Cachet of the Clio

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Renault wheeled out two new high-performance hatchbacks and reduced prices of its updated Clio range this week in an attempt to stave off increasing competition from mostly Japanese and Korean carmakers.

The French company sent the small-car sector in New Zealand into a pricing spin five years ago when it launched the Clio II at $23,990, unheard-of then for a car bristling with equipment that included air-conditioning, dual airbags and ABS antilock brakes.

Now it has introduced the new Clio range, starting at $21,990. The base model's 1.4-litre engine and five-speed manual gearbox remain, as does the long list of standard equipment.

But the car receives a new-look front end, an all-new interior, a stronger body, more sound-deadening, and a revised suspension system.

"Since the Clio II was introduced in 1999, it has carved out a well-earned reputation for its value for money," said Mark Jury, the general manager for Renault New Zealand.

"But recently it's been challenged on the pricing front by several Asian-sourced competitors, so we decided to restore the Clio's position as the best-value proposition on the market."

There are four Clio hatchbacks: two five-door models ($21,990 manual and $23,990 automatic) badged Authentic and powered by a 1.4-litre engine, one five-door ($27,990 automatic) called Privilege with a 1.6-litre unit and the remaining three-door RenaultSport, or Clio RS ($37,990), using a 132kW (182bhp) 2-litre engine and close-ratio five-speed gearbox.

The go-fast Clio shares its badging with the company's most-accomplished hatchback, the leather-lined high-performance Megane RS.

The five-door Megane RS ($53,990) is available in New Zealand for the first time. Its turbocharged 2-litre engine produces 165kW (225bhp) of power and 300Nm of torque driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.

Another RS model is available on special order. The Clio RS 255 bulging pocket-rocket is covered in air vents and powered by a 3-litre V6 engine producing 187kW and 300Nm of torque ($87,000, plus on-road costs).