Autoblog

Europe's legendary Renault Clio Williams poised for 2014 return

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 14:05:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Renault, Rumormill

As soon as the Williams Formula 1 team inked an engine supply deal with Renault in 2011, auto journos salivated at the thought of a new Renault Clio Williams. (This was after the return of Gordini, during the rumors of the return of Alpine, before the rumors of the Initiale brand, and long before the new Clio was introduced.) The original Clio Williams arrived in 1993 to celebrate Nigel Mansell's 1992 F1 World Championship in his Williams-Renault. In fact, Williams had nothing to do with the hatchback other than donating its name, but the public couldn't get enough of its performance. There were only supposed to be 3,800, but Renault eventually produced 12,100 Clio Williams' in three series.

Renault hasn't publicly said a word about the possibility of a new version of that legendary hot hatch, but Autocar says "well placed sources" have assured it that a new Clio Williams is on the way. A raunchier take on the Clio RenaultSport 200, the Williams edition is rumored to get 220 horsepower from its 1.6-liter four-cylinder, a bump of 20 hp over the RS 200.

Autocar goes on to say that the Clio Williams is around 18 months away, slated to arrive after the RS 200 completes its run. It's unclear whether Williams will assist with its development - the RenaultSport division created the original on its own - but Autocar suggests that Williams' forays into customer-car applications might give it a way in. An announcement from Renault could come as early as this year.

Europe's legendary Renault Clio Williams poised for 2014 return originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 14 Oct 2012 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next Renault Clio RS spotted nearly ready to hatch

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, Paris Motor Show, Hatchback, Renault

A new Renault Clio is due to be revealed at the 2012 Paris Motor Show in September, and based on these spy shots, it appears that also means a reveal of the Clio RS. Caught by the lenses at CarPix, several changes to this model versus the standard Clio seem to identify it as the hot hatch: larger front intakes, wheels and brakes, front LEDs relocated to the bumper, and a diffuser between twin pipes out back.

Rumors suggest that a 200-horsepower turbocharged four should be under the hood. Paired with the new Clio's sharper looks and Renault's proven handling chops, the Clio RS should have no problem staying relevant. We'll know more when we get to Paris, but for now there's the gallery of high-res spy photos.

Next Renault Clio RS spotted nearly ready to hatch originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2010: Renault Clio and Twingo get the Gordini treatment

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Renault

Renault Clio Gordini R.S. - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's amazing what a little paint and a few stickers can do for a small car. To illustrate that point, take a gander at the special Gordini edition Renault Clio and Twingo in the gallery below. Granted, the improvements reach much deeper than just those stickers, but the matte blue paint, white accents and white decals give these little runabouts a purposeful look and signal to the world that they are the top-of-the-performance-heap Gordini editions.

For those who need a refresher, Gordini is the name of a legendary Renault racing engineer. Amédée Gordini brought Renault some rally racing glory in the mid-'60s with the iconic R8 Gordini. Renault recently revived the name, reestablishing it as the top rung trim level on its already racy Renault Sport (R.S.) editions. Mechanically similar to their R.S. counterparts, they are mainly distinguished by retro styling touches (like the classic French racing blue paint scheme with white stripes) and an extra dose of exclusivity. Plus, they just look badass.

The first product in the new range, the Twingo Gordini R.S. had already debuted last November, but here at the Geneva Motor Show, the company unveiled their Gordini edition Clio as well. We have galleries of both cars for you below, the Mini-sized Twingo and the slightly larger Clio. Both cars have the performance upgrades found on R.S. models, with larger wheels, Brembo brakes, Conti SportContact3 tires, diffusers, heat extractors and that great livery. Check out the little "G" confetti in the stripes - classic.

Gallery: Geneva 2010: Renault Twingo Gordini R.S.

Gallery: Geneva 2010: Renault Clio Gordini R.S.

Geneva 2010: Renault Clio and Twingo get the Gordini treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 Million Served: Renault celebrates Clio's 20th with special editions

Noah Joseph — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Wagon, Europe, Hatchback, Renault

Renault Clio 20th Anniversary Edition - Click above for high-res image gallery

Renault has certainly been keeping busy. In addition to restructuring its F1 team to come back with a fresh design for 2010, the French automaker has recently unveiled an innovative new Megane coupe-convertible, the equally interesting Wind roadster and a slew of new panel vans. All the while, Renault is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its bread-and-butter model, the Clio.

