Clio mid engined car was a rear drive V6. I believe Ian was talking about the front engined, front wheel drive Renault 5 Turbo, hence the discussion on how he learned to drive a front engined, front wheel drive car which you seem to have missed.
Love the snappy red driving shoes! Thank you for another interesting and fun video! Brevity is the soul of wit.Cheers!
not to mention the snazzy driving glasses.
Loved that 3 screen vision while you were driving !! Perfection 👌
Iain is simply brilliant. Laughed a lot at the last section.
Thank you Iain for another fantastic video.
Happy Fathers Day to all dads!!
Enjoy your day hopefully taking a nice car ride!!
This is a superb podcast series, worthy of many more thousands of devoted subscribers! Iain’s presentation is as classic as these wonderful cars.
I enjoyed it a lot. Your explanation of left foot braking and heel and toe is perfect for unknown people and I love the Bond reference at the end. Thanks Iain!
The Great x5 Grandpa of the Renault Sport Dynasty came late to the Hot Hatch Party but set the pace I've fond memories of my Williams 2
Pedal work seems like something out of a grand piano concert. Just marvelous. Everything in harmony.
A little Alan Partridge esk before he gives it the beans. 'Theres another side to them as well, AND ITS THIS.' Love it!
What a fun video Iain! I’ve watched (and subscribed) to your videos since they first popped up in my feed. Your ability to articulate simply your approach to issues, based on years of experience, is absolutely wonderful.
As I’ve watched, I’ve come to admire the depths of your lived experience in both the automotive world and the arts. Would you please consider sharing more of your ‘history’ at some point. The interview you gave to Cars & Guitars was really interesting. Perhaps Harry Metcalf or Chris Harris could provide you with an even better forum.
I always thought hot hatches are a more grassroots type of fun. Most of us would have begun driving in hatchbacks, old Fiestas and Clios feel natural to me because of that. But in all fairness Williams built a masterpiece with the Clio, even the 16v model is a cool little weapon unfortunately time hasn't been kind to the lil Frenchies. I look forward to the videos, it's rare to see someone with an interest in cars as a whole and not just flash badges and £££. Even though there's lambos and other beautiful machines around, this man knows what's going to interest us because he's a car nerd like us all 👍
#31
Renault Clio Williams 3, a car that had never heard of. Just have to watch and learn.
Got the message Tyrrell.
Excellent as usual :)
Had a 205 XS in the family way back. No GTI but what a fwd driving delight.. Skinny tires, only 85hp from a 1.4 but double barrel carburettor so great throttle response and eager to rev matched with low weight.. Charging up the Col de la Faucille, what a sensory experience..
This a lovely car to drive. On a particularly windy piece of tarmac, the way you can drive these just makes you want to turn around and go again.
Cheers for showing this car, they're fabulous little things!!
Loving the combined heel/toe double de-clutch and left foot braking action. You can tell Iain is a musician from the coordination and rhythm of it. Like he was driving a grand piano at full chat!👍
I'm a fan of the williams but I'm a bit miffed at how japanese manufacturers so often get forgotten when Hot Hatchbacks are mentioned. Toyota Corolla Gti, the crazy Nissan Pulsar GTi-R (japan only), but most importantly, the Civic/CRX i-VT - 150 horsepower from a 1.6, in 1990!
Yep I owned a CRX VTEC for eight years before trading it for an Elise at Bell and Colville. CRX engine and gearbox could be thrashed everyday without fear of anything breaking. The joy of the Elise with a Rover VVC is that it doesn't need thrashing to make it go. Also had one of the very first Charade GTti in UK no water cooling on the turbos for the first ones so oil change every 3000 miles and the oil was black every time.
@@SuperMadpom a friend of mine has 4 Charade Gtii turbos, great fun to drive, unfortunately they suffer in the rust department ☹️.
Awesome cars.. I had a clio William's number 008 in 1995... fast fun and fantastic.. If you want a future classic, from the same family, I have a clio 172 cup for sale on Ebay, only done 26k miles.. no reserve auction ends in 6 days
I had one for 6.5 years (also an Ph.3) and i loved it!
Although the 205 GTI was slightly emasculated in '92 by dropping the power by about 10bhp, it will always be the king of not only the hatches of all time but also all '80s road cars. The Clio Williams was the runner-up, and the Mk2 Golf GTI and Clio RS battle for third place. The 5 GT Turbo was contemporaneous top competition, but was a bit too raw and rudimentary to last as a most beloved classic.
A service review of an original 205 GTI 1.9 would be interesting, noting the difference between its snappy oversteer and the more progressive rotation of the 1.6 GTI. Many preferred the delicacy of the smaller-engined version, but most love the brutal yet elegant bigger brother for its more testing performance and perfect looks.
Thank you for making a video on this car, Ian!
