Renault has released official details of its eagerly awaited compact hot hatch – the Clio RS 200.
At this model’s heart lies a direct-injection, 1,6-litre turbopetrol unit mated with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission with paddle shifters and a multi-gear change-down function. This unit develops 149 kW at 6 000 r/min and 240 N.m of torque between a broad 1 750 – 5 500 r/min.
Renault claims a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 6,7 seconds going on to a top speed of 230 km/h. The kilometre sprint from a standing start is claimed to take 27,1 seconds.
The RS 200 weighs about 36 kg less than its predecessor (1 204 kg) and is underpinned by a RenaultSport-fettled suspension of which the rear anti-roll bar is 10 per cent stiffer than before. The car can also be specified with a lower, stiffer Cup chassis as an optional extra.
The car also features hydraulic compression control – basically a secondary damper that nullifies suspension rebound to better cope with broken road surfaces. Stopping power is provided by 320 mm front and 260 mm rear disc brakes.
Among the driver aids are an electronically modulated front differential, ESC traction control, ASR skid reduction, launch control and RS Drive – a three-preset (Normal/Sport/Race) drivetrain management system that alters such parameters as gearshifts, throttle response and the operation of the ESC and ASR systems.
The interior of the RS 200 features red contrasting for the seat stitching, needles and seatbelts, a sports steering wheel, bucket seats and other hot hatch styling addenda, but the main attraction has to be the 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
In addition to its audio and sat-nav duties, the monitor can be specified to display such information as:
- Torque, power, water temperature, intake air temperature, turbo pressure, throttle valve aperture, brake pressure, steering wheel angle, engine speed, transmission oil temperature, temperature of EDC clutches, wheel torque
- Performance data (acceleration times from standstill to 50 km/h and 100 km/h; 400m and 1 000 m standing start times; 100 km/h to standstill braking times)
- G Force Diagram: longitudinal and lateral acceleration, with display of maximum recorded values.
- Wheel spin (expressed as a percentage) of driven wheels
- Torque and power curves and position of real-time values on the curves
- Graphic display showing the EDC transmission internals: selected gear, pre-selected gear, clutch temperature
- Stop watch
- Servicing: provides distances covered by tyres, dampers, brake pads and discs since their fitment.
- Driving tips in text form
- Car settings:
- ‘Shift light’: adjusts the timing of gearshift indications
- ‘Steering’: forces use of either the ‘Normal’ or ‘Sport’ modes
- Data logger
There’s also the facility to download an app that pipes the engine noise of such cars as the Alpine A110, R8 Gordini and Nissan GT-R into the cabin.
The Renault Clio RS 200 is expected to arrive on the local market by the last quarter of 2013, possibly around October.
