Renault Clio RenaultSport 197 2008 Review - International

What we liked
>> Engaging, near-viceless chassis
>> Standout hot-hatch looks
>> Roomier than expected

Not so much
>> Leather seat facings and better audio should be standard
>> Gearshift? (see text)
>> Price

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 4.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 2.5/5.0
Safety: 3.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 4.5/5.0
X-factor: 4.0/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW
Renault's Clio III RenaultSport 197 represents a market re-entry of sorts for the brand Down Under. Though it inhabits the rarified air at the very top of the segment, the car is the French marque's first Light car to go on sale in Australia since the Clio II Campus was dropped in late 2006.

But to suggest that this car is in any way targeted at 'normal' hatch buyers is, however, erroneous. The RS 197 is a very different beast than the price-focussed five-door 1.4-litre model that ushered out the last generation Clio. With ultra sharp handling and a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine that's stuffed to the exhaust ports with vim and vigour, this is an enthusiast's hot hatch par excellence.

If you're looking for a cut-price Euro for shopping duties then go elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you're enamoured with the idea of a compact three-door that has the potential to humble established performance car icons, then you've come to the right place. Indeed, giving little outright power away to its turbocharged Megane RS stablemates, and a useful 120kg lighter, the RS197 is arguably the sportiest model Renault ever to go on sale Down Under.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
But you will pay handsomely to own a RS 197 and bragging rights to 'viceless' handling, 100hp/litre and a 0-100km/h time that some Porsches can't match. When it goes on sale locally in late July, the relatively modestly equipped RS 197 will be priced around $37,000.

This is just shy of the $37,990 starting price of the three-door Megane RS 225 and a considerable margin above most of the Clio RS's would-be competitors -- at least in terms of size (see COMPETITORS below). It's also up to 50 per cent more than the likes of the established light car performance benchmarks: Ford's XR4 and VW's Polo GTI.

The main qualifier is that the Renault's performance is in a different league to the abovementioned vehicles. Its 0-100km/h bears witness -- at 6.9sec, it's more than 1.5sec faster than both.

Just one body-style will be offered in the RS 197 (three-door) and the sole powertrain is a close-ratio, conventional six-speed manual bolted to a high-revving naturally-aspirated 16-valve 2.0-litre four that pumps out 145kW (197hp) at 7250rpm. There are no automatic or DSG-style gearboxes offered on road-going RenaultSport products.

And though there are at least four versions of the RS 197 available across the various European markets -- ranging from stripped-out race-ready Clio Cup car, complete with sequential gearbox and rollcage, through to the Lux model with leather-clad Recaro buckets and carbon-fibre interior trim, et al -- Australia will get just one trim level.

This local spec is a step down from the domestic Lux variant and misses out on the former's special seats, dual-pane sunroof, chrome and carbon interior highlights, etc. Instead, a pleasing technical cloth trim and RenaultSport's own excellent race-style buckets are featured (the driver's seat gets height and lumbar adjustment) and the 'local' RS's dash gets satin grey dash highlights.

The final specification is still to be detailed by Renault, however, included will be single-zone climate control air, single-disc four-speaker MP3-compatible audio, trip computer, keyless entry with deadlock and immobiliser functions, auto headlamps and wipers, and privacy glass

The car features a fat-rimmed RenaultSport leather steering wheel and de rigueur alloy pedals. Full instrumentation includes a shift indicator. Befitting its performance credentials, the new Clio RS will arrive loaded with kit and wearing an aggressive body kit and performance-focussed brake, tyre and wheel package

As is the case with all new Renault models, the passive safety suite is also impressive comprising electronic aids and no less than eight airbags. For more see SAFETY below.

MECHANICAL
The product of RenaultSport's own plant near Dieppe on the Normandy coast, the RS 197 is largely hand-built. RenaultSport proudly proclaims it uses a minimum of robots on its Dieppe line. Here, real live Frenchmen (and women) build Clio III RS models on the same line as the Megane RS variants, including the latest RS dCi turbodiesel version (more here).

Though the Clio RS starts with the same body-in-white as the cooking model Clio III three-door, it features substantial body strengthening modifications and shares few panels. The RS's doors and bonnet are different, new front and rear wings cover a wider track than the standard car and the RS also gets bespoke suspension -- up front, an innovative "double axis" modified MacPherson strut design developed from the Clio II Cup racecar.

The wheelbase is also stretched 10mm over the standard Clio III three-door for better high-speed stability.

The RS197's bodykit is almost unique in this segment, in that it has been aerodynamically optimised. It incorporates operational extractor vents on the front wings to improve engine cooling and a rear underbody diffuser.

It's the latter that is perhaps the Clio's most active link to the carmaker's pool of F1-inspired technology. RenaultSport claims at high speed, the diffuser (which also houses the 197's twin exhaust outlets) reduces aerodynamic lift and produces "the equivalent of 40kg of rear downforce".

