Showrooms around Australia have welcomed the arrival of the new-look 2018 Renault Clio RS.
The sports-inspired facelift sees the Clio RS packing a 1.6-litre turbo charged petrol engine under the hood, which develops 147kW and 260Nm, and is mated with a six-speed EDC dual-clutch automatic transmission. Column-mounted paddle shifters are also included should the feeling bite for a sporty drive.
There is a choice of two chassis tunes, ‘Sport’ and ‘Cup’ which offer different driving experiences.
The Sport offers 17-inch alloy wheels with bigger 18-inch alloy wheels featured on the Cup.
Renault Sport features including launch control, RS Drive with three driving modes (Normal, Sport and Race), as well as the RS Monitor are all available on the new Clio RS.
Assisting with the sports appeal are larger brakes, measuring 320mm in diameter and the rally-inspired hydraulic compression bump stops.
The 2018 Clio RS now casts a broader shadow due to the redesigned front bumper. This also features a more pronounced multi-faceted LED RS Vision lighting system.
At the rear, the lighting reflects the same design language as up front. There is also a spoiler, functional diffuser and for aesthetic balance, twin exhausts.
If you forget what model Clio you purchased you can always check the Renault ‘diamond’ on the bonnet, the wheels or the rear as all will feature RS badging.
Other features added to the new Clio RS not found on the superseded version are front fog lights, front parking sensors, automatic engine stop/start, climate control air-conditioning, Tyre Pressure Warning system, LED cabin lights, digital radio and the factory-fitted option for Android Auto.
The factory-fitted option list includes:
-Black Pack ($500)
Black blade on front bumper, black boot lid and black Renault Sport badge, black rear diffuser, black trim inserts on side door protection and black 17-inch alloy wheels (Sport only, Cup has black alloys).
-Leather Pack ($1,500)
Dark leather upholstery with red highlights and RS.badge on front headrest, heated front seats and height adjustable passenger seat.
-Entertainment Pack ($1,500)
R-LINK navigation and multimedia system with voice control, Android Auto phone mirroring (as mentioned above), RS Monitor, BOSE premium sound system (four speakers, two dashboard tweeters, bass box and amplifier) and R-Sound.
Metallic paint - $550
Signature metallic paint - $750
2018 Renault Clio RS Pricing (excluding on-road costs):
Clio R.S Sport - $30,990
Clio R.S Cup - $32,490
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