Renault Launches Pricey Clio R.S. Red Bull Racing RB7 Edition and Special Mégane R.S F1 Show Cars
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Renault Rejuvenates Megane for 2012 with Subtle Styling and Engine Updates
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In the past two months, Renault has launched a budget supermini for the Indian market, added special editions to the line-up of the Megane Coupe-Cabriolet and the Koleos SUV, and revamped the Scenic/Grand Scenic mid-size MPVs and Laguna Coupe.
Therefore, leaving the Megane as it is would be rather strange, that’s why La Regie unveiled today the “Megane Collection 2012” or simply put, the facelifted version of its C-segment model.
LED daytime running lights are the new black for automotive designers and the 2012 Megane sports a new set on the its revised front bumper that gets gloss black and chrome details. There's also a new selection of wheels and two fresh color options named “Majorelle Blue” and “Pearlescent White”.
The cabin features new trim along with an optional two-tone leather-Alcantara combination in three finishes and the (formerly limited) Bose edition is now an equipment level.
Meanwhile the GT and GT-Line versions receive “boomerang” LED lights, red upholstery stitching, a sports steering wheel, a dashboard trim strip and Renault-Sport-badged doorsill guards.
So far, all the changes are very subtle. However, it’s under the skin that the Megane has really changed with the addition of Renault’s first ever gasoline engine series to feature both turbocharging and direct injection technologies.
The 1.2-liter TCe 115 Energy replaces the previous model’s 1.6-liter naturally aspirated unit. It provides both more power (+5HP) and torque (+40Nm), for a total of 115HP and 190Nm (140 lb-ft) respectively. At the same time it sports a 25 percent lower average fuel consumption, at just 5.3 lt/100 km (44.4 mpg US), which gives it a range in excess of 1,000 km (620 miles), while its CO2 emissions are 119 g/km.
The 2012 Megane will also be available with the new Energy dCi 100 diesel, an updated version of the existing 1.5-liter unit that incorporates technology from the 1.6-liter dCi 130. The new engine has a fuel consumption of less than 3.8 lt/100 km (61.9 mpg US) and emits only 95 g/km of CO2 despite maximum torque been increased by 20Nm (14.7 lb-ft).
The range-topping Renault Sport model in the Trophy limited edition trim gains an additional 15HP and 20Nm (14.7 lb-ft) when the driver selects the Sport mode in the Dynamic Management system, thus having at his disposal a maximum output of 265HP and 360Nm (265.5 lb-ft) of torque.
It has also gained what Renault describes as an “F1-style” front blade with two rows of six LEDs and black headlight surrounds for a sportier look. The newly-designed 18-inch alloys are available in satin or matt black finish and the interior has red stitching on the steering wheel, gear lever knob and dashboard.
Renault said the Mégane Collection 2012 would go on sale from March in Europe, then in the course of the year in other markets around the globe including Turkey, Israel, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Russia and Argentina.
In the past two months, Renault has launched a budget supermini for the Indian market, added special editions to the line-up of the Megane Coupe-Cabriolet and the Koleos SUV, and revamped the Scenic/Grand Scenic mid-size MPVs and Laguna Coupe.
Therefore, leaving the Megane as it is would be rather strange, that’s why La Regie unveiled today the “Megane Collection 2012” or simply put, the facelifted version of its C-segment model.
LED daytime running lights are the new black for automotive designers and the 2012 Megane sports a new set on the its revised front bumper that gets gloss black and chrome details. There's also a new selection of wheels and two fresh color options named “Majorelle Blue” and “Pearlescent White”.
The cabin features new trim along with an optional two-tone leather-Alcantara combination in three finishes and the (formerly limited) Bose edition is now an equipment level.
Meanwhile the GT and GT-Line versions receive “boomerang” LED lights, red upholstery stitching, a sports steering wheel, a dashboard trim strip and Renault-Sport-badged doorsill guards.
So far, all the changes are very subtle. However, it’s under the skin that the Megane has really changed with the addition of Renault’s first ever gasoline engine series to feature both turbocharging and direct injection technologies.
The 1.2-liter TCe 115 Energy replaces the previous model’s 1.6-liter naturally aspirated unit. It provides both more power (+5HP) and torque (+40Nm), for a total of 115HP and 190Nm (140 lb-ft) respectively. At the same time it sports a 25 percent lower average fuel consumption, at just 5.3 lt/100 km (44.4 mpg US), which gives it a range in excess of 1,000 km (620 miles), while its CO2 emissions are 119 g/km.
