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Keen on one of Renault’s redoubtable hot hatches, yet on a budget?
Well, now there is a new Clio S to suit your car allowance.
Based on the Clio 1.6 Dynamique mechanical architecture this new addition to the Clio range adds all the boy-racer hot hatch trinkets - at a more affordable price point than Renault’s Dieppe-built RS cars.
Contrasted in white
Styling embellishments centre on the addition of, well, a lot of white.
The Clio S decals imprinted along the flanks are white. So are the 16-inch Canasta multi-spoke alloys and side mirrors.
Door handles? Those are white too and there is even a front bumper insert and rear hatch spoiler finished in white.
The Clio S pièce de résistance? An obligatory hot hatch white racing stripe on the passenger side of the roof.
Upgrades to the cabin environment include more white – backing the instrumentation and contrasting the Clio S trim coordination. Tactile highlights include leather steering-wheel and gearlever finishes.
Items deleted from the Dynamique grade include the TomTom SatNav, Bluetooth, rain sensing wipers and climate control. The Clio S does have air-conditioning, power-steering, cruise control and MP3/CD enabled infotainment.
In terms of safety the Clio S tallies a suite of features including dual front and side airbags augmented by additional curtain airbag protection.
Despite its boy-racer styling the Clio S is powered by the selfsame 1.6l engine found in the Clio Dynamique.
Producing 83kW and 151Nm, this engine is unable to power the Clio S to a hot-hatch worthy benchmark 0-100km/h acceleration time of less than ten seconds. Top speed is short of 200km/h too, at 190km/h.
So you may think the Clio S is a cynical marketing exercise? Well, no. Not entirely.
Dynamic harmony has been the hallmark of Renault’s class-leading RS hot hatches and much of their dynamic appeal is found in handling fluidity. To this end the Clio S features a revised 20.5mm front anti-roll bar. A negligible design change this may be, yet Renault hot hatches have always managed to translate the slightest suspension upgrade into a discernable increase in driving appeal.
If you cannot quite stretch the budget to buy into the fabled Renault RS sub-brand, the Clio S appears to be an worthwhile compromise.
Price:
R179 900
Well, now there is a new Clio S to suit your car allowance.
Based on the Clio 1.6 Dynamique mechanical architecture this new addition to the Clio range adds all the boy-racer hot hatch trinkets - at a more affordable price point than Renault’s Dieppe-built RS cars.
Contrasted in white
Styling embellishments centre on the addition of, well, a lot of white.
The Clio S decals imprinted along the flanks are white. So are the 16-inch Canasta multi-spoke alloys and side mirrors.
Door handles? Those are white too and there is even a front bumper insert and rear hatch spoiler finished in white.
The Clio S pièce de résistance? An obligatory hot hatch white racing stripe on the passenger side of the roof.
Upgrades to the cabin environment include more white – backing the instrumentation and contrasting the Clio S trim coordination. Tactile highlights include leather steering-wheel and gearlever finishes.
Items deleted from the Dynamique grade include the TomTom SatNav, Bluetooth, rain sensing wipers and climate control. The Clio S does have air-conditioning, power-steering, cruise control and MP3/CD enabled infotainment.
In terms of safety the Clio S tallies a suite of features including dual front and side airbags augmented by additional curtain airbag protection.
Despite its boy-racer styling the Clio S is powered by the selfsame 1.6l engine found in the Clio Dynamique.
Producing 83kW and 151Nm, this engine is unable to power the Clio S to a hot-hatch worthy benchmark 0-100km/h acceleration time of less than ten seconds. Top speed is short of 200km/h too, at 190km/h.
So you may think the Clio S is a cynical marketing exercise? Well, no. Not entirely.
Dynamic harmony has been the hallmark of Renault’s class-leading RS hot hatches and much of their dynamic appeal is found in handling fluidity. To this end the Clio S features a revised 20.5mm front anti-roll bar. A negligible design change this may be, yet Renault hot hatches have always managed to translate the slightest suspension upgrade into a discernable increase in driving appeal.
If you cannot quite stretch the budget to buy into the fabled Renault RS sub-brand, the Clio S appears to be an worthwhile compromise.
Price:
R179 900
