Renault Sport's next Supermodels

Renault Sport is to Renault what HSV is to Holden or AMG is to Benz. Australia is the ninth largest market in the world for Renault Sport's tweaked models and Aussie customers purchase more of the high-performance Renaults, proportionately, than Renault's cooking models.

The company's Megane R26 is proof positive of that. From 100 units imported in two batches, just one of the limited edition models is left in local dealer stock.

So, with this winning formula in mind, Renault is now bringing in the Clio Renault Sport 197 (more here) and the Megane Renault Sport dCi 175 (more here). The latter joins the Megane Renault Sport 225 and is equipped to broadly the same level, but with some significant differences, not least of which is the 360Nm turbodiesel engine.

Diesels have not been associated with sports sedans and hatches in the past, but the new Megane is here to prove popular wisdom wrong.

Likely to be more of a volume seller than the Megane RS oiler, the Clio 197 is the first iteration of the new, third generation Clio light car.  '197' represents the car's power, expressed in horsepower and that equates to 145kW, which is healthy enough for a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.

Driving through a six-speed manual transmission to the front wheels, the engine in the Clio 197 also develops 215Nm of torque at 5500rpm and has been developed from the powerplant in the Clio II Renault Sport 182.

Renault has recorded a 6.9-second time for the Clio 197 to reach 100km/h from a standing start. Driven more sedately, the Clio returns a combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 8.4L/100km and produces 199g/km of CO2 emissions.

Front suspension is a 'double-axis' MacPherson strut system, which Renault tells us reduces torque-steer, compared with a conventional MacPherson strut system. At the rear, the Clio is suspended by a torsion beam. Steering is an electrically assisted rack-and-pinion set-up and the brakes are ventilated discs at the front, measuring 312mm diameter and complemented by Brembo four-piston calipers. Rear brakes are solid discs measuring 300mm diameter and the calipers are supplied by TRW.

Renault's engineers have enlarged the Clio in this new generation and the Clio 197 measures 3991mm in length, with a 2585mm wheelbase. Width is 2025mm, including mirrors (or 1768mm without the mirrors) and height is 1484mm.

The Clio 197 is built on a unique wheelbase (not shared with other Clio models) and has had its stability control program recalibrated for sports motoring by the 420 engineering staff at Renault Sports facility at Seine Maritime in France.

Local buyers will be offered a selection of four colours for the Clio 197: Toro Red, metallic Silver, metallic Deep Black and metallic Monako Blue.

Standard features comprise: dual airbags, side-impact airbags and side curtains, remote central locking, 17-inch alloy wheels, an exclusive body kit, air extractors in the front quarter panels, satin chrome exterior and interior highlights, height-adjustable steering column, leather-bound sports steering wheel, leather-trimmed gear lever, drilled aluminium pedals, sports seats, trip computer, climate control, auto-up/down electric front windows, height and lumbar adjustment for driver's seat, 60/40 split-fold rear seat and CD audio system.

According to Renault Sport, the standard body kit (principally the rear diffuser) generates between 40 and 70kg of downforce at the rear, obviating the need for a rear spoiler -- although Renault supply one through dealers, as an accessory item.

A recipient of a five-star crash safety rating from Euro NCAP, the Clio 197 is priced at $36,490. Options include metallic paint ($800), six-disc CD audio system ($800), xenon lights ($1750) and a glass sunroof ($1890). As a standard warranty, three-year/100,000km coverage applies. Renault anticipates that the Clio 197 will compete against the MINI Cooper and Cooper S.

Larger than the Clio, the Megane Renault Sport dCi 175 -- which, for the sake of simplicity, we'll refer to from here as the Megane 175 -- is powered by a variant of the same engine that under the bonnet of the latest Laguna (more here).

In the Megane 175 application, this engine gains larger capacity injectors and a re-mapped engine management ECU to raise the torque to 360Nm, available from 2000rpm. Peak power is 127kW at 3750rpm, fuel consumption on a combined-cycle test is 6.3L/100km and CO2 emissions are 165g/km. The engine weighs 70kg more than the turbo petrol engine in the Megane RS 225.

Visual cues that distinguish the Megane 175 from the Megane 225 include the Brembo front brake calipers finished in silver, not red -- and no lip spoiler on the tailgate.

As for all the Renault Sport offerings, the Megane 175 is fitted with a six-speed manual transmission, driving through the front wheels. Whilst first gear is a shorter ratio than first gear for the Megane 225, all the other gears are higher ratios, making good use of the diesel Megane's native torque.

The Megane 175's suspension -- comprising MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear -- has been tuned to 'Cup chassis' specification shared with the five-door Megane 225, although front spring and damper rates are exclusive to the diesel Megane, bearing the added weight of the engine. 225/40 R18 tyres are also shared.

Front ventilated disc rotors measure 312x28mm and the Brembo calipers are of the four-piston type. Unlike the Megane 225 -- with the 'full' Cup chassis -- the diesel's front discs are not cross-drilled.

"Bear in mind, the diesel doesn't have the full Cup Chassis," says Craig Smith, Renault's Marketing Communications Manager, explaining why the front discs aren't drilled. "Brake squeal is an issue," he said, "because of the extra weight of the engine".

At the rear, the solid rotors measure 300x11mm. Renault Sport has configured the stability control program (ESP) to allow some latitude for sports driving and the system ensures that understeer is limited.

Just four exterior colours are available for the Megane 175 (and the other Megane RS models): Toro Red, metallic Silver, metallic Deep Black and Alp Blue.

Renault has specified the Megane 175 with the following features as standard: ABS/EBD, Brake Assist, ESP, adaptive dual front airbags, side-impact airbags for front and rear-seat occupants to protect the thorax, side curtain airbags to protect the head, remote central locking, cruise control/speed limiter, climate control, height and reach adjustment for the steering column, electric windows/mirrors, one-touch window control for driver, rain-sensing wipers, auto-on/off xenon headlights, fog lights front and rear, a follow-me-home facility, six-disc CD audio system, trip computer, external temperature gauge, leather-bound steering wheel, leather gear knob, leather seat trim, 60/40 split-fold rear seat and drilled aluminium pedals.

Priced at $39,990, the Megane 175 leaves metallic paint ($800) as the sole option. At that price, the diesel Megane is just $2000 more than the three-door Megane 225, but with additional features (larger wheels, leather trim, 'Cup chassis') and is $4000 less than the five-door Megane 225.

Tested to five-star crash-safety fitness by Euro NCAP, the Megane 175 is offered with Renault's standard three-year/100,000km warranty.

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