Another key RenaultSport strength is its cars' braking ability. All RS models are designed to provide all-day stopping power at racetrack levels of commitment.

The RS 197 uses ventilated 312mm front discs with Brembo four-piston calipers, with the rear discs 300mm units. This is exactly the same set-up as the current Clio III Cup racecars use. Of course, ABS is standard, though due to the track/sport role of the RS 197, Renault does not specify Emergency Brake Assist.

Steering is electric but is proof positive that such assistance need not detract from steering feel or valuable feedback. Indeed, the RS has perhaps the most communicative tiller of any of the current hot hatches, as we found out during a wet afternoon of track testing at the Espace Plus facility southwest of Paris.

Though just 1.5km in length, the tight and technical track also delivered a chance to ring the best from the RS 197's 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated, fuel-injected petrol engine. Featuring variable valve timing, the four is built specifically for RenaultSport.

Despite undersquare bore and stroke dimensions (82.7 x 93mm), the engine's a revver and happily hits its 7500rpm redline with authority in the lower ratios of the manual six-speed gearbox. The power delivery is relatively linear but maximum power of 145kW (197hp) is not produced until 7250rpm. The soundtrack along the way is pure hell-bent hot hatch.

Peak torque is 215Nm at 5550rpm. That number belies the fact there's over 200Nm available from 3000rpm onwards.

As you'd expect, the high-compression engine delivers its best on high-octane 98RON fuel but can happily run on 95RON unleaded

PACKAGING
The appeal of hot hatches is their practicality, and within the bounds of a 'normal' three-door Light car, the RS 197 is no exception.

The Clio grew substantially in the evolution from second to third generation (first released in 2005; the RS 197 version was first shown at the Geneva motor show in March 2006). There's plenty of cabin width and the splitfold rear seat retains three seating positions (with lap-sash belts) unlike some cars in this segment such as the MINI Cooper S and Peugeot 207 GTI.

Legroom in the rear is actually quite generous for this class of car and the impression of space is compounded by the fact the Clio III carries its full headroom the length of the cabin. This writer comfortably occupied the rear seat for the better part of a one hour traverse of traffic-choked Paris.

Storage options aren't quite as 'clever' as the Megane (no floor bins for instance), but there's sufficient oddment storage to keep most owners happy. Door and seat-side bins are provided and the glovebox is cavernous for this size of car.

The RS's cabin has a bigger car feel thanks in part also to the choice of materials. The Clio III's dash is a soft-touch heavily- grained material with a classy (and practical) matt finish. Also classy are the rubberized controls for the HVAC vents.

Overall the effect is probably a step up on the Megane (which is now starting to show its age a touch -- Megane III will be unveiled at Paris show in September this year); at least on par with the VWs in and around this segment, and certainly more convincing than, say, the circa $12,000-cheaper XR4.

We're fans of RenaultSport's buckets. Though they feature quite aggressive bolstering and provide great support on the track, they are comfortable in the day-to-day. Clever shaping means they are not too hard to enter and alight from either.

The standard trimming is a pleasing 'technical' cloth with contrasting stitching and RenaultSport logos. Leather will be optional, but will cost in the region of $2500 and, as a special order, will entail a three month (approx) delivery period. No news on whether the European-spec Recaros will be offered as an option.

SAFETY
Renault has made safety one of its priorities over the last five years and it shows in the standard specification of even modest models like the donor Clio III. The RS 197 therefore benefits from a proper crash-optimised structure and a whole host of safety technologies including airbags (eight including curtain and in-seat anti-submarining bags for front occupants), height-adjustable front seatbelts with integrated pretensioners and load limiters, pretensioners on the other rear belts and active front headrests.

The Clio III is a five-star car according to Euro NCAP testing.

Active safety is in keeping with the impressive dynamic abilities of the car. Relatively light at 1240kg, the RS 197 gets big brakes with antilock system and electronic brake distribution. As noted above, EBA was not deemed necessary or appropriate given the car's sporting bias.

Stability control is standard but can be switched off completely. The calibration of the system is in keeping with the track and sports-focussed nature of the RS. Such is the latitude it provides, we can think of few times you would need to turn it off.

COMPETITORS
A prickly one this -- especially for the product planners at Renault Australia... In terms of size, the Clio III (RS or otherwise) is very clearly a Light car. However, in terms of pricing and performance, the RS 197 is well into the bracket inhabited by sports and high-spec versions of small cars such as the VW Golf GTI, Ford Focus XR5, Honda Astra SRi Turbo et al.

We'd count among its competitors Ford's Fiesta XR4 ($24,990), VW Polo GTI ($26,990) and Peugeot's 207 GTI ($33,490), but as noted above, the RS 197 easily dispatches this trio in terms of performance.

