The Cup has actually been with us for some time now, which means that instead of having to tell you about the frustration of running the car in, I am able to recount tales of two trackdays, a group test, and several thousand miles of motorway and cross-country driving.

Silverstone was the Clio's first trackday outing, and after a hard day's work/play we were expecting some wear and tear to show. Not a bit of it - the Cup returned to the office looking like it had never been away.

At its next outing at Donington a lot of people ignored the Clio and queued instead for rides in the more exotic cars present. But then a few astute people jumped in, and by lunchtime a whisper had travelled down the pit lane that all those who'd been out in the Cup were grinning madly... and queuing to get back in. Before long the little Clio, being thrown about by Clio V6 racer Rick Pearson, had attracted a queue to rival any other in the pits. No-one was disappointed and Mr Pearson got out with a huge smirk on his face, commenting on just how much fun the Cup was. We just hoped the Clio would be none the worse for the experience.

Back on the road the Clio had a rendezvous with its rivals, including the new Focus RS, in Yorkshire (evo 048). As we'd come to expect, the bargain-priced Renault held its own and showed just how much it has upped the ante in the hot hatch market.

With the Cup being a stripped-down version of the regular 172, I had anticipated paying the price in terms of comfort. But I haven't missed the air conditioning and road noise is far from unbearable on long motorway runs. The seats aren't the half-Alcantara items of the stock 172, but they're pretty comfortable and they do sit you a bit lower, though I still feel like I'm perched on a mezzanine level.

Now that the honeymoon period is well and truly over, we do have a problem with our Cup, and it's not surprising really, given what it has had to put up with. The biting point of the clutch feels very high, suggesting that it might need a new friction plate before long. There's also a strange knocking from the steering during cornering. As its first service is not due until 12,000 miles, an early pit stop is called for.

As staff photographer I have to carry vast amounts of kit around and the 172's capacity is quite astonishing. But come the weekend the interior is stripped of all this dead weight and an excuse to take the long route home is concocted.

As you can tell, I'm really enjoying driving the Cup. Just one thing, Renault - any chance of those optional sports seats?