THERE was no missing Renault's flagship hot-hatch when it arrived.

In fact, the bods in charge of the French car maker's test fleet would be well-advised to issue a pair of shades with this car.

The luminous paint job was in danger of causing GBH to my retinas and probably meant the motor was visible to any number of satellites passing overhead as it sat on my driveway.

The blurb informed me that this blaze of colour was known officially as Liquid Yellow - lurid would possibly be a better description - and was an option coming in at a cool £1,225.

For the same price you could choose the similarly eye-popping Alien Green or, at no extra cost, there were the equally brash Ultra Red or Racing Blue options.

Such outlandish colour schemes obviously appeal to the testosterone-fuelled young drivers the Clio RenaultSport 200 is unashamedly aimed at but as a chubby, balding, middle-aged bloke I have to admit to feeling a little out of place behind the wheel.

Fortunately, though, there are a number of much more subdued shades available and, once on the road, you'll be having so much fun that you'll probably forget about the colour anyway.

That's because the Clio RenaultSport 200 is a blast, fully living up to more than thirty years of Renault pedigree in the hot hatch department.

Regardless of paint job, it cuts quite a dashing figure with the compact but sporty lines and muscular design touches hinting at the raw power contained beneath the bonnet in the shape of a 200bhp normally aspirated two litre lump.

Slightly longer and wider than the regular Clio, the RenaultSport 200 has been comprehensively re-modelled with, Renault insist, many of the aerodynamics lessons they've learned in Formula 1 being brought to bear.

There are prominent front and rear wings, a lower stance, profiled skirts and a distinctive rear air diffuser which houses the twin-exhausts.

Add in some impressive 17-inch, five spoke alloys which come as standard, and the optional rear spoiler and rear tinted glass and you get a package which just about strikes the ideal balance between style and aggression which is essential in any hot hatch.

And there is plenty of substance to go with that style too as various tweaks beneath the bonnet and to the suspension offer some very useful improvements over the previous 197 model.

Although it's more enticing features are nullified, the Clio's compact size and manoeuvrability mean that it is perfectly happy around town - but it is on the open road that it really comes into it's own,

A new, six-speed manual transmission features shorter ratios for the first three gears which add extra punch lower down the rev range and help to achieve a 0-62mph dash time of just 6.9 seconds.

Top speed is an impressive 141mph and despite eeking out a little extra power over the 197, the Renault boffins have managed to slightly improve fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions, which come in at 34.4 miles per gallon on average and 190g/km respectively.

The car is both pacey and responsive to drive, with a satisfying growl from beneath the bonnet when you step on the gas.

The improved suspension, wider and lower wheelbase and stability control mean you can throw it about with confidence but the ride is still pretty comfortable thanks to a refined interior and not least the sports front seats.

Although the iconic Recaro versions can be specified as an option, they'll cost you the best part of a grand and, to be honest, I found the Renault ones, with their snug fitting side supports, more than adequate.

The full leather interior fitted to my test car as a £920 option is one of several Renault i.d. packs on offer which allow you to personalise your vehicle inside and out and which also include various styles of alloy wheel, upholstery, and internal fascia trims.

If you fancy an even sportier drive you can even specify the stiffer chassis and steering set up from the pared pack 200 Cup model, which is aimed at track enthusiasts.

Elsewhere inside, the cabin successfully strikes a balance between sportiness and comfort with the leather steering wheel and gear knob and aluminium pedals keeping up the performance theme while aircon, cruise control, a fully adjustable driving seat, electric front windows and electric heated door mirrors make life in the Clio easy enough.

The stereo system is MP3 compatible stereo and can be upgraded to include a Bluetooth handsfree system and USB connectivity and the possibility to incorporate Renault's Carminat Tom Tom Satnav system.

There's plenty of head and legroom up front and room for two in the back, although head room here is not as generous and they'd probably get a little cramped on long journeys.