CLIO RS NOW HERE

For Renault Clio Sport fans – and, in fact, for all hot hatch enthusiasts – the good news is that one of newcomer Clio Renault Sport R27 Special Edition. But there’s also a downside: only 27 of these very rare machines are being made available for Mzansi.

Based on the Renault Clio Sport, the Clio Renault Sport R27 Special Edition is distinguished by the presence of a special commemorative plaque inscribed with actual vehicle number, and the signature of Renault F1 racing drivers Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet.

Other exterior features unique to the Clio R27 include electrically operated, folding exterior mirrors finished in the same colour as the rest of the car, headlamps with a corner lighting function, extra-tinted windows, and 17-inch alloy wheels with an exclusive dark anthracite finish.

The interior also benefits from a number of items exclusive to the R27. These include sculpted Recaro racing seats, an uprated four-speaker CD sound system with MP3 playback capability, and fully automatic climate control.

For many enthusiasts, however, the under-the-skin improvements will be the ones that really count. And here, perhaps the most important update of all is the use of the much anticipated Cup chassis, developed by Renault Sport Technologies in Dieppe, France.

The ultra-sporty Cup chassis allows a 7 mm reduction in ground clearance to lower the centre of gravity and reduce load transfer, thereby boosting cornering composure and precision. This has a direct, positive influence on the car’s road manners, while its track performance improves by an average of 0.2 sec per kilometre.

The Clio R27’s lower stance is the result of a suspension that has been revised completely. In front, the spring rates have been stiffened by 27 percent, while the rear springs are 30 percent stiffer. At the same time, damper settings have been adapted to match the new spring rates.

Talking of which, those red-painted callipers lurking behind the spoked alloy wheels aren’t just for show: the braking system is virtually identical to that used in the Mégane Renault Sport R26, and employs four-pot Brembo callipers on the front 312 mm vented discs, with single-pot callipers on the rear 300 mm vented discs.

Powering this little monster is the same 2.0-litre normally aspirated engine also employed by the Clio Renault Sport. The four-cylinder unit pumps out 145kW of maximum power at 7250 rpm, while the 215 Nm torque peak is reached at 5500rpm.

It’s a package that begs to be driven with verve, and rewards the enthusiast with a thrilling and compelling driving experience. Making the most of the short-throw manual gearbox will see the Clio R27 hit the 100km/h mark from standstill in only 6.9 seconds. The standing-start 1 000 m sprint requires only 27.5 seconds.

Even so, the Clio R27 is no gas guzzler, and sips an average of 8.4 litres/100 km in combined-cycle use, while the CO2 output per km comes to only 199 grams – one of the lowest in its class.

Of course, the Clio Renault F1 Team R27 also looks the athletic part. Key visual features include the race-derived rear diffuser that creates rear downforce to aid stability, while front fender air vents extract hot air from under the bonnet.

And the asking price? That will be R236 000 asking price.