According to evo, the rumours suggesting the new Clio RS will exclusively feature a dual clutch transmission have been confirmed by Renault.
Compounding the loss is word the Clio hot hatch will be powered by a 1.6 litre turbocharged four cylinder (with around 150kW). Gone is the free-revving normally aspirated four-pot, swapped for a default turbo solution. Gone is the slick shifting manual box, swapped for a granny-friendly twin clutch transmission.
On the plus side, the Clio IV should tip the scales around 100kg lighter than the Clio III. We’re sure Renault Sport won’t forget how to make the Clio a cracking drive, we just think it’s a shame that, on paper, it is taking something of a cookie cutter approach.
Oh, if you’d already put one and one together regarding Renault reuniting with Williams, well, don’t. There’s no plans to revive the iconic Clio Williams badge.
[Source: evo]
3 replies on “Next-gen Renault Clio RS loses its soul”
I’m really hoping that this not the start of a trend across all manufacturers : ( IMHO, what DSG makes up for in 0-100 times, it more than loses in lack of driver engagement and lack of refinement in certain everyday driving situations.
NOOOOOOOOO!! I have a Peugeot 206 GTi, my wife a twincharged DSG Golf. Yes, it’s more work in the Peugeot, and it’s annoying how that Golf gets away if you don’t watch it, but I wouldn’t swap. What is to become of the “life begins at 4000rpm” crowd? Yes, there is a certain addiction to 240 Nm at 1700 rpm, but my goodness, what a switch from Renault. I may be wrong, but I don’t think there has ever been a RenaultSport that isn’t manual, now they are joining the Polo GTI and Fabia vRS in being two pedal cars. Do I have to buy Japanese or Korean to get a manual?
[…] before it was confirmed, we were lamenting the loss of soul Renault had stripped from the new Clio RS. Back then it was thought there were no hopes of a Clio […]