Great watch. From a time when there was no gimmicky, screens etc in the cockpit. You just drove the car.
Peugeot 306 GTI 6 is an absolute gem also, similar era and idea. Lots of lift off oversteer
Really enjoyed this. Thank you Iain. The mixture of classic cars you cover is so interesting. And your knowledge and expertise is vast and I love the fun at the end ❤️
I owned both a Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9 and a Clio Williams - one after the after. I loved the 205, but the Clio was my favourite - one of my favourite cars of all times. Nimble, fast, torquey, engaging and very, very quick point to point - plus it looks soooooo cool!
Beautiful car, back in the day I had a Renault 5 Gordini, that was a little pocket rocket, a road going go-kart!!
Took me back to the 80s the words that spring to mind are . " Go on Boy, Giver er some. " .
Good job my dear old dad taught me how to double declutch when I was learning how to drive back around 1964. I'll be out in the N line next week brushing up on it.
64 !!!! I must have passed you in my Morris 8 series E while my dad was teaching me the same thing
What a wonderful upload.
I had a Williams 1 back in the late 90’s, which was a worthy successor to my 1.9 GTI. Bloody loved every minute in it. Sadly, it was wrapped around a lamppost by the next owner 😢
Love the Clio! Have mk2 Golfs in 2.0 8v and 16v flavours. I owned a 1.6 Sorrento Green 205 Gti from 04 to 06. Found it as a rolling shell 300 miles away and is now back home after 15 years and 8 owners. The only car i have nearly crashed several times but somehow managed to not total it. I'll be very aware of the lift off oversteer when she is back on the road! 😀
Absolutely love these cars, such a great addition to the content on this channel. Fantastic videos as ever, keep up the good work!
Sir, you don’t have to hope we enjoy your videos. I going to tell you right now that this is unquestionably some of the finest content on the internet. Full stop.
Mr. Metcalfe and yourself and precious few others are keeping the eternal flame of informative and interesting videos alive and very well! The extremely high production quality and thoughtful & educational presentations by hyper talented individuals are something I tell everyone who will listen to me about.
So, from a middle aged MX-5 driver from the Colonies, I can’t thank you enough. Bravo!
Someone who properly knows how to hustle a hot hatch, and can do so safely within the limits of the road and the car! A fine example of how much can be extracted from these pocket rockets! We have a 172 (the replacement to the Williams) and it too is a staggeringly fun car to drive, and flatters even the modest driver like me! Another top video and my ultimate indulgence content! 👍
Jolly good show, from a former Renault R17 Gordini owner
Mighty fine footwork! 😎
Nice light, fun show. Thanx.
Thanks. Would have loved to have had you give us a tour of the engine and suspension.
My first car was a MK1 Clio 1.4 'S'.. I could only dream it was a Williams. I found my way into, and out of a number of roadside grassy banks in the rain, long before I understood lift off oversteer.
Brilliant video as ever Ian
This video was Shakespeare in the Park. Very theatrical. Hahaha Thanks for the great video
Would love to see you do a review of a Rallye Golf if you can find one. I owned mine for 8 years and it was a fantastic car after a few mods.
Thanks lain . Small but sweet ! Have to say l've left foot braked on both front and rear drive ....perhaps that's why l never made it as a race car driver !!
Must have been a VERY long test drive !
Driving vid starts in autumn and finishes in summer !!!!
Nah it's just the UK...you can experience all four seasons on a trip to Tesco!
Those Speedline Alloys are absolutely sublime, one of the few cars tha gold alloys look good on.
Work for Williams and been a fan of the team for 35 years , always wanted one of these but the prices have gone through the roof. 🥲
That powder blue Espada. Can’t stop looking at it.
Me too!
Ew..why? It's a damn station wagon..
If by "station wagon" you mean "something that bears no meaningful resemblance to a station wagon and would never be mistaken for a station wagon under any circumstance" then yes, a Lamborghini Espada looks exactly like a station wagon.
@@dmn23 except by people looking at it.
The confusion is understandable, what with Espada's iconic faux external wood paneling, anemic powertrain, 4 doors, fold-down rear bench seats, tailgate, roof cargo rack and all.
What would you say the other shared characteristics are? The 2-door coupe layout? The 46" height? The V12 and NACA ducts on the bonnet? The manual transmission?
I see the Countach are stacking up in the shop! Would love to hear more about them and why they are in. Great content as always Ian. 👏
Ian dancing on the pedals. Very cool 😌
That was some road test . It started off looking like it was autumn , Iain was wearing a sweater . The next shot it’s sunny Iain’s got his shades on a tee shirt and it’s spring .!! LOL 😂
This is quality entertainment through and through. Keep it up Iain!
My sisters old boyfriend had one of these . He picked me up from Luton airport and was doing 110 mph wherever he could . Happy days .
