Renault Sport Clio

We have paid finer compliments, but here goes: the Gordini Clio is somewhat less dislikable than its little brother, the Gordini Twingo.

Both are mechanically identical to their RenaultSport counterparts (the Clio 200 and Twingo 133 respectively), and both get a liberal sprinkling of leathery blue stuff and a commensurately higher price tag.

But where the Gordini Twingo feels like a desperate attempt to posh up a buzzy little hot hatch that's fundamentally incapable of being poshed up, like sprinkling shavings of white truffle over afull English from the local greasy spoon, the Gordini Clio just about gets away with it. Just about.

In part, this is because the RenaultSport Clio is a (slightly) more upmarket car to start with, so gluing on a handful of shiny blue-and-white accoutrements -as well as much leather, there's a tarty new steering wheel, gearknob and a front bumper insert modelled on a comedy albino moustache - doesn't feel quite so painfully incongruous.

Set on a RenaultSport Clio and suffering from a deficiency of blue? Go for the Gordini, and appreciate the extra bits for not much more bread. Otherwise, stick with the standard car, and enjoy the Clio's supernatural hot-hatch skills. Surely we've raved about those enough this year already?

Sam Philip

On your drive for: £485pcm
Performance: 0-62mph in 6.9secs, max speed 141mph, 34.4mpg
Tech: 1998cc, 4cyl, FWD, 197bhp, 159lb ft, 1204kg, 196g/km CO2