Over the years, Renault has sold a staggering 10 million units of the Clio, putting it on par with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Toyota Camry as the 20th top-selling car of all time, but in a shorter timeframe. To kick off the festivities, Renault has released special edition versions of the Clio hatchback (both three- and five-door configurations), Clio wagon and Clio RS hot hatch.

All the 20th anniversary Clios get a mouthful of black trim and, of course, the requisite special badging. The hatch and wagon can be ordered in a variety of color combinations, while the RS special comes exclusively in two-tone white and black, complimented by 17-inch BeBop wheels. Equipment levels depend on the market, with orders already taken in France ahead of other European markets starting next month. Pricing starts at €14,350 (just shy of twenty grand in Benjamins), with the Clio RS 20th commanding €24,700 (about $34k USD). Full details can be found in the press release after the jump, with high-resolution images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Renault Clio 20th Anniversary Edition

[Source: Renault]

Continue reading 10 Million Served: Renault celebrates Clio's 20th with special editions

10 Million Served: Renault celebrates Clio's 20th with special editions originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Renault unveils updated Clio Renaultsport 200 hot hatch

Noah Joseph — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, Renault

Renault Clio RS 200 - Click above for high-res image gallery

200. That's a mighty big number for such a tiny car, but it's the horsepower figure that Renaultsport's latest hot hatch packs beneath its bonnet. And while it may be only three measley horses more than the 197 version on which it's based and replaces, Renault's performance and motorsport division has worked to improve the aerodynamics and cut weight to make each one count more.

Complimenting the mid-cycle revised styling of the entire Clio range, the Clio RS 200 and 200 Cup benefit from Renault's Formula One program, with which the French automaker attributes the aerodynamic expertise implemented on its latest hot hatch. Air passes over the front splitter to feed the the revised 200-hp, 2.0-liter 16-valve four-cylinder engine, but it also goes underneath to the flat rear bottom and exits the fully functional rear diffuser. The design also pushes air around the wider front fenders, past the side vents and around the widened track to give the new Clio RS its performance edge. The aerodynamic enhancements gives the car an even meaner look, while customers can choose from a wider variety of look-at-me colors, contrasting with either black or anthracite-finish trim.

Inside it's all business: the compact steering wheel has perforated leather trim with a yellow strip to show when it's centered, and Recaro racing buckets are available along with leather upholstery. Unfortunately the car isn't available Stateside, but across the pond the new Clio Renaultsport 200 starts selling next month at £16,570, while hardcore enthusiasts can save a bit and get the even more focused, stripped-down Cup version for £15,750. Follow the jump for all the details in the press release, and check out the images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Renault Clio RS 200

[Source: Renault]

Continue reading Renault unveils updated Clio Renaultsport 200 hot hatch

Renault unveils updated Clio Renaultsport 200 hot hatch originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 May 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Renault launches new Clio Renault Sport

Stuart Waterman — Tue, 30 May 2006 15:03:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Hatchback

The European market is blessed with a host of hot hatchbacks, and this latest addition ratchets the competition up a notch. Renault's new Clio Renault Sport is distinguished by "Formula 1-inspired" aerodynamics, notably front fender extractor vents and a first-in-class functional rear diffuser. The latter generates about 88 pounds of downforce at highway speeds, maxing out at more than 150 pounds at high speed.

Power comes from an uprated version of Renault's 2-liter, 16 valve engine, redlined at over 7,500 rpm. The normally-aspirated powerplant produces 197 hp and about 159 foot pounds of torque. A close-ratio 6-speed gearbox is new for this year's model, and in combination, the revamped drivetrain is good for the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint in 6.9 seconds.

Broader fenders are stretched over 215/45 tires running on 17-inch alloys. Brembo brakes on cross-drilled discs provide the stopping power.

New chassis upgrades include a 2-inch wider track front and rear, and a new-design "double axis" front strut suspension, which Renault claims is immune to the torque steer that plagues many high-performance MacPherson strut-type FWD cars. The new RS also gets a stiffer rear torsion beam suspension.

Deliveries will start this summer, but order books are open now. More photos after the jump.

[Source: Renault]

Continue reading Renault launches new Clio Renault Sport

Renault launches new Clio Renault Sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 May 2006 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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