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French auto manufacturer Renault was certainly no stranger to motorsports fans because of its participation in the pinnacle of racing, Formula 1. But the company was also quite supportive of racing at the amateur level with its Renault Clio Cup.

The Clio Cup is a one-make racing series that features 3- and 5-door versions of the Renault Clio hatchbacks (known as the Lutecia in Japan). Several different countries in Europe host their own Clio Cup series.

Although the Clio Cup was essentially aimed at beginner racing drivers, an ever increasing number of requests from drivers who wanted to try their hand at a more powerful vehicle led Renault to develop a special version of the Clio for exclusive use in 1999, the Clio V6.

Just like the front-wheel drive hatchback competing in the Clio Cup, this new car featured several major changes, one of them being quite radical: A 3.0-litre, DOHC V6 that generated 227 HP was added not under the hood, but placed behind the driver, converting this family hatchback into a mid-engine sports car. Other modifications, overseen by Tom Walkinshaw Racing, who was also managing the Arrows F1 team at the time, included a widened track and a redesigned suspension that featured MacPherson struts all around.

No wonder the Clio V6 Trophy series grew to become more popular, indeed, with fierce on-track battles waged at famous circuits including Monaco, Estoril, and the Nurburgring.

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