Hotter Clio RS 220 Trophy arrives

Renault’s hottest current-generation Clio RS has arrived in Australia, priced from $39,990 plus on-road costs.

The Clio RS 220 Trophy promises more grunt and a sharper drive, along with a collectable leaning: only 220 will be available on our shores in a nod to its horsepower output.

Renault Sport has worked over the turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine to generate an additional 15kW (now 162kW) and ‘up to’ 40Nm more torque (280Nm) thanks to an overboost function available in fourth and fifth gears. Normal peak torque sits at 260Nm (generated from 2000rpm); a 20Nm increase over the regular Clio RS 200 EDC.

The gain have been achieved from a larger turbo, revised inlet system and low back-pressure exhaust, combined with an ECU change that allows a rev-limit hike to 6800rpm rather than 6500rpm.

Those that miss the last-generation Clio RS’s slingshot six-speed manual gearbox may be appeased by the changes to the Clio RS 220 Trophy’s dual-clutch system, which is tuned to deliver shifts up to 30 per cent faster than standard via shorter-travel gearshift paddles.

Auto stop and start has also been added (for the first time with the dual-clutcher), though it is disengaged in default Normal drive mode. Sport mode has been retuned to provide greater flexibility between city and country driving.

The Renault Sport boffins have also retuned the chassis to handle the extra power. The 220 Trophy is lowered by 20mm at the front and 10mm at the rear. Stiffer springs, firmer damping and hydraulic bump stops combine with a steering rack ratio that is ten per cent faster (now 13.2:1) to provide further immediacy.

Externally the 220 Trophy can be had in an exclusive Frost White matte finish with gloss black roof, joining the existing Glacier White, Deep Black, Flame Red and Liquid Yellow offerings.

New-design diamond-cut 18-inch alloy wheels, carbon-look interior trims and heated leather sports seats with integrated head rests add bling while an embossed leather steering wheel brings tactility. Satin-effect chrome finishes feature on the gear lever base plate and air vent inserts.

Finally, Trophy badging is added to the front spoiler, door trims and door sills, the latter individually-numbered to reflect its limited-edition status.

“The Clio RS range has been extremely popular in the Australian market so we’re very pleased to be able to expand the range with this limited edition and offer something special to Australian buyers,” said Justin Hocevar, Managing Director of Renault Australia.

“The limited edition Clio RS 220 EDC Trophy offers buyers an enhanced driving experience and the opportunity to get their hands on something that will no doubt be highly sought-after, with a limited number of just 220 arriving in the country”.

Regardless, the price positioning means the Clio 220 Trophy will have to be incredibly accomplished to justify the $14,000 price hike over Ford’s evergreen Fiesta ST, limited edition or not.