Renault lobs facelifted Clio RS

THE facelifted Clio RS has arrived in Renault showrooms around the country with tweaked pricing, subtly updated styling and more standard gear than the outgoing version.

Renault has retained the same 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the superseded model that delivers 147kW of power and 260Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed ‘EDC’ dual-clutch automatic transmission.

It also features steering column-mounted paddle shifters with Multi-Downshift function, a feature Renault claims is unique to the light-car segment.

Once again there is a choice of Sport and Cup variants with the Sport sitting on 17-inch alloy wheels, while the Cup has 18-inch hoops. The more generously specified Sport Premium and Cup Premium variants have disappeared from the refreshed line-up.

Pricing for the Sport kicks off at $30,990 plus on-road costs, up $990 on the previous version, while the Cup is now $32,490, a decrease of $510 on the earlier model.

Rivals for the Clio RS include the Ford Fiesta ST from $27,490, the Abarth 595 from $27,500, Volkswagen Polo GTI at $27,690 and the French pair of the Peugeot 208 GTi at $29,990 and the Citroen DS3 hatch at $33,990.

As previously reported, the updated Clio RS is wider thanks to a redesigned front bumper and it features Renault’s new ‘RS Vision’ LED lighting signature that made its debut on the Clio RS 16 concept.

New features added over the outgoing Clio RS include climate control air-conditioning, front parking sensors, front foglights, idle-stop, tyre pressure monitoring system, LED interior lights, digital radio and Android Auto phone mirroring.

Carrying over from the old Clio RS is launch control, RS Drive with Normal, Sport and Race modes and the RS Monitor which is only available when opting for the Entertainment Pack.

Under the skin, the Clio RS has large diameter 320mm brakes and features Renault Sport rally-honed hydraulic compression bump stops that enable the energy return to be absorbed at the end of the shock absorber stroke.

Renault says the driver benefits “from an improvement to the potential of the front axle, better handling on compromised road surfaces and increased overall comfort”.

The Clio RS is offered with a trio of options packs, including the $500 Black Pack that adds F1-inspired black blade on front bumper, black bootlid and black Renault Sport badge, black rear diffuser, black trim inserts on side door protection and black 17-inch alloy wheels for the Sport.

A $1500 Leather Pack adds dark leather upholstery with red highlights and heated and adjustable seats, while the $1500 Entertainment Pack includes the R-Link sat-navigation and multimedia system with voice control, Android Auto, RS Monitor and a BOSE premium sound system.

Renault Australia managing director Justin Hocevar said the overall popularity of RS models Down Under combined with the updates to the Clio RS should ensure it appeals to hot hatch buyers.

“The Renault Sport badge has a long and successful history here in Australia,” he said “Australia consistently appears in the top five for global Renault Sport sales and we expect this to continue with this new-look model.

“One of the exciting new features is the innovative chequered flag-shaped RS Vision lighting system, exclusive to Renault Sport vehicles. This highly-efficient lighting signature enhances night-time visibility, by co-ordinating the fog lights, cornering lights and side lights as well as the long-range headlights.

“Of course, the Clio RS benefits from Renault’s five year unlimited kilometre warranty and Capped Price Servicing, providing our customers with outstanding value and peace of mind.”2017 Renault Clio RS pricing*

Sport (a)	$30,990
Cup (a)	$32,490

*Excludes on-road costs