The 2012 Megane will also be available with the new Energy dCi 100 diesel, an updated version of the existing 1.5-liter unit that incorporates technology from the 1.6-liter dCi 130. The new engine has a fuel consumption of less than 3.8 lt/100 km (61.9 mpg US) and emits only 95 g/km of CO2 despite maximum torque been increased by 20Nm (14.7 lb-ft).
The range-topping Renault Sport model in the Trophy limited edition trim gains an additional 15HP and 20Nm (14.7 lb-ft) when the driver selects the Sport mode in the Dynamic Management system, thus having at his disposal a maximum output of 265HP and 360Nm (265.5 lb-ft) of torque.
It has also gained what Renault describes as an “F1-style” front blade with two rows of six LEDs and black headlight surrounds for a sportier look. The newly-designed 18-inch alloys are available in satin or matt black finish and the interior has red stitching on the steering wheel, gear lever knob and dashboard.
Renault said the Mégane Collection 2012 would go on sale from March in Europe, then in the course of the year in other markets around the globe including Turkey, Israel, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Russia and Argentina.
Très Chic: New Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet Floride
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Renault is using the name of its 1960s Floride rear-engined sports car for a new limited edition of the modern-day Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet that will make its first public appearance at the Brussels Motor Show on January 10, 2012.
In France, the Mégane CC Floride will be offered exclusively in a pastel ivory exterior paint that harks back to the 1960s, while the rest of Europe will also get the option of a more mainstream red color.
Either way, the French car's retractable panoramic top will come in a contrasting high-gloss, piano hue, while Renault has also added retro-style Floride badging on the front wings. On the ivory model, the new 17-inch diamond-effect alloy wheels will be finished in a similar shade.
There's more going on inside as the exterior color scheme is matched by a two-tone red and ivory full-leather interior including the seats and steering wheel. The chrome Floride badge makes its appearance inside on the dashboard that is finished in red with an ivory trim strip, while the gear lever knob and the new floor mats are inscribed with the letter 'f'.
A numbered plaque located on the center console rounds out the changes.
The new Mégane CC Floride will be offered exclusively with a 130HP turbo diesel engine (dCi 130 DPF) that drives the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.
Renault's latest model is available to order in France with prices starting from €33,100 (approx. US$44,700).
Renault is using the name of its 1960s Floride rear-engined sports car for a new limited edition of the modern-day Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet that will make its first public appearance at the Brussels Motor Show on January 10, 2012.
In France, the Mégane CC Floride will be offered exclusively in a pastel ivory exterior paint that harks back to the 1960s, while the rest of Europe will also get the option of a more mainstream red color.
Either way, the French car's retractable panoramic top will come in a contrasting high-gloss, piano hue, while Renault has also added retro-style Floride badging on the front wings. On the ivory model, the new 17-inch diamond-effect alloy wheels will be finished in a similar shade.
There's more going on inside as the exterior color scheme is matched by a two-tone red and ivory full-leather interior including the seats and steering wheel. The chrome Floride badge makes its appearance inside on the dashboard that is finished in red with an ivory trim strip, while the gear lever knob and the new floor mats are inscribed with the letter 'f'.
A numbered plaque located on the center console rounds out the changes.
The new Mégane CC Floride will be offered exclusively with a 130HP turbo diesel engine (dCi 130 DPF) that drives the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.
Renault's latest model is available to order in France with prices starting from €33,100 (approx. US$44,700).
Renault Zoe Priced at £13,650 in the UK After Incentives
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Renault’s EV supermini, the Zoe, is priced from £13,650 (€16,040) in the UK after the government’s Plug-in Car Grant deduction. The new hatchback is already available to order now and will arrive in UK showrooms from June 7.
Renault’s EV supermini, the Zoe, is priced from £13,650 (€16,040) in the UK after the government’s Plug-in Car Grant deduction. The new hatchback is already available to order now and will arrive in UK showrooms from June 7.
On top of the retail price that is similar to the diesel Clio, buyers will also have to pay from £70 (€82) a month for the battery lease. Starting April 5, Zoe’s base price will increase to £13,995 (€16,450), to align with Renault’s price hike on all of its models.
The Zoe has an NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) homologated range of 130 miles (209 km). However, Renault admits that in real conditions and in suburban use, the Zoe will offer a driving range of around 60 miles (96.5 km) in cold weather and 90 miles (145 km) in warmer conditions.
Power comes from a 65kW (87HP) synchronous electric motor with rotor coil which delivers 220 Nm of torque, that allows the Zoe to reach a limited top speed of 84 mph (135 km/h).
