LOOKSWISE, IS THE EPITOME OF FRENCH FLAIR

+ Click to Enlarge BLOW YOURSELF AWAY: Renault's Clio Sport blows the cobwebs from your hair and the blues right out of your soul.

November 23, 2009
By Peta Lee

Sometimes you just want to get in a car and blow off the frustrations of your day by gassing it hard and fast out of town. It's so easily done in the Clio RS Sport.

Renault’s new RS is adrenalin in super-quick motion: a neat and pretty little package that blows the cobwebs from your hair and the blues right out of your soul.

In my (limited) experiences in the birthplace of the Renault, I remember only crowded, congested Parisian roads: small cars with crash bars and myriad dents and demonic French drivers, hands on hooters, stop-starting their way through the city’s clogged arteries.

How, then, would they appreciate the awesome appeal of the Clio Sport, a car seemingly designed specifically for our wonderful wide roads and freeways, where it's at its best with the right foot firmly planted

Looks-wise, however, it's still the epitome of French flair. Enhanced by the new and rather aggressive grille and wider fenders, and an even sportier interior, the RS, despite its size, has a distinctive appearance when slotted into the office car park – offset by those two fat tailpipes.

It's not meant for cissies, although it's a pleasure to park anywhere and terrific if you're weaving your way in and out of peak-hour traffic.

Foremost in the minds of those Renault designers was the woman (or man) who loves high performance in a small package. Blessed with 215Nm of torque (at 5400rpm) and 147kW), this pocket rocket has blistering performance when you release the horses.

With brilliant stopping power and cornering ability (this could have something to with a slightly longer wheelbase than before) and a great grip on the tar, the RS is superb on the road.

The fascia and its whole set-up are sporty and eye-catching and I loved the trim and the body-hugging sports seats. Also great are the power-folding mirrors and, naturally, you get a comprehensive listing of standard features such as a whole bunch of crash bags, cornering lights, light/rain sensors and aircon.

The fact that it has three doors might put off mums with huge broods, however, but they should also bear in mind that Renault has an exceptional safety record, which is very reassuring if you ARE driving children around in your Clio.

SAFETY-AWARE

In fact, more than a half-century ago, Renault was one of the first manufacturers to tackle the active and passive safety of its vehicles right from the design stage.

The results of this safety-aware approach can be seen today in the excellence of the Renault range with 12 vehicles scooping a five-star rating in EuroNCAP tests.

C'est combien? R249 900.

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