Tag: Clio IV

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Renault

Renault makes another special edition hot hatch

Renault Clio RS Monaco GP edition

Renault is no stranger to bestowing a famous racing moniker to one of its road going production models and at the Geneva Motor Show we’ll see another one. This time it’s the Clio RS Monaco GP edition and this leaked image previews what is to come.

Befitting of the Monaco tag perhaps, it appears as though the Clio RS Monaco GP is all about cosmetic enhancements with model-specific White Frost Pearl paint with contrasting black wheels and trim. Inside there will be Monaco GP badging and white trim on the door panels and dash. Hmm.

Aside from that it’s all pretty standard Clio RS fare, with a 6-speed dual clutch transmission and a 147kW 1.6 litre turbo four cylinder.

[Source: Left Lane News]

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Renault

Renault Clio RS 200 EDC – Australian pricing & specs

Renault Clio RS 200 EDC

The new Clio RS 200 EDC is now on Australian shores. Renault Australia told us back in October that entry level pricing was going to be $28,790. Hurrah, we all said; that’s quite cheap!

Of course, that price is for the Sport option and the Clio RS is available in four trims in total. There’s the basic Sport model and the sharpened Cup chassis, as we’ve come to expect from Renault. The Cup is 15% stiffer and 3mm lower (make sure you measure it to be absolutely certain).

In addition to that both the Sport and Cup can be bought in Trophy spec, which nets you leather seats, auto climate control, rear parking sensors, a rear view camera and 18″ alloys.

Quantify all that in dollars and in its most expensive form—Cup Trophy—the Clio is priced from $36,790. Add your taxes etc and it’s starting to push the friendship a little.

Remember, too, that Renault, in its wisdom, has joined the rush for fuel efficiency and replaced the screaming normally aspirated engine with a 1.6 litre turbo. We can only hope the recipe for the hot Clio’s handling hasn’t been changed and that Renault Sport has found a way to ensure not one single kilowatt from the 147 on offer is wasted.

Rightly so, hot Renaults have a bit of a cult following and we wonder if the ingredients of the Clio RS have been changed too much. While the tech boffins will like the exclusive “choice” of a 6-speed “Efficient Double Clutch” transmission we reckon the purists would prefer if Renault saved some cash and gave them the choice of a proper gear box and a three-door layout.

All hot hatches should be three doors. It’s like that and that’s the way it is!

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Renault

Renault Clio RS 200 EDC here in time for Christmas

Renault RS 200 EDC

Renault Australia is shouting from the rooftops that its latest hot hatch, the Clio RS 200 EDC, will be on sale locally in December. Even better, for fans of feisty frogs, the hot Clio will be priced from $28,790 (Sport chassis).

The Cup chassis will also be offered for sale, although, full pricing details are yet to be announced. A sub-$30K price point just shows how competitive the performance hatchback market has become.

“Australia is currently the second highest selling country in the world for the award-winning Megane RS 265 and we are confident that the new Clio RS 200 EDC will bring more people to the Renault Sport family than ever before,” said Justin Hocevar, Managing Director Renault Australia.

“We have a highly competitive entry price for the new Clio RS and have already received strong demand for the latest Renault Sport vehicle in the Australia market.”

Full specs on the 147kW/240Nm RS 200 EDC can be read HERE and Renault Australia’s press release about the arrival of the car is available below.

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Renault Video

Renault Clio va va voom commercial b-b-banned

Renault Clio va va voom TVC

A very well produced and somewhat cheeky commercial for the Renault Clio IV has been banned by UK authorities because it objectifies women.

In the ad, produced by Renault UK and released to YouTube, the scenario sees customers taking a Clio for a test drive. When stopped at an intersection the salesman suggests the customer presses the va va voom button at which point a mini Paris is built around them.

Included in the mock Paris setting are scantily clad dancers. There’s a version with female and male dancers. It’s true in the full version with the burlesque dancers that there’s some slow motions scenes that increase the revs a bit, but all in all it’s all pretty tame.

However, the YouTube clip, which had registered over 3 million views, got at least one viewer hot enough under the collar to complain and in response the British Advertising Standards Authority said, in part:

The ASA noted that Renault felt the female dancers were just one of the iconic Parisian scenes featured in the ad, which was intended to be a light-hearted parody… However, we were concerned that the ad featured a number of shots of the women’s breasts and bottoms, in which their heads were obscured, and which we considered invited viewers to view the women as sexual objects.

The ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 4.1 (Harm and offence).

