The arrival, finally, of some warm, dry tarmac under the Clio's wheels is proving that once you've cracked the right technique the levels of grip and cornering speeds are right up there. The traction and 3-litre V6 grunt mean that you can get back on the power in a corner at a point that owners of fwd hot hatches can only dream of. This also means that in the right circumstances the back end can be smeared across the road in a really rather jolly manner - which probably explains why at just under 7000 miles I'm wondering what new rear tyres to try next. They certainly won't see 12,000 miles.

On the subject of tyres, I've discovered that the Clio is quite sensitive to tyre pressure changes, particularly at the front where three or four psi can change the handling balance quite noticeably. Unfortunately, what I would call the ultimate 'summer' set-up, which incidentally coincides with Renault's recommendations, doesn't seem ideal for the wet - particularly standing water. A small pressure adjustment can calm things down a bit although driving the Clio hard in these conditions remains a fight for survival.

Still no other faults worthy of mention and in between all the fun the Clio remains perfect every- day transport. I haven't even been able to persuade a drop of oil or water into the little beast since day one. That kind of boring I can live with.