Renault engines have been victorious in the last four consecutive F1 world championships. The all-new Clio R.S. 200 EDC (like all R.S models) comes form the Dieppe factory in France which also houses the Renault competition department.
In fact one-fifth of the Dieppe workforce is employed by the competition department and each Renault Clio R.S. 200 EDC takes 26 hours to make – much longer than regular Clios.
Get the connection then?
We’ll spell it out: the Clio R.S. 200 EDC is no bolt-on spoiler pack. This car has been designed, specified, tested and made with passion by high performance enthusiasts.
Renault Clio R.S 200 EDC Overview
‘EDC’ stands for ‘efficient dual clutch’ – makes sense really because there are some dual clutches out there which are far from efficient. And 200 stands for 200-horsepower according to the European measurement (147kW in Australia).
The Clio is Renault’s compact four-door hatchback and Australian customers have four Clio R.S. 200 EDC variants from which to choose: ‘Sport’ ($28,790), ‘Cup’ ($31,290), ‘Sport Trophy’ ($34,290) and ‘Cup Trophy’ ($36,790). Cup versions are the high-performance specification and, for example, feature 18-inch alloy wheels (17-inch for the Sport models), red brake calipers and suspension which is 3.0mm lower and 15 per-cent stiffer.
Over the standard Sport and Cup specification, Trophy models add extras such as a rear-view camera, better audio system and R-Link navigation, the excellent R.S. Monitor 2.0 with its customizable display including performance data and G Force Diagram and dark carbon leather seats.
Renault Clio R.S. 200 EDC Engine
Renault says the engine for the Clio R.S. 200 EDC is just one component influenced by F1. It’s a small capacity turbocharged engine with DLC coated camshaft tappets and an emphasis on fuel consumption as well as performance (F1 aims to cut fuel consumption by 30 per-cent with the 2014 switch to turbocharged V6 engines).
Clio R.S 200 EDC runs a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder direct injection turbocharged petrol engine which delivers 147kW of power at 6000rpm and peak torque of 240Nm at 1750rpm. Drive is via Renault’s excellent six-step CVT automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle-shifters for manual changes and launch control and R.S-developed electronic differential.
Zero to 100km/h takes 6.7 seconds and fuel consumption is rated at 6.3l/100kms (that’s 25 per-cent better than the previous generation’s 2.0-litre powerplant).
Renault Clio R.S 200 EDC The Interior
European style with an obvious injection of sportiness – the Renault Clio R.S. 200 EDC presents a very appealing look inside. Red highlights (including the seat belts) confirm this is an R.S. model and nice sports seats (leather trimmed in Trophy models) work well in the twisty stuff.
Renault is to be congratulated for the dashboard – conventional instruments (grey background for R.S. models) but in a layout which makes even more expensive rivals look plain. Rake and reach adjustment for the sporty R.S. steering wheel and plenty of seat adjustment mean even lanky drivers will find a sporty driving position.
In the centre, the console is finished in high-gloss black and this houses the high-tech seven-inch multimedia unit.
Rear seat passengers will find a comfortable seat with leg-room on-par with others in this segment.
Luggage space is surprisingly good – 300-litres with the rear seat in-place and 1146-litres when folded.
Renault Clio R.S. 200 EDC Exterior & Styling
We reckon the standard Renault Clio is a standout look in the compact four-door hatchback segment, but add the R.S. touches and you really get something out of the box. And go the whole way and buy a Clio R.S. 200 EDC in the hallmark red or yellow hues - they look brilliant.
Renault Sport Technologies add specific bumpers, front aero blade, sills and twin tailpipes for the R.S. 200 EDC – and of course those stylish 17-inch and 18-inch alloy wheels. And at the rear, the specifically-developed diffuser provides 80 per-cent of the aerodynamic downforce (the other 20 per-cent comes from the lip spoiler which is also specific to this model).
Renault Clio R.S 200 EDC On The Road
Here’s a quick snapshot of some of the driving technology on offer in the Renault Clio R.S. 200 EDC:
• Launch control (pull the two paddle-shifters forwards to engage and in ‘Race’ mode the traction control is disconnected and gear shifts are manual – we tried the ‘Sport’ mode and it was brilliant)
• On-board telemetry with the R.S. Monitor 2
• Three drive modes reduce turbo lag, adjust the gear shift calibration and firm-up the suspension
On the suspension front, Renault has introduced Renault Sport Technologies’ hydraulic compression control (first developed in rally cars) with a secondary damper within the main damper body. A brilliant system which provides the firmness and precision required by sporty drivers with levels of ride comfort and compliance which some German rivals could well copy.
At the front, Renault has enhanced the McPherson strut set-up with improved stiffness and larger dampers while at the rear, the Clio R.S. 200 EDC gains an anti-roll bar which is 10 per-cent thicker than the previous generation Clio R.S and a remarkable 60 per-cent stiffer than the regular Clio models.
Especially with launch control in-play, standing-start acceleration is explosive. As usual with the latest generation of hot turbo hatches, this blistering performance is accompanied by a very satisfying audio track of pops and bangs as the turbocharger and tuned exhaust do their things.
Through the twisty stuff the Renault R.S. 200 EDC was dynamic and responsive – we liked the precision turn-in and feel from the direct (2.67 turns lock-to-lock) steering and the mid-turn balance was excellent (this thing takes a cornering ‘set’ like all good high-performance cars). And corner-exit acceleration was again explosive – rapid, balanced and accompanied by pops and bangs from the engine as you race through the gear changes with the paddle-shifters.
Renault Clio R.S. 200 EDC Challenges
Brilliantly sporty and dynamic, the Clio R.S. 200 EDC ticks all the boxes for us. We’d just like the reversing camera standard across the range (the safety benefits cannot be ignored by any manufacturer).
Renault Clio R.S. 200 EDC Verdict
It’s simple really – Renault just ‘gets’ hot hatches and the people who buy them. Like the Renault Megane R.S. models, the Clio R.S. 200 EDC is just brilliant – without doubt one of the best cars we’ve driven this year.
It’s more than just that scintillating performance – there’s race car technology to boast about with your mates, super-sharp styling inside and out and wherever you look the quality is standout. And that quality has unmistakable European flavour.
Renault Clio R.S 200 EDC The Competition
Ford Fiesta ST is a cracker and, priced at $25,990 is the value standout in this league. You get 134kW/240Nm of turbocharged 1.6-litre performance but not the high-tech goodies and race-inspired kit of the Renault Clio R.S. 200 EDC.
Yes, we know the Peugeot 208 GTi is a three-door to the four-door Renault Clio R.S. 200 EDC but even so, we’re calling it the most direct rival…well it’s French. Same power (147kW) and a bit more torque (275Nm to the Clio’s 240) and the Peugeot shares the Renault’s European sophistication inside and out. The ‘Pug’ does miss-out on some techno stuff like the Renault’s R.S. Monitor and launch control and at $29,990 its value isn’t quite as sharp as the Clio.
In this company, Volkswagen’s Polo GTI needs an ‘R’ version. Excellent as you’d expect from Volkswagen and certainly sharply priced from $27,790, the 132kW/250Nm Polo GTI is more mainstream than the F1-inspired Clio R.S. 200 EDC.
If you’ve got some extra coin, the Mercedes-Benz A250 Sport ($49,900) is a cracker – although the $74,900 A45 AMG is better again and out-of-this-world in terms of performance.
Thumbs-up: Lots of kit straight from the competition department, goes hard, brilliant looks
Thumbs-down: Just needs a reversing camera in all models.
