Filed under: Hatchbacks, Renault, UK
Luxe Redux: Renault gives Clio RS the premium touch...again
Click above to view the Renaultsport Clio Lux in high resolution
Renault makes a hot hatch for every taste. Some burn gas, some burn diesel. Some are track-biased, some are great for hauling around the family. Some are flyweights, and some are luxurious. The latest version is the latter, upgrading the Clio Renaulsport 197 with a host of luxury amenities for those who want it all.
Called the Lux, the new package is being offered to British customers from the beginning of the new year, packed with £2,000 of equipement for only £1,000 over the standard price. Included among those amenities are leather upholstery, automatic lights and wipers, cornering lamps, black tinted rear windows, an upgraded 60W MP3/CD sound system, brushed alloys and satin-chrome trim touches. Electric folding mirrors, electric panorama sunroof, xenon headlamps, Speedline rims in white or black and tightened-up Cup suspension are also available as optional extras. But if this is all sounding a little familiar, you're not experiencing deja vu: Renault introduced a similar package, called "Luxe" (the extra is for "Europe") to continental customers a year and a half ago. Details in the pess release after the jump.
[Source: Renault]
PRESS RELEASE
RENAULT LAUNCHES CLIO RENAULTSPORT 197 LUX
New Clio Renaultsport 197 Lux priced at £16,995
- Offers £2,000 worth of equipment for just £1,000 more than the standard 197
- All the thrills and driving pleasure of the 197, but with added comfort and refinement
- Ordering open now, in UK showrooms from January
Renault has the perfect solution for customers who like their hot hatch thrills with just a touch more refinement and extra comfort, with a new version of the much-acclaimed Clio Renaultsport 197, the 'Lux'.
The new Lux version comes packed with extra features such as leather upholstery and automatic climate control, worth £2,000 as individual options, yet at £16,995, Lux costs just £1,000 more than the standard version.
In addition to the leather upholstery and climate control, the Lux boasts automatic headlamps, automatic wipers, cornering lights, extra tinted rear windows, a 60W radio MP3 CD player, Renaultsport carpet mats and satin chrome finish to the fascia air vents. Outside, the Lux can be identified by brushed aluminium 'Raider' alloy wheels and a satin chrome finish to the door mirrors and to the air extraction grilles in the front wings.
The Clio Renaultsport 197 Lux is available in a choice of Ultra Red, Racing Blue, Renault i.d. Glacier White (£150), metallic Deep Black (£375) or metallic Albi Blue (£375). Further optional equipment available are electrically folding door mirrors (£100), an electrically operated panoramic sunroof (£600), xenon headlamps (£550), Speedline wheels in either white or black (£100) or the acclaimed Cup chassis (£400).
Customers can find out more information by visiting their nearest Renault dealer or logging on to www.renaultsport.co.uk
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
F-22 5:25PM (11/22/2008)
This is a special day, a non-American car from an inexistent brand in the US, in Autoblog!
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P.V. 6:06PM (11/22/2008)
You forgot your "[sarcasm]...[/sarcasm]" tags.
Mobius_1 6:29PM (11/22/2008)
@ P.V.
Do you really need it?
Mr.Roadrage 2:27AM (11/23/2008)
Has it ever occurred to you that a lot of this site's users may not be American? There is a world outside of your country, you know. If you object to the discussion of non-American cars why don't you just skip those articles?
noz 4:31AM (11/23/2008)
Mr. Roadrage got it right.
But judging from the xenophobic, chest thumping, gas guzzling truck loving morons around on Autoblog, it's no wonder we get responses like we do.
If the Big 3 want any lessons on how to make small cars, let them learn it from the likes of Honda, Renault, etc.
The Clio is a fantastic car....and Renault in general makes a great line up....and way ahead of the game.
Jon 5:58PM (11/22/2008)
A whole 60 watts of sound. Spared no expense, did ya guys. Does it have a rheostat for volume, too?
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Mobius_1 6:29PM (11/22/2008)
£1000 ain't bad, it's about, what, $2 now?
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Kitko 7:20PM (11/22/2008)
So you pay 17,000 GBP for getting your bones shaken in a car that, being a Renault, will break down sooner rather than later.
But then, Britain is full of wanna-be boy racers who were falling for Citroen Saxo....
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TBlueMax 7:25PM (11/22/2008)
Maybe it is just the angle of the photo... but the side mirrors look tiny [i.e. out of proportion] on that car.
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robin 1:01AM (11/23/2008)
Chrysler should import it, they could do a lot worse, Its not a bad little car.
The price is high but that's because of hefty taxes.
£1000 was equal to $1500 the last time I checked.
The Mirrors are small but correct for this car.
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ugg.tryptophan 2:29AM (11/23/2008)
i hate to say this, but i dont think it would be good if it was imported; youd get another saturn astra, softened suspension, fugly badge, and limited options, and then it wont sell
robin 3:56AM (11/23/2008)
Good Point, they always seem to change things and spoil the original car, usually to save a buck or two.
GOT 8:20AM (11/23/2008)
Reliable of not, it's a great looking hatch. Which make me wonder. If they are making beautiful cars which are unreliable, then is it not a lie? If so, then it might just be ruinous.
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Matthew 8:48AM (11/23/2008)
Almost any Renault produced after 2004 is reliable.
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