Far from the best review, a lot of bitching though. They do have a point that the GP should have been a bit more hardcore, as previous generations should have been, I’ve always thought that there was scope for a bit more.
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Every GP has had flaws in some way (despite what some R53 GP owners might claim), they've always been a bit on the side of comfort rather than all out track car.
MINI needed to shift 2/3 thousand of them, I don't think the Megane in that review has sold in numbers like that, so there's sacrifices needed somewhere to appeal to more folk.
Re. Top Gear: I’m sure there was a review in there somewhere if you could get past the Lad’s Mag rhetoric and forced matey banter... (yaaawwwwnn). £50k for a Renault Megane? You can stick that in a baguette and smoke it. As for the £72k version - Nurburgring Mega Muncher it may be, but it still proves some punters had more money than sense. Just think of what else you could get for £72k!!!! Madness.
GPs have always resisted going the whole Track Spec hog, because arguably folks want to use the bloody things on the roads and not be TOO compromised doing so. They’ve always drawn criticism for that very fact, so nothing new here then. It’s the same old story, you pays your money... and £34k is a LOT of money, but you can spend a similar amount (or a whole lot more - see above) on very quick but very overpriced hatchbacks or far less interesting machinery... Long Live the GP! Bring back Tiff Needell! Where’s me Werther’s...?
Ps I reckon CAR magazine’s take on it was more realistic, and much more informative. Which is what happens when you actually concentrate on the car you’re reviewing rather than showcasing your questionable Comedic Wit... Having said all that, I realise I’m probably no longer in Top Gear’s “Target Demographic”, so I probably just don’t ‘Get It’.