However, we’re not wowsers here at AUSmotive and you can see the original ad in full after the break.

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Renault

Renault Clio RS 200 EDC specs confirmed

Renault Clio RS 200 EDC

Fans of French hot hatches will welcome the arrival of full specifications for the new Renault Clio RS 200 EDC. The car was first shown in Paris last year and was accompanied by some good detail then, but this time there’s a lot more info to sink your teeth into.

To refresh you of the basic specs, the Clio RS 200 EDC is now powered by a 147kW/240Nm 1.6 litre turbocharged four cylinder engine and coupled to a 6-speed Efficient Dual Clutch. It weighs 1204kg and can reach 100km/h in 6.7 seconds.

While some may bemoan the lack of a manual gearbox and the lack of a free revving normally aspirated engine, as found in previous hot Clios, they may gain some comfort in the fact the Renaultsport engineers are still in control of the Clio RS 200’s suspension. Indeed, Renault proudly claims their latest hot hatch is the first production car to be fitted with hydraulic compression stops in its shocks.

We applaud the functionality of the RS Monitor 2.0 that allows data logging to be downloaded to a USB stick, among other very cool things, but cannot criticise Renault enough for adding the R-Sound Effect. This system allows you to tap into the car’s throttle position and so on to electronically pipe the sound of other cars through the stereo system. Really, have we descended that far into the realm of electronic trickery? Does anyone really want their Clio RS to sound like a Nissan GT-R?

After the break you’ll find another 30 or so images (the screen graphics are not available in larger sizing) and access to all the press guff you could hope to read.

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Motorsports Renault

Race-ready Renaultsport Clio Cup announced

2013 Renaultsport Clio Cup

Following the debut of the Renault Clio RS 200 EDC at the Paris Motor Show, Renault UK brings word of the Renaultsport Clio Cup. It will start racing in Europe next year, but won’t debut in the UK until 2014.

In race trim the 1.6 litre turbocharged engine, supplied as a sealed unit from Oreca Magny-Cours, produces 220hp/270Nm. The dual clutch transmission from the production model gets flicked in favour of a 6-speed sequential gearbox, coupled to an AP racing clutch and limited slip diff. Wheels are lightweight 17″ Speedline Corse racing alloys, wrapped around uprated brakes and suspension. The firxed rear wing provides and extra 40kg of downforce at 200km/h.

The Renault UK Clio Cup has been going for over two decades now and Renault’s UK Communications Director Jeremy Townsend says, “The brand new Clio Cup race car is an incredibly exciting new chapter in the story for everyone.

“We will continue to run the existing car in the British championship through 2013, with the intention to then introduce the new turbo-charged Clio Cup car the following season. Getting the timing right is very important, the car will race in the Clio Eurocup next year so our teams in the UK will have ample opportunity to see it in action ahead of its planned 2014 UK debut.”

If you do fancy having a bite at the Renault UK Clio Cup you’ll be able to take delivery of your new car from September 2013 and will need to hand over €37,800 (AU$48,000) plus taxes for the privilege.

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Renault

Renault Clio Williams set for comeback

Renault Clio Williams rendering

Even 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 Williams revival either. However, that’s since changed and one of the best examples of an F1-inspired hot hatch is back on the agenda.

It’s expected the Clio Williams will go on sale in 2014 with an official confirmation possible later this year. An extra 20hp is predicted to be found lurking inside the Clio’s 1.6 litre turbo four cylinder, for a new peak of 220hp.

Even though the new Clio RS is yet to hit the streets, the addition of a Williams badge should usher in a harder edge to the hot hatch’s handling and general road manner. All of a sudden, the flappy paddle EDC transmission may even begin to make sense.

Interestingly, the original 1993 Clio Williams was created by Renault alone and the Williams stickers were added on the back of Nigel Mansell’s 1992 F1 world championship. Perhaps, this time around, Williams F1 may play an active role in the car’s development in return for a sweeter deal on its Renault F1 engines.

[Source: Autocar]

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Motor Shows Renault

Paris 2012: Renault Clio RS 200 EDC

2013 Renault Clio RS 200 EDC

Renault has snuck into Paris with an all-new Clio RS 200, based on the fourth-generation Clio. We can’t say we’ve noticed a lot of fanfare for what is one of Renault’s most coveted models. Perhaps that has something to do with the initials EDC (Efficient Double Clutch) which have been added to the end of its model designation.