Closer still in terms of buyer set and performance are cars like the abovementioned Small cars, plus RenaultSport's own three-door Megane 225 ($37,990).

MINI's Cooper S offers a similarly sharp drive experience but you'll need to option the car up to John Cooper Works level to match the RS 197's performance, and that means little change from $53,000.

Which leaves Honda's stunning Civic Type R as, arguably, the RS 197's closest competitor... At $39,990, the UK-built three-door Honda is a similarly engaging drive and like the RenaultSport eschews forced induction for a screaming four-pot petrol engine and almost kart-like levels of grip and response.

ON THE TRACK
After spending the better part of an afternoon thrashing the Clio III RenaultSport 197 around the technically challenging Espace-Plus circuit southwest of Paris in unseasonally wet conditions, it's easy to see why European enthusiast media and customers alike have waxed lyrical about the car. This is a car that is both responsive and forgiving; challenging and rewarding; fast and, most of all, fun.

Possessed of a surprising midrange but delivering its best when revved to within an inch of its life, the RS 197 was fast enough through Espace-Plus' fourth-gear back straight kink (complete with crest and slight off-camber cross section) to demand concentration in the wet conditions and a serious shove on the pedal in the bumpy braking area that immediately followed.

Tipping into the near-90-dgree lefthander at the end you were rewarded with a degree of tactility through the wheel that immediately informed the exact state of the tyre grip at the front wheels. Any slight step out of the rear end could then be settled with throttle as the car aimed at the turn-in point for the second-half of what is effectively a two-corner 'complex'. Once positioned for the second lefthander, a sharp lift off the throttle, turn in and trail brake and the RS 197's tail wagged just enough to once again position the car just so. Great stuff!

In contrast, the Megane 225 R26 we drove back-to-back was more of a handful. What it gained on the Clio RS in turbocharged torque, it lost in the need to be ultra precise with throttle applications and lifts. In the wet and slippery conditions, it was the car that troubled the ABS gods more.

The Clio RS was by comparison more forgiving, yet no less involving. We can vouch for the fact there are few cars on the market today that communicate with the driver like the RS 197.

Located well, but always comfortably, in the contoured RenaultSport bucket seat, the car telegraphs its chassis demeanour to you in a frank and fulsome manner. The steering delivers every nuance of grip, camber and the road surface though without the kickback and histrionic of some others (At least it did on the French track, and during our brief stint on the roads back towards Paris).

Likewise the brakes and throttle are each totally linear and predictable. Both deliver stronger performance than you might expect, too. Thank superior power to weight ratios in both departments.

Though not noisy, the RS 197 certainly lets you know it's working. The engine soundtrack is clear and ever present but never harsh. It would be hard to imagine anybody who purchased this car finding the aural signature anything other than rewarding.

The close ratio box returns around 33km/h per 1000rpm in sixth gear so highway cruising is relatively lazy. The box itself has a precise action but equally demands precision from the driver. The spacing between the 3-4 and 5-6 planes is tight and on the track we scored a couple of miscued downchanges from fourth-third, getting fifth gear instead. Put it down to sitting on the wrong side of the car.

While the RS's cabin is well finished, given the car's steep pricetag it is perhaps a touch underdone. Leather seat facings should be included, as should a better audio system and iPod connectivity. We'd find it hard to accept having to shell out for these items over and above a near-$40,000 sticker price.

At least the dollars do buy you a measure of exclusivity. Unlike all but one of its competitors (the Honda again), the Clio RS is not 'hitched' to a range of cooking models Down Under. Even if the full Clio III range was to make it Down Under (unlikely -- (more here), the fact the RS 197 shares little in terms of exterior panels with its humbler stablemates and has an altogether different stance on the road, augurs well for those looking to stand out from the crowd.

In day-to-day use the RS 197 should demand little in the way of special treatment. Sight lines are good -- as you'd expect in a conventional hatch -- and despite the big 17-inch wheels and racebred suspension, the car still manages an 11.0m turning circle. Steering effort is never a chore.

Our onroad time was limited to the abovementioned 'commute' back to Paris but the route did include some badly potholed bitumen. The RS's ride seemed more comfortable than others of its ilk, though until we drive the car on local roads will reserve our judgment.

We won't resort to a hometown caveat on our overall thumbs up for the RS, however. This is a delightfully well balanced and engaging hot hatch and one we could live with day in day out.

The only hiccup we can see is price -- circa $37K is a lot of money to pay for a small hatch, even one as capable as the Clio RS.

In the UK, the RS 197 sells for a premium over the Fiesta ST (XR4 for us) of less than 15 per cent. Here the difference is closer to 50 per cent.

Whether that says the RS is expensive or the Fiesta cheap, we'll leave you to decide. At least compared to the Honda Type R, the UK versus Australian pricing of the Clio RS is closer to the mark.

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