Lovers of hot hatches will be eagerly anticipating the Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC which is available from April.
EDC comes as standard in the new Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC.
Renault unveils prices for its Clio RenaultSport 200
There are two UK versions of this excellent car: the Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC (£18,995) and the Lux (£19,995).
This is the first Renaultsport to feature EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) transmission as standard. There are six gears selectable via aluminium steering column-mounted paddle shifters. The Clio Renaultsport 200 is the first sub-supercar to feature multi-change down function and they are a lot easier to control than you’d imagine.
Renault have also thrown in a load of other technical upgrades to ensure the Clio Renaultsport 200 remains the ultimate ‘hot’ supermini which include R.S. Drive with three driving modes to alter settings for engine, accelerator pedal, steering and ESC mapping. These are Normal, Sport and entirely manual Race (shift time ratio of under 150 milliseconds in latter).
There’s also launch Control and fully disconnectable ESC and ASR traction control (in Race mode) for the ultimate track car and the Clio Renaultsport 200 is also the first production car with hydraulic compression stops in shock absorbers (usually the preserve of rally cars).
The Clio Renaultsport 200 has some stiff competition from the new Megane and the Ford Focus ST (currently the best seller) but the Clio has always had a faithful following.
Fans of the Clio Renaultsport 200 can also enjoy standing start performance, understeer removal and new steering calibration.
The Clio Renaultsport 200 also has 10% increased anti-roll bar stiffness, bigger brakes and a ‘Sound Pipe’ which sends engine soundwaves directly into the cabin for heightened driving experience.
Though you might find this feature very annoying after a time.
The Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC costs £18,995 and the Lux is priced at £19,995.
As with all cars that have a strong fan base willing to part with their cash – and the Clio Renaultsport 200 has a host of nice optional extras – you should compare the leasing prices for this vehicle before actually buying one. I’m guessing you will be very surprised at the savings you could make.