Numbers don’t necessarily tell the whole story, but they don’t lie either. In the three years the last generation Renault Clio RS was sold in Malaysia, only a handful (around 10) found buyers. In the 18 months since the new Clio RS was launched (March 2014), there are already 80 of them running on the road. The lower price certainly helped, but we reckon the higher uptake is due to Renault Sport finally delivering something that appealed beyond enthusiasts.
Opening the door to a wider audience
Being a Renault Sport, the Clio RS was previously only available as a three-door hatch. Granted that hatchbacks tend to look sportier with fewer doors, one has to ask if it’s worth all the inconveniences just for that extra bit of style. If you had a child or parent who needed ferrying, or maybe you just happen to lug around an unusually hefty laptop, the absence of rear doors can be a deal-breaker.
By situating the door handle on the C-pillar and cleverly massaging the window line, Renault managed an aesthetic compromise on the Clio RS that retains the two-door silhouette while gaining the obvious rewards in practicality. A reasonably generous wheelbase of 2,589mm also help ensure a quantum of legroom that is entirely adequate for grown-ups.
Turbo is the new aspiration
The argument between small, naturally aspirated and force-fed engines is moot these days. The fast-scrolling, near lag-free delivery of modern turbochargers has well and truly settled the score, way before any VTEC could chime in. Apart from the gains in torque output (200hp/240Nm against 200hp/215Nm previously) from a smaller displacement (1.6-litre against 2.0-litre), the way power is delivered changes the whole premise of the Clio RS.
With maximum torque from just 1,750rpm, you no longer need to constantly wind the engine up to extract performance, which can be a tiresome and stressful affair. Going fast is thus far easier in the Clio RS than before, which in turn affords the average driver the opportunity to finally connect with a Renault Sport product. The Clio RS even comes with a launch control function to help you notch 100km/h from idle in 6.7 seconds, all done by letting the computer decide on the amount of abuse meted out to the clutch and front tyres. Oh, and you also save around RM170 a year in road tax with the 1,614cc 4-cylinder motor as opposed to a 2.0-litre.
Two clutches instead of one
This is a talking point, something that apparently had three-pedal devotees up in arms. But let’s not allow the more vocal minority impose a narrow interpretation of what a hot hatch should be. After all, without the DSG, the Mk.5 Golf GTI probably wouldn’t have become half as popular as it was. So yeah, Renault Sport might have been a bit late to the dual-clutch game, but it’s clearly the right move to have a gearbox that shifts on its own when one isn’t in the mood to explore of the limits of adhesion…or in the likelier scenario of being stuck in traffic.
The switch to automated gear-changes is also entirely on the same page with the Clio RS’s more habitable five-door body as well as the more accessible performance of the turbo-charged engine, and though Renault’s EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) doesn’t feel as crisp or quick-shifting as VW’s DSG, like many clever car inventions, once sampled, it’s hard to look back.
The sensible Renault Sport
The Clio RS is not without its share of shortcomings; the interior plastics are mostly of the hard, shiny variety and isn’t that flattering to the touch, and then there’s the option to pipe in simulated mechanical acoustics that’s not only frivolous, but comical to my ears (why would you want your Clio RS to sound like a motor bike?), though hats off to the integrated RS Monitor 2.0 that shows a bewildering amount of vehicle data while functioning as a data logger during track days.
But it is on a daily basis where the Clio RS shows what a sensible hot hatch it can be when not driven like a bat out of hell; the ride isn’t too hard nor harsh, and the fuel economy is more than acceptable for a 200hp car (it claims a 15.3km/l for the combined cycle, but low tens is achievable in town), yet there’s sufficient grunt and handling guile for track work at Sepang. Some say Renault Sport is selling its soul with the Clio RS 200 EDC, I like to look at it as spreading the love.
From catering to a niche comprising mainly enthusiasts, Renault in Malaysia is fast gaining a new reputation in offering models that are not only interesting (e.g. the new Captur crossover), but are also value for money. If you find the Clio RS too racy, TC Euro Cars – the distributor of Renault cars in Malaysia – now offers the more sedate, but no less sporty-looking Clio GT Line. At an indicated price of RM118,000, the Clio GT Line is powered by a 118hp/190Nm 1.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder mated to a 6-speed dual-clutch EDC automatic. The warm hatch is able to dip below 10 seconds for the 0-100km/h benchmark while returning a claimed 19.2km/l.
Renault Clio RS 200 EDC
Price RM166,888 (incl. GST, w/o insurance, current promo offers a RM13,000 rebate)
Engine 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder petrol, turbocharged, FWD
Output 200hp@6000rpm, 240Nm@1750rpm
Transmission 6-speed dual-clutch auto w/ manual mode
Performance 0-100km/h in 6.7 sec, top speed 230km/h
Wheels/tyres 17in alloys, 205/45 R17
Safety 6 airbags, dynamic stability control
Warranty 5-year/unlimited mileage