Renault’s electric supermini is available in three trim levels – Expression, Dynamique Zen and Dynamique Intens. The latter two versions start from £14,750 (€17,345) now, but will cost £15,195 (€17,870) from April 7. The base Expression trim comes with 15-inch Aerobase wheel trims, the R-Link multimedia system, a 4x20W radio with USB input, jack, SD multimedia and Bluetooth, climate control, cruise control, hill start assist system and traction control, among others.
Dynamique Zen and Intens have additional features, including 16-inch wheels, hands-free keycard, remote battery charging and climate control activation, auto lights and wipers, 4x35W Arkamys 3D digital sound system, leather steering wheel, electric rear windows and rear parking sensors.
Every Zoe features "Range OptimiZEr", a package that combines bi-modal regenerative braking, a heat pump and Michelin Energy E-V tyres in order to increase driving range.
The EV is also fitted as standard with the Chameleon charger, which is compatible with all power levels from 3kW up to 43kW. Using a Rapid Charger 43kW AC power source, the batteries can be charged 80 percent in 30 minutes. Full battery charge can take up to nine hours though.
By Dan Mihalascu
New Renault Clio RS 200 Pitted Against Toyota GT86
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This is one of the first proper reviews of the newRenault Clio RS 200 EDC, and it comes courtesy of Autocar magazine, which pitted it against theToyota GT86, just to spice things up a bit. Reviewer Steve Sutcliffe drives the new Clio RS, and praises it for its composed handling and very high levels of grip, as well as its refinement and comfort levels.
This is one of the first proper reviews of the newRenault Clio RS 200 EDC, and it comes courtesy of Autocar magazine, which pitted it against theToyota GT86, just to spice things up a bit. Reviewer Steve Sutcliffe drives the new Clio RS, and praises it for its composed handling and very high levels of grip, as well as its refinement and comfort levels.
However, the car is criticized for the much talked-about EDC dual-clutch gearbox, which is operated via the exact same metallic paddle shifters used on the Nissan GT-R, as it is not quick enough. The Clio also uses the new trick of boosting the engine's soundtrack inside using the speakers, and while we're not really fond of the idea, it fits the car better than it does in some of the other application of similar systems.
The Clio is quicker than the GT86, both around the corners and in a straight line, thanks to the same power output, more torque and a bit less weight to lug around. The conclusion is that the Clio RS is a highly-competent car, which shows its RenaultSport pedigree, but it is nowhere near as fun as a GT86 (Autocar's comparison, not ours), and more importantly, even less so compared to the car it replaces.
All the information we had been looking over prior to the launch of the car suggested that it would end up being like this, and once it was here, it turned out to be true.
Still, the performance it offers for the money is unbeatable, and so is the engineering know-how which it benefits from – hopefully the Cup package (which is not mentioned in the review, meaning that the tested car doesn't have it) will make it a bit more mad and edgy, to inject a bit of fun into the driving experience.
By Andrei Nedelea
Renault Puts Samsung Badges on the Captur and Calls it the QM3
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Renault Samsung Motors, the French carmaker’s Korean subsidiary, unveiled the QM3 urban crossover at the Seoul Motor Show. Essentially a rebadged Renault Captur, the QM3 will slot inRenault Samsung’s range below the QM5, known as the Renault Koleos in Europe and other markets.
Renault Samsung Motors, the French carmaker’s Korean subsidiary, unveiled the QM3 urban crossover at the Seoul Motor Show. Essentially a rebadged Renault Captur, the QM3 will slot inRenault Samsung’s range below the QM5, known as the Renault Koleos in Europe and other markets.
The launch of the QM3 shows that rebadging between Renault and its Korean affiliate works both ways, as so far only Renault Samsung vehicles were rebadged as Renaults and not the other way round - the Renault Samsung SM3, SM5 and QM5 are sold in Europe as Renault Fluence, Latitude and Koleos respectively.
As expected, the QM3 is identical with the Captur, with badges being the only difference. Like in Europe, the QM3 targets young Korean consumers looking for alternatives to traditional B-segment vehicles.
“Renault Samsung QM3 combines in a single compact vehicle the best of three worlds: the sportiness of an SUV, the convenient comfort of an MPV and the driving pleasure of a hatchback,” said Laurens van den Acker, Senior Vice President, Design, Renault Group.
Renault Samsung didn’t offer technical details, but it’s safe to say the QM3 will carry over the same engines from the Captur. The car will be launched in Korea in the second half of this year, with pricing to be announced at a later date.
By Dan Mihalascu
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