And so a little piece of the Clio’s famed involvement has been lost—there is no manual transmission offered. But there’s more. Also gone is the free-revving normally aspirated 2.0 litre engine, in favour of a new 1.6 litre turbocharged powerplant. Its key numbers are 200hp at 6000rpm and 240Nm available from 1750rpm. Much like any other hot hatch, really.

On paper, then, this Clio RS has lost some of its character. And while it has always had plenty of character to go around, let’s hope all has not been lost. Thankfully, the Renault Sport engineers haven’t been chucked out and we trust that, in either Sport or Cup chassis trim, the Clio IV RS is still an inviting drive.

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Renault

Next-gen Renault Clio RS loses its soul

Renault Clio IV RS at Goodwood Festival of Speed

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]

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Renault

2013 Renault Clio IV revealed

Renault Clio IV

It’s actually not that bad. Quite smart, even.

Right on schedule, this is the new Renault Clio IV. There’s good news for Australian buyers, too, because Renault will be bringing a comprehensive range of Clio models down under. The all-new Clio will launch here in mid-2013 with the iconic RS hot hatch to follow around six months later.

After a closer look, and save for the curved insert on the lower part of the doors, we think it looks pretty good. Inside, we’re not quite as convinced, but true to its core values, Renault hasn’t followed convention with the interior and for that they should be applauded.

The Clio IV represents a new shift in Renault’s visual language as Laurens van den Acker, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Design explains: “New Renault Clio was conceived as a piece of sensuous sculpture which stimulates desire.

“Like muscles, its curves express the dynamism radiated by the DeZir concept car. No acute or aggressive angles, just voluptuous curves that make you want to go up to it and caress it.”

Renault is saving the finer details for the car’s first public debut, set to take place at the Paris Motor Show in September. However, they are giving us a preview of the new R-Link infotainment technology. Its 7” touchscreen has been clearly inspired by the iPad, even down to a special Renault R-Link Store where owners can purchase new apps.

The R-Link’s customisation possibilities are part of a key personalisation component for the new Clio. Indeed, buyers will be able to tailor several external features to their taste through a range of options for the wing mirrors, grille bars, rear panel skirts, lower door protectors and wheel finishes. As seen on the MINI, a choice of roof graphics can also be selected.

That theme will continue inside the Clio IV as well, with a wide range of choices for the dashboard, door panels, steering wheel, grab handles, gear lever surround, air vent surrounds, upholstery materials and more.

For the first time in a Clio a 6-speed Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC) transmission will be available. Word is the EDC will be the only choice for the RS hot hatch, which may upset a few traditionalists. So too the Clio IV’s five door layout.

As a new direction, though, we think Renault has made a good start, despite our earlier reservations. There’s a heap of pictures for you after the break, complemented by three videos and Renault’s introductory press text.

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Renault

Renault Clio IV looks better when camouflaged

Renault Clio IV

This is the new Renault Clio, the fourth generation of the feisty French hatch. A heavily disguised Clio IV RS was seen at the Goodwood Fesitval of Speed on the weekend, and we liked what we saw. Now that we’ve seen this undisguised image we’ve had second thoughts.

It’s a bit fussy, a bit over designed, don’t you think? We’ll be able to make a better judgement soon with official details due to be released inside 24 hours.

The image you see here was published to a Renault website before it was quickly removed. But not quick enough for a Carscoop reader who managed to get a screen grab to share with the world.

[Source: Carscoop]

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Renault

Renault Clio IV RS at 2012 Goodwood FoS

Renault Clio IV RS at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Renault has turned up to the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed with a heavily disguised new Clio IV RS. Three pics (shown below) have been published to the Renault Sport Facebook page with the accompanying text:

Renault hits the headlines at Goodwood Festival of Speed! A few months ahead of its official reveal, Renault Clio 4 R.S. recently made a brief but high-impact appearance at Goodwood! The camouflaged test car raced in the famous hill-climb event with Chief Operating Officer Carlos Tavares at the wheel.

Even with all that camouflage we think the new Clio will look the business. It looks to have grown quite a lot since the Clio III and you’ll also notice, from the close up shot of the driver, a large paddle shifter. Double clutch transmission for the next Clio RS then?

The Clio IV is expected to debut at the Paris Motor Show in September and, for the first time, could be a five-door only option (if you look closely enough at some of these pics you can just make out a shut line for the rear doors). Concealed door handles, a la Alfa Romeo, will help to keep the appearance of the familiar Clio three-door shape.

[Source: Facebook | Additional pics: Autoweek.nl]

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