THE FETE TO YOUR FIESTA

This RS is nearly as fun as its ST rival and a better everyday car

- ALEX WOLSTENHOLME

GTI, ST, Type R, GR: just some of the hallowed names that crop up in any discussion about hot hatch greats of the modern era, and deservedly so. But there's one oft-overlooked contender that could have them all licked as a secondhand performance hero for daily use, offering immense charm and dazzling dynamics for surprisingly little outlay - but only if you get in before it's a full-blown classic.

Renault created the Clio Williams as a rallying homologation special in 1993, but it proved so popular that it ended up in series production and its success gave Renault the confidence to follow it up with hot versions of the Mk2 and Mk3 Clio, which stayed true to the philosophy of their simple, joyful forebear.