A car named Clio....

   They can take a reservation, they just can't keep a reservation... famous words, but true.  We always reserve an economy size car here in Sicily.  The roads and parking spaces are narrow, a Range Rover just wouldn't work.  So this time we reserved a VW Polo.  The EuropeAuto clerk at Catania airport informed us that the VW Polo wasn't available.  My next question is always... "Is there an Alfa Romeo Giulietta or Mito available?"  The clerk always says "I will check"...   click clack on the keyboard...  "Sorry Mr. Kovacs, there is no Alfa Romeo available.  I have a Renault Clio for you".  So be it.

   Funny thing is, we had a black cat named Cleo for almost 20 years.  Now we have a black car named Clio.   Coincidence... ?  Conspiracy... ?  Who knows, different spelling anyway. 

   So how is  the Clio?  Not horrible, but near the bottom of the cars I've driven here.  Here's my ranking of the rental cars we've had in Sicily and Italy since 2010, from best to worst...   BMW 218d, Audi A3, Opel Corsa, Ford Fiesta, Lancia Ypsilon, Renault Clio, and finally, sadly, Fiat Punto.  The BMW and Audi were automatics, the rest had 5-speed transmissions, and every one needed a sixth gear for Autostrada driving.  At 120 kph, they all buzz along at over 3,000 rpm... a sixth gear would knock those rpms down by several hundred, and reduce cabin noise.

   The French haven't been known for giving us gorgeous cars, but honestly the Clio isn't too ugly.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... what do you think?




   The key is somewhat unusual, at least it's the first time I've seen one like this.  It's about the size of a credit card and around a quarter inch thick.  It is inserted into a slot in the lower dash/console, and it also fits neatly in the pocket, without creating unsightly bulges. 



   So far so good with Clio the car, we'll see how it withstands four and a half more weeks of my abuse here in Sicily.

   Touch any photo to enlarge...

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