Is there any chance we could get a shop walk-around from you and your crew someday, Iain? I spy some real beauties in your shop and would love to hear more about them. I suppose they are new episodes-in-making but I'm reasonably certain everyone who follows you would love an overview of what's in-house once in a while. Could we be so lucky? Go on!
Saw one at a car show a few years ago, never thought I'd get so excited about a Clio, but its a super cool little car.
Owned a Williams 1 back in the day, loved it and have loved hot hatches since.
Fast forward 30 years and you'll find a performance review on the Nissan Leaf. Perish the thought.
My Mum had a 1.9 205, Clio 16V and Williams 2. All great cars but IMO eclipsed by the 106 Rallye’s. I had the S1 and the S2. The S1 was absolutely nuts and still probably the most fun road car I’ve ever driven. If they started building them again I would instantly buy two.
This was a "Hoot!" always enjoy your presentations, along with the juicy details, history of each car, and your endless knowledge. Thanks.
Lovely video of a great car. I enjoyed it. Regarding the debate if EVs will ever be as entertaining... well EVs have only just started and Williams 3 is a special edition, precision tool, technology that was evolving for almost 100 years when this car was introduced. It's a sure uncertainty ;) what we'll have to play with in some 60-70 years. Although I have an electric car of the supercharging kind, what it offers me is more SPEED in every situation and I use that potential to 7/10. But what I really enjoy is an older, slower car, on skinnier tires, where I can feel the engine temperature rising, slight changes in vibrations and sounds it makes, that rolls, shifts balance when I drive it through a corner at 50-60km/h, rather than 120. Being at an age where I can consider one, I already had some test drives, so if we can, we should enjoy the best of what both worlds have to offer.
I saw one of these zoom past me when i was visiting Pompeii, super cool little machine.
In a garage full of supercars its brilliant to see you rate a humble car so highly, excellent video😊
Thank you for this beautiful video. Can’t wait for more.
I remember the classic Minis I grew up with handled like the 205 you described - with just a dash of oversteer. As best I've been able to work out, it seems to work best when the rear is light and the car has a really short wheelbase so you can provoke the rear into a bit of a slide - especially if you lift off the throttle or tap the brakes mid-corner. I've also been told the old Alfasud handled in roughly the same way, and for the same reason. Cheers, Ian. :-)
I have never driven an original Mini, but very much wish I had. I do however own an extremely original Alfasud. I think what happened with the Alfasud was, they got hold of a Mini, and took the brilliance of that, and added a tiny bit of passive rear steer. Multi link suspension at the back. The low centre of gravity, of a flat four engine, unsprung weight advantage of inboard discs, and I have forgotten what upside down front springs are called, technically. Basically it neutralises front end dip, and equalises front and rear cornering loads. I haven’t driven a Clio Williams either, but for me the Sud’s spiritual successor, was the Peugeot 306. It matched the Sud. 20 years later, but with quite conventional stuff. Ford hired all of the top Peugeot, Citroen, Renault suspension guys for the Focus and Mondeo, because the French are the masters of car dynamics. 😀
When you can't take the Miura down to Waitrose..
In case you didn't know, Iain's wife is called Muira.
@@mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm420 really! That's amazing
That's Miura, not Muira lads, for goodness sake. ;-)
Not dismissing the specialness or number / extent of changes but the Williams is essentially a special edition of the 1.8 16V, the standard model in the range that is equivalent to all the competitor cars you listed, Golf GTI etc. Any car with flared steel rear arches / bulged bonnet in the range is a good starting point !
Great video Iain. Love the bond gadgets on that Renault.
Oh the amazing variety of cars you get is awesome. Never clicked on a video so fast!!!
Well done Mr Tyrrell, Mr Iain Tyrrell 006.9, great interesting video one of the pass little gems, never had one, but they looked like a fun drive, 👍👍👍👍.
Fantastic footwork! 👍
Fasted U-turn every caught on film. 13:08
Great driving and really fun
ny episode!
Love the blue accents on the instrument cluster and gear knob. Iain’s burning some of the tyre outta Tyrell
I can remember reading that the bmw m12 when tuned up for qualifying at around 1400bhp would stretch the head bolts, due to the heat and pressures caused running the crazy boost and fuel ratios for absolute power
Apparently the blocks were standard off the shelf BMW blocks that were left outside for a year to weather-age them. And that was a quote from Gordon Murray himself
I've always left foot braked in automatic vehicles since the 70ths. Why not ,2 pedals two feet. It took a while to get used to it. I will never go back, 82 years old now.
Another great video Iain. I had one of the original Clio Williams, serial number 097. Often wonder what happened too it.
Great driving lesson Ian, and what a superb little gem of a car, Thank you Ian.
Perhaps some lines from Shakespeare would be nice!