World Series edition Renault Clio and Megane aren't exactly home runs
World Series by Renault Clio and Megane – Click above for high-res image gallery
With nearly every automaker launching special editions by the boatload, it's hard to point a finger and claim one is really bilking it more than the others. Especially not at Renault, which typically applies the special badge treatment to limited editions of its rippin' Renaultsport hot hatches. So you'd figure that if the French automaker were to launch a special line to honor its own one-marque formula racing series, it'd bring the goods, right? Unfortunately that doesn't appear to be the case with the World Series special edition Clio and Megane.
Not to be confused with baseball's championship, the World Series by Renault is a racing class started over a decade ago by sister company Nissan and functions as a stepping stone for aspiring racers with an eye toward F1. Current grand prix drivers Fernando Alonso, Heikki Kovalainen and Robert Kubica have all won the championship in their formative years. But while the World Series by Renault runs identical Dallara chassis with 3.5-liter 425hp Renault V6 engines, the lackluster WSR edition Clios and Meganes run engines producing between 75 and 110 hp. With a handful of minor cosmetic tweaks like spoilers and alloy wheels, the WSR specials amount to little more than an options package adding £1650 (~$2700) of equipment to otherwise ordinary cars for a £500 (~$800) premium. Not a bad deal, but not quite what we've come to expect from Renault.
[Source: Renault]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
car industry expert 12:48PM (6/27/2009)
they are the ugliet cars available today.
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tuxchown 4:09PM (6/27/2009)
The ugly has kinda grown on me. I think it looks pretty cool.
Andrew 10:08PM (6/27/2009)
You must have worked for GM or Chrysler. Did your "expertise" tell you to focus on SUVs?
These cars look great and I would love to buy one.
Randy 11:28PM (6/27/2009)
Ugliest? I looked at the picture and said "wow, that's the nicest looking small car I've seen yet". Even nicer than the new Fiesta! And I like the new Fiesta allot.
Randy 11:28PM (6/27/2009)
just to be clear. I like the white one, not the blue one
HeyHuub 9:15AM (6/28/2009)
The white one is more Focus/Golf size, so not exacly small.
ryan 10:22AM (6/29/2009)
The back end of the Megane is one of the best looking hatch rear ends I've seen in a while.
Trent 1:01PM (6/27/2009)
Yep, they are UGLY!
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adam1drift 1:06PM (6/27/2009)
I think they look good... and might do good as Saturn Products... with some Penske pep...
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Yaroukh 1:29PM (6/27/2009)
I'm no Renault fan but the Mégane looks hot.
(Yes, the chick from TF2 too.)
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Tomac 1:41PM (6/27/2009)
Weak package, and no more a legitimate use of the phase "world series" than the MLB's misnomer.
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Swede 2:34PM (6/27/2009)
The Megane looks phenomenal
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Phil 2:37PM (6/27/2009)
I Love the white one. awesome design.
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Pokey 2:40PM (6/27/2009)
I don't really care much for the Clio, but the Megane looks GREAT! I'd love to have one of those!
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PG 4:42PM (6/27/2009)
Agreed, the white Megane looks badass. Kind of reminds me of the new Scirocco.
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nighttime__ 1:09AM (6/28/2009)
judging by the comments i've read, this is probably the reason why Renault wouldn't come to America!
Although they're not exactly beautiful, they are different! :)
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PJ 4:06AM (6/28/2009)
The Renaultsport/Cup editions of both of these cars already have the sport-compact bases covered. By all accounts, they're some of the best hot hatches currently on sale in the UK/Euro market.
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Frank 12:25PM (6/28/2009)
The white three door employs my favorite features. Did anyone notice the clam shell hood design? The closest thing GM has to compete with this is a Cobalt SS. What a unbalanced comparison a 2 door sedan with a useless trunk to this. I want this car or something equivalent to it by 2011.
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Rick 10:35AM (6/29/2009)
The white one looks like the VW hot hatch we don't get here (can't recall the name-sciroco?)
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Protractor 9:54AM (7/10/2009)
I went to the world series last weekend in Silverstone to report on it (I am editor and content manager of www.finishline.tv amongst other sites) and found the whole thing to be a huge disappointment (I didn't even bother writing about it). The megane race was rubbish, only one driver hit the apexes perfectly while the others seemed to be unable to properly handle their cars. The F1 sprint was too short and the Formula 3.5 and 2.0 races were boring; there was entirely no action on the straight. They should put up a giant screen above the paddocks at Silverstone so people can actually see what is going on!
Also, the food sucked, there were no programmes available and quite a lot of people were confused as to what was happening and where.
Renault aren't great at organising events at all.
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