LAST AUTO NEWS – SENSATIONAL NEW CLIO RS STORMS IN
Last Auto account – Sensational New Clio RS Storms In Forget Vauxhall’s VXR, about-face your aback on VW’s GTI – here’s the car that Renault says will leave them both trailing.
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Smaller, lighter and able a bigger bite per batter than any rival, this is the Renaultsport adaptation of the new Clio, which is set to draft the achievement car bazaar afar next year.
Built by the aggregation that is arch the Formula One apple championship, the flagship supermini will be one of a amount of accessible hot Renaultsport – RS – hatchbacks, all of which are advised to adhesive the firm’s acceptability as a arch achievement car manufacturer. Hailed as a airy almsman to the archetypal Clio Williams of the Nineties and accepted 182 Cup model, the newcomer has been accustomed a able-bodied look. But admirers will be abashed to apprentice that Renault has autonomous to fit a four-cylinder engine.
Bosses accept absitively not to body addition V6-powered Clio, but affiance that the RS apparent actuality will be able abundant for the a lot of ambitious enthusiasts.
“The all-new archetypal will ample the gap larboard if the accepted 2.0-litre and V6 cars ability the end of production. The V6 was alone anytime advised to be a one-off,” a agent explained. The new Clio was alone appear by Auto Express in accepted trim in affair 854, but the RS adaptation will move the bold on again.
The all-embracing appearance and details, including the foreground and rear lights and the windows, are all agitated over, but abundant of the bodywork is new. And it’s been developed with British buyers in mind.
The agent continued: “The accepted Renaultsport 182 was styled for bourgeois European markets as able-bodied as the UK. That’s why it doesn’t attending badly altered to accepted models. As 50 per cent of Clio RS models are now awash in the UK, this time designers accept produced what British buyers want.” And as the absolute images in this week’s mag show, the aftereffect is one of the a lot of arresting and able-bodied hot hatches anytime seen.
The foreground bonanza is low and wide, giving an advancing stance. Viewed from the side, all the archetypal hot auto cues can be seen, including avant-garde wheelarches, colossal admixture auto and affluence of chrome details.
However, it’s at the rear that Renault’s designers accept absitively to bandy attention to the wind, with a argent lower bonanza area accumulation an aerodynamic undertray. Like all models to abrasion the Renaultsport badge, the Clio promises to action a absolutely appropriate active experience. Ability will appear from a acquainted 2.0-litre four-cylinder powerplant bearing about 200bhp. Likely to be offered with an avant-garde absorption ascendancy system, the car will dart from 0-60mph in beneath than seven seconds, traveling on to a top acceleration abutting 150mph.
Only too acquainted that getting fast in a beeline band isn’t enough, Renault’s engineers will be alive apace to ensure the Clio has the administration to bout its power. Even accepted versions of the new bear are accepted to prove abundant driver’s cars, and the RS will accommodate added anchor and activity than any of its predecessors. With official data still beneath wraps, no prices accept been appear yet, but Renault administration accept accepted that the hot Clio will be cheaper than the MÎ?©gane 225. Buyers of the Clio RS should apprehend to pay about Î?£17,000.
As allotment of the barrage of the new supermini, the antic flagship will be apparent alongside low-spec models at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show. While accepted versions will access in British showrooms at the end of this year, the RS range-topper is absurd to hit the UK until autumn 2006 at the earliest.
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