Renault Reveals Crazy Special 275HP Clio RS 16 Concept


This is Renault Sport’s fastest model so far, the special Clio RS 16 concept which uses the powertrain out of a Megane RS 275 Trophy R.

We were expecting from Renault to add some power into the Clio RS but the French company surprised everyone in Monaco with their decision to shoehorn the engine and manual gearbox from the hardcore Megane into the lighter Clio RS.

Built to celebrate Renault Sport’s 40th anniversary, the new Renault Clio RS 16 concept was revealed at the hands of F1 driver Kevin Magnussen at the Monaco Grand Prix. The company was keen to present a fully engineered car, so this special Clio features several enhancements in its chassis and suspension derived directly from motorsport applications. 

“In theory, a Clio R.S. fitted with our most powerful engine – the 275bhp, 2.0-litre turbo engine – was an attractive proposition, but we had to conduct more serious checks as regards its feasibility”, said Managing Director Patrice Ratti. “In less than a month, a small team had completed a preliminary study that confirmed it was possible to house this engine under the bonnet.”

The bodywork is now 60mm wider, the wheels measure 19 inches in diameter while the whole front end of the car was revised in order to correctly house the powertrain and the cooling system.

Dampers are the same used by the Megane RS 275 Trophy-R, meaning one-way adjustable shocks, with the big brother’s braking system transferred as well, featuring 350mm steel discs. The rear axle was taken straight for the rally R3T version of the Clio which offers a 50% increase in roll rigidity. The wheels are 19inch items.

“Generally speaking, we tried to reuse the innovations that were introduced on Mégane RS 275 Trophy-R,” said Maurizio Suppa. “For example, we used a lithium-ion battery, which saved around fifteen kilos and space in the engine compartment!”

Only two models exist so far, with the yellow one serving as the concept car and a black one used for development testing. Renault wants the new Clio RS 16 to be seen as the successor of the crazy Clio V6s of the past.

Renault will decide whether to throw this hot Clio into limited production in the coming months, with a price tag close to 45,000 euros (around $50,000 in current exchange rates). Motorsport-inspired tech doesn't come cheap... 








Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Limited Edition Ford GT 'Competition Series' Is All About The Track

Image
Ford's new GT Competition Series was built with weight-saving in mind, but also with an improved center of gravity for better road-holding. Among its features, you'll notice the lightweight carbon fiber racing stripes, A-Pillars and side mirrors, as well as the unique race-inspired Perspex acrylic engine hatch with integrated venting. Thanks to the manual latch and the carbon fiber prop rod, weight near the roof has been reduced, though Ford engineers went even further in their quest to make the car lighter, by making the bulkhead Gorilla Glass behind the driver about half as thick (and as light) as on other models. "The Ford GT has racing in its blood," said Ford exec Raj Nair, while adding that the Competition Series "was developed with the most hardcore track enthusiasts in mind, providing a tailored set of lightweight features and unique livery to match." There are also plenty of remaining performance features from the production car, such as ...
Read more

Alpine A110 Hits Geneva With Pure, Legende And GT4 Versions

Image
Renault’s reborn Alpine brand has been getting rave reviews for its new A110 and now, as promised, it’s revealed new versions of its coupe at the Geneva Motor Show. Following the success of the sold-out Premiere Edition, the A110 will now be offered in Pure and Legende trims. The A110 Pure is targeted at driving enthusiasts. It features one-piece Sabelt sports seats that weigh barely more than 13 kilograms (28.6 pounds) each and, combined with other weight-saving measures, helps keep the curb weight below 1,100 kg ( 2,425 lbs). It’s not entirely stripped out, though, and still comes with features like air-conditioning and satellite navigation. Buyers can also add upgraded Brembo brakes and an adaptive exhaust system and can upgrade to the adjustable comfort seats. Those come standard on the Legende model, which is geared more towards every day driving and grand touring and comes with leather upholstery. Customers can also choose between two Focal sound systems and two wheel...
Read more

Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet Is A Crossover For Droptop Lovers

Image
Droptop crossovers have always been rather odd and the T-Roc Cabriolet is no different. It will be the only convertible Volkswagen on sale for the foreseeable future and will celebrate its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Rather than simply removing the roof of the standard T-Roc, Volkswagen has drastically altered the vehicle’s structure and body. In fact, its wheelbase is 37 mm longer than the standard T-Roc while its overall length is up by 34 mm. In addition, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet features structural strengthening in the underbody, side panels, cross members, doors, and windscreen frame to make up for the lack of a roof. The folding fabric roof developed by Volkswagen retracts in just nine seconds at speeds of up to 19 mph (30.5 km/h) and is similar in operation to the roof of the outgoing Golf Cabriolet. The presence of the soft top reduces trunk space by 161 liters down from the 284 liters of the run-of-the-mill T-Roc. We don’t think bu...
Read more