Net Cars Show: Renault Clio

Showing posts with label Renault Clio. Show all posts

European Car of the Year Short List with the 8 Finalists Revealed, Think You Can Pick the Winner?

After announcing the 34 nominees (38 if you include re-badged models like the Seat Toledo and Subaru BRZ) in late September, the organizing committee of the European edition of the Car of the Year award has now released the short list with the 8 finalists.

Normally, the short list includes 7 models, but due to the fact that two cars tied in the same position during the voting process, the committee increased the number of finalists to eight, just as it did in the 2007 edition of the award.

Renault’s Chief Operating Officer Carlos Tavares has confirmed that the French car manufacturer has set a CO2 fleet emissions target below 100 g/km in 2016 and below 80 g/km in 2020, when he estimates that electric vehicles will account for 10 percent of its product portfolio.

The Zoe EV is a B-segment car that, in Tavares’ own words, “is almost impossible to go back to internal combustion after driving it. We are confident in its success and impatient to launch it.”

Not desperate enough, though, to suspend its launch in order to make way for the all-new Clio IV that premiered at September’s Paris Auto Show.

When does a simple fender bender turn into an incident worthy of writing a post about? Well, duh, when it concerns a hot Italian supercar, of course.

While filming a dark colored Ferrari California driving with its top down on the busy streets of Cannes in the French Riviera, YouTube user Superlennyo was able to capture a white, older generation Renault Clio hatchback backing up, but not slowing down, until it scrapped the bumper of the Italian hardtop convertible.

The launch of the brand-new, fourth generation Clio at last month's Paris Motor Show didn't bring the demise of Renault's third generation supermini in Europe after all.

The French carmaker announced this week that the older model will continue its career in the B-segment under the "Clio Collection" nameplate alongside the Clio Mk4 as a more affordable proposal.

It hasn't even been a month since Renault hosted the world premiere of the fourth generation of the Clio at the Paris Motor Show, yet German firm Elia AG has already come out with a tuning proposition for the French supermini.

Set to be revealed in the flesh at the upcoming the 2012 Essen Motor Show in Germany, which will be open to the public from December 1 to 9, Elia's aftermarket package will include both styling and mechanical upgrades.

Renault has selected the 27th Sao Paulo International Motor Show in Brazil that opens to the public from October 24 to November 4 for the world premiere of its not-so-new, 2013 Clio Mercosur.

For those of you wondering, Mercosur is the name for South America's leading trading bloc that is made up of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela, while other associate members include Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Peru.

Even though it has only been a few weeks since Renault pulled the covers off the new, fourth-generation Clio RS at the Paris Motor Show, the French automaker's UK division has already announced plans for the presentation of a race-prepped model in Britain for the 2014 motor racing season

Renault said it secretly began testing the racecar in early August and has so far covered around 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) at a variety of French circuits, where it has proved to be roughly one second per lap faster than the existing normally-aspirated 2.0-litre Clio Cup car.

Ah, the Nürburgring Nordschleife; the track that most of us gear heads would love to be within a driving distance from our homes but only get to imagine what it would be like to speed through its corners via our gaming stations.

Some lucky individuals have the opportunity to live the Nordschleife in…real life - like the owner of YouTube channel "nurburgdale" who took his lightly upgraded BMW 328i E36 sedan and tackled a race-prepped Renault Clio RS Mk2 driven by Darren Langeveld of Ringweekends and Destination-Nürburgring.

Renault has confirmed pricing and specification for the brand-new generation of its Clio supermini a few weeks before the ordering books open on 1 November 2012 and ahead of the car's showroom launch on 1 February 2013.

The Clio Mk4 sports a fresh new design penned under the leadership of Laurens Van Den Acker. The hatchback is offered exclusively as a five door model (Renault won't be developing a three-door variant) and while it's wider and longer than its predecessor, it's also lighter by 100kg or 220 pounds on average.

The crucially important for Renault's future new Clio Mk4 will be manufactured simultaneously at its Flins plant in France and the Bursa factory in Turkey, the automaker announced today.

The French carmaker pointed out that, at this point, it "cannot supply any figures on the share of New Renault Clio production between these two plants".

As one of Europe's finest hot hatches, the Renault Clio RS Mk3 (pre-facelift) feels right at home at the Nürburgring racetrack, so much so that German aftermarket firm Cam Shaft decided to create a tuning package for the French pocket rocket loosely inspired by the 'Ring taxis.

The first few things you will notice about Cam Shaft's Clio RS is the matt Graphite Metallic wrap accentuated by green splashes and some cheeky writings such as the "MOVE RIGHT >>" sticker on the windshield and the "International –explicit- Crew" logo on the bottom of the front doors.

Who said that station wagon models have to look boring and forgettable? Well, we can think of a few manufacturers, but Renault isn't one of them, at least not with the new Clio Estate that was unwrapped today at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.

The station wagon version of its chic Clio Mk4 series will appear in European showrooms from the first quarter of 2013, depending on market, though the UK will miss out on this model.

Hold on to your hats because Renault has just yanked the covers off the most dynamic version of its fourth generation Clio at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, the 2013 Clio RenaultSport (RS) 200 EDC.

While the French carmaker continues a long tradition of sport hatches, the new Clio RS differs in many ways from its predecessors. For starters, like the rest of the range, it will be offered exclusively as a five-door model.

