Even though Renault hasn’t made it clear it yet if the regular fourth-generation Clio supermini will be joined by its performance brethren, the Clio RenaultSport (RS), at the brand’s the Paris Motor Show stand, there’s a good chance it will.
Those of you who just can’t wait to see how the 2013 Clio RS Mk4 looks like, we have good news as for the first time, our spy photographers nabbed the hot hatch completely undisguised at Renault’s Nürburgring facility.
The frisky French supermini will take on the likes of the also new Peugeot 208 GTi and the Volkswagen Polo GTi when it goes on sale in Europe next year.
On the outside, the RenaultSport variant obtains a rather discreet styling package, which includes a newly styled front bumper with enlarged air vents, a honeycomb grille insert surrounded by a body-colored strip (instead of the regular model’s chrome finish), side skirts, a larger roof spoiler and a twin-exhaust set-up in the rear apron that hosts a diffuser.
The car rides on new alloy wheels shod in low-profile tires that allow us a glimpse of the meaty-looking brakes. A sportier tuned suspension and a more direct steering system will also be part of the package.
Underneath the hood, the outgoing model’s rev-happy, naturally-aspirated 2.0 petrol engine will give its place to a new 1.6-liter turbocharged four-pot that should delivering somewhere around 200-horsepower. It will be connected to a six-speed manual driving the front wheels.
Like the normal Clio, the RS will be offered exclusively as a five-door hatchback.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoop
PHOTO GALLERY
