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147kW Clio RS hottie arrives in SA

Good news for Renault fans: the new Clio RS Sport 200 EDC flagship has arrived in SA!

Renault says the car is more versatile than any previous sporting Clio and there's a choice of EDC Lux or Cup.

GALLERY: RS Sport 200 EDC

The latest Clio was launched in SA in April 2013 and has taken the market by storm, selling 4000 units within the first eight months.

IMPRESSIVE STATS

Both RS models are powered by a four-cylinder, 1.6 Turbo petrol engine pushing out 147kW/240Nm. It sprints to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds and top speed is 230km/h. Engines are mated to a six-speed EDC dual clutch along with steering column shift paddles. The combined fuel consumption is rated at 6.3 litres/100km and 144g/km of C02 emissions.

Niceties include standard RS Drive - adjustable engine and transmission mapping - plus launch control. In terms of looks, there’s a front ‘F1 blade’, diffuser and rear lip spoiler, specific bumpers and sills, twin exhaust tailpipes and large wheels to add to the car’s sporty appearance. At the front, the grille incorporates RS badging beneath the Renault logo, with LED daytime running lights in the lower part of the bumper.

RANGE-TOPPER

Fabien Payzan, marketing vice-president at Renault SA, told Wheels24: “There’s no doubt the car benefits from Renault’s very latest thinking when it comes to comfort and versatility and this is underscored by the Formula 1 expertise that Renault Sport Technologies has brought to the table.

“While its warm, sensuous lines place an accent on emotion, they also illustrate its pursuit of performance. The Clio RS combines benchmark dynamics with carefully optimised fuel consumption."

CHASSIS

The automaker’s engineers focused on chassis performance to provide the handling, road holding and braking expected of a Renault Sport model, while keeping a high level of comfort for everyday use. An electronic differential significantly improves the Clio RS’s accelerative performance and cornering grip and limits the onset of under-steer - the tendency for a car to push straight ahead during hard cornering.

INNOVATIVE MEASURES
 
Pressing the RS drive button modifies the mapping of the transmission (shift programming and shift time) and engine (response to pedal position and engine pitch), says Renault. It also alters the way the ESC and ASR traction control intervene, as well as the feel of the power steering.

This system is based on a choice of three very different modes: ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Race’.

Renault says: “For everyday use, in ‘Normal’ mode, it delivers a quiet ride, a high level of travelling comfort and low running costs. But switch to the more dynamic ‘Sport’ or ‘Race’ mode and its sporty characteristics become immediately apparent.”

Renault’s exclusive, in-dash RS Monitor 2.0 and R-Link system is an optional extra which combines navigation and a performance tracking function with its 18cm touchscreen and 3D technology. The RS Monitor's customisable display uses dials, histograms and highly visual graphics to provide torque, power, water temperature, intake air temperature, turbo pressure, throttle valve aperture, brake pressure, steering angle, engine speed, transmission oil temperature, temperature of EDC clutches and wheel torque data.

The R-link handles maps and the Arkamys radio with CD and MP3, telephony, Bluetooth, USB and iPod connectivity.

VIBRANT COLOUR

The car is available with a choice of five body colours, including the exclusive ‘Liquid Yellow’.

Cabin trim is black with red details, seat belts and instrument needles.The gear shifter comes with red touches echoed by the stitching of the gear lever gaiter.

SAFETY

Safety features across both variants include:
• ABS + EBA (Emergency Brake Assist)
• Speed limiter / cruise control
• Hill start assist
• Electronic stability control and anti-slip regulation which can be switched off
• Seat belt reminder (all seats)
• Driver and passenger front airbags with disable function
• Driver and front seat passenger head and chest side airbags
• Red height-adjustable front  passenger seat belts with force limiters; rear three-point inertia reel seat belts with load limiters in side seats; central rear seat belt with three-point roof attachment
• IsoFix system in rear side seats and front passenger seat
• Anti-submarining system (Fix4sure) front and rear

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Items which set the two variants apart are the 17” silver grey alloy rims with RS studs on the 200 EDC Lux and the18” gloss black alloy rims with sport RS studs on the Cup model.

The Cup model also includes the following not found on the Lux model:
• Extra dark tinted rear quarter glass and rear screen
• Liquid Yellow (Sirius Yellow) body colour and RS Monitor + R-Link is optional
• The Lux model has a sport chassis while the Cup is fitted with the Cup Pack (Cup chassis, red brake calipers, gloss Black 18” alloy wheel rims and extra dark tinted windows – quarter glass and rear screen)
• Climate control with combined pollen/activated carbon filter and toxicity sensor is an option on both derivatives

SERVICE AND WARRANTY

The Clio RS 200 EDC Lux and Cup derivatives come with Renault’s three year or 30 000km service plan, five-year or 150 000km mechanical warranty and six-year anti-corrosion warranty.

PRICES
• Clio Renault Sport 200 EDC Lux - R294 900
• Clio Renault Sport 200 EDC Cup - R314 900
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