Renault may have slipped up by placing a naked example of a pre-production 2013 Clio Sports Tourer in an official video (later on removed) for the new generation Clio hatchback, but it's still not willing to admit defeat and continues to keep the prototype models under some seriously twisty camouflage wraps.

The new Clio Sport Tourer, which most likely will follow the example of the outgoing model and be offered under different monikers in Europe including Estate and Grand Tour, is clearly longer than the five-door hatchback with an extended rear overhang to improve the luggage area.

If these spy shots are anything to go by, then in addition to the new Clio RS 200 with around 200hp under its hood, Renault is also prepping a "lite" version to fill the gap in the range between the regular models and the RS flagship.

The prototype model entering the Renault facility in Germany featured a restyled front bumper with a larger lower air-intake in a different design than the one seen on the Clio RS test car, along with a new set of wheels, light grey colored mirror caps, a rear diffuser, and an extended roof spoiler.

Only yesterday, we brought you pictures of the new Clio RenaultSport (RS) Mk4 without a single trace of camouflage, but our scoop photographers were fortunate enough to spot a second undisguised prototype, this one finished in a more revealing white instead of black exterior shade.

But that's not the only reason we're writing this post as fresh information landed into our hands earlier today.

What we learned is that the "New Clio RS 200 EDC" will definitely make its first public appearance at this month's Paris Motor Show. If you noticed, we mentioned the name of the car in quotes. This is because that's how the performance version of the new Clio was described to CarScoop.

Even though Renault hasn't made it clear it yet if the regular fourth-generation Clio supermini will be joined by its performance brethren, the Clio RenaultSport (RS), at the brand's the Paris Motor Show stand, there's a good chance it will.

Those of you who just can't wait to see how the 2013 Clio RS Mk4 looks like, we have good news as for the first time, our spy photographers nabbed the hot hatch completely undisguised at Renault's Nürburgring facility.

The frisky French supermini will take on the likes of the also new Peugeot 208 GTi and the Volkswagen Polo GTi when it goes on sale in Europe next year.

On the outside, the RenaultSport variant obtains a rather discreet styling package, which includes a newly styled front bumper with enlarged air vents, a honeycomb grille insert surrounded by a body-colored strip (instead of the regular model's chrome finish), side skirts, a larger roof spoiler and a twin-exhaust set-up in the rear apron that hosts a diffuser.

Six brand new models including the 2013 Audi A3 hatchback , Ford B-MAX minivan, Isuzu D-Max pickup truck, Kia Cee’d hatch, Renault Clio supermini and Volvo V40 premium compact have undergone safety tests by Euro NCAP and all but one of the vehicles assessed received the full five-star rating.

The most impressive results came from the new Volvo V40 five-door hatchback that not only achieved five stars but also became Euro NCAP’s all-time top scorer in its segment.

To be frank, Renault's video slip up with the unveiling of a Clio Sports Tourer prototype earlier this month, doesn't leave much to the imagination, but if you insist on having someone else fill up the styling holes, here's a CGI version of the sub-compact estate model. Read more »

Watch and Hear the New Renault Clio RS Mk4 Race up the Goodwood Hillclimb from Inside

This year's edition of the famed Goodwood Speed of Festival may have passed into the realms of history but Renault had a surprise in store for us today with the release of a new video showing its Clio RS Mk4 prototype running the famous hill climb.

The new clip includes footage shot from the interior of the French firm's hot hatch, thus affording us the chance to see bits and pieces of the cabin as well as to hear the 2013 Clio RS' engine from the driver's perspective.

Net Cars Show

European Car of the Year Short List with the 8 Finalists Revealed, Think You Can Pick the Winner?

Renault Delays Zoe EV Launch So It Won’t Steal New Clio 4’s Thunder

Backing Up Into a Ferrari California Should Help Fix Your Insurance Rates

Renault Says Clio Mk3 to Continue to be Sold Alongside the New Model

New Renault Clio IV gets its First Tuning Job, Courtesy of Elia AG

Renault Clio Mercosur is an Old Clio with a New Face and it will Debut at the Sao Paulo Show

New Renault Clio RS 4 Suits Up for Racing, gets 220hp 1.6L Turbo

Watch a BMW 328i Chase a Renault Clio RS Mk2 Racer on the Nürburgring

New Renault Clio Mk4 Range Priced from £10,595 to £16,095 in the UK

Renault to Produce New Clio Mk4 Simultaneously in France and Turkey

CAM SHAFT Prepares Renault Clio RS for Nürburgring Adventures

Renault Premieres Stylish and Roomy New Clio Estate in Paris

Renault Shifts Into Sport Mode with New Clio R.S. 200 EDC Powered by 197HP 1.6L Turbo

Spied: Renault Finishing Up Development of New Clio Sport Tourer

Spy Shots: Renault Working on Second Sporty Clio, Could Wear the Gordini or GT Badge

Scoop: 2013 Renault Clio RS 200 Undisguised in White, Paris Motor Show Debut and EDC Confirmed

Spy Shots: New Renault Clio RS Mk4 Caught Completely Undisguised!

EuroNCAP Tests New Audi A3, Ford B-MAX, Isuzu D-Max, Kia Cee'd, Renault Clio and Volvo V40

Future Cars: New 2013 Renault Clio Sports Tourer

Watch and Hear the New Renault Clio RS Mk4 Race up the Goodwood Hillclimb from Inside