Renault teases with new Clio concept
Clio III gets motorport-inspired style and aero
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Renaultsport has built a concept version of next year’s Clio Renaultsport 2.0 as a teaser. It calls the Clio Renaultsport Concept "the ultimate development" of the Clio III.
Today's Clio production is due to end soon, including the somewhat bonkers rear-engined V6 three-litre version, and the new Clio III goes on sale in October. The concept seems to be pretty close to the production model due out in 2006.
Renaultsport said that its engineers were tasked with "retaining the original spirit of the Clio while enhancing its dynamic capabilities" to combine "performance, excitement and driving pleasure". So the concept includes ideas rarely seen in the hot hatch segment, for example, an underfloor air diffuser. It also gets extractor vents in the front wings, and independent mountings for the front suspension for precise handling.
It gets the 2.0-litre engine that drives through a six-speed 'box -- though this is surely not the last word, given the potent V6s that went into previous Clios.
Styling
Styling cues include enlarged front and rear wings, a lowered stance and profiled side skirts, along with seven-spoke, 18-inch wheels with body-coloured highlights. The front air intake consists of a large, chrome-zinc-coloured grille flanked by a pair of fog light surrounds which are chromed along with the door mirrors, diffuser and the twin exhausts.
Aerodynamics
The rear diffuser's downforce negates the need for a rear roof spoiler while the dual exhausts are fitted within its side channels to maximise its efficiency. The extractor vents in the front wings reduce turbulence, while also improving hot-air extraction from the engine bay. According to Renault, the grilles are positioned to direct air along the sides of the car to optimise performance. Hmmm...
Handling
Renaultsport’s aluminium front suspension components lighten the system while the wheel-at-each-corner stance helps traction, roadholding, ride and handling. It sits on 215/40 R18 tyres around which bulge slightly distended wheelarches. At the front, red brake calipers have four aluminium pistons and cross-drilled 330mm Brembo discs, 280mm at the rear.
Interior
Inside, you get chrome and leather, a panoramic sunroof and four bucket seats separated by a chrome-zinc centre console below a leather-covered dashboard. Upholstered in red and grey leather with built-in headrests, the seats are said to be "comfortable yet supportive". The separate rear seats seem almost certain not to survive into production, though.
White-faced instruments sit in the dash and include a gear ratio indicator within the rev-counter while wheel is covered in red and black leather with a flattened lower section above aluminium pedals and footrest.
I thought putting 180bhp in a hatch was pushing it, but a diffuser is a new and interesting direction to go in the search for frivolous features. Perhaps they should put the drive through the correct wheels before they start trying to stick them to the road.
This one is fine, moves the design on a bit, looks a bit like the modus from the back, but doesn't stand out from the crowd. Is it better to design a car 2 years ahead of its time, so over it's 5 year lifecycle, it is only ever 2.5 years away from the rest?
Has Citroen taken over the design crown with the C4? Will Renault go the direction of Ford, with a period of ground breaking cars, followed by a prolonged period of consolidation?
A Clio is what it is and no amount of "motorsport inspiration" is going to turn it into a sports car. It just turns into a shopping trolley with a bit more go.
You can get a "real" sports car for that kind of money, albeit not a new one.
That diffuser will have the bolt-on boys scrambling to Halfords for replicas though!
Totally useless on a FWD hatch of course, but at least they've dropped the even more pointless roof spoiler 
wedgepilot said:
Totally useless on a FWD hatch of course, but at least they've dropped the even more pointless roof spoiler
Why is it useless on a FWD hatch? Good point though, at least you don't have to look at some bloody silly wing when you are stuck in traffic on the car in front.
I reckon it's a smart looking little car. Always thought that trying to fit 3 in the back was pointless.
Not always in terms of speed performance, but in that they can reduce drag and help fuel economy for example.
The examples from Hal-frauds will most likely not help anything other than their cash register!
Don't expect those stylish door mirrors to survive the homologation and pedestrian impact process though.
chippy wedge said:
The 172/182 clio is by far the best hot hatch on the market for the money. Build quality was never great but compared to MG it is positively "Rolls Royce". Renaultsport always seem to make great handling cars but I think this latest super-mini doesn't look that mini to me!
Agree totally, we will be buying a 182 very soon, the new Clio looks the same size as a Focus! (I do like the looks though!)
Qualia said:
I'm just not sure about these kind of cars. They're alright if you consider them on their own, but if you look at the price (18, 19 grand?) they just don't make sense.
A Clio is what it is and no amount of "motorsport inspiration" is going to turn it into a sports car. It just turns into a shopping trolley with a bit more go.
You can get a "real" sports car for that kind of money, albeit not a new one.
yeah, but you can pick up used 182's with <10k on for the £10k mark, and then there is running costs to consider (insurance, servicing etc). Thats why hot hatches are so popular, 80% of the performance, 20% of the costs
182 is a great car, and so i am sure is this, but would take the Civic every time, looking forward to the next Gen Civic type R, will look evil and have that sweet fighter plane dash, and rumours of a 2.4 NA with 240bhp too
eddy_hyde said:
yeah, but you can pick up used 182's with <10k on for the £10k mark, and then there is running costs to consider (insurance, servicing etc). Thats why hot hatches are so popular, 80% of the performance, 20% of the costs
Thats just it! A BRAND NEW Clio 182 with cup suspension can be had for £12.5K, a performance bargain in anyone's book, especially when you consider the stupid prices for the under-performing Mini and BMW 1 series. These small but powerful and fun hot hatches are excellent cars, especially if you have an out and out sportscar already, for the weekend!
I appreciate that hatch handling is considered a hoot by many (depends how much entertainment you derive from frantically dodging the outside kerb and developing your forearm muscles fighting torque steer), but the fact remains that, considering cars of the same weight and power, FWD can not put down as much power through a corner as hard as RWD or Torsen 4WD.
So a RWD may see the back of a hot Clio off the lights, but probably not round a track.
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