Thread: Top 12 autod 2012: Renault Clio

Oluline uute supermini Renault esitatud kui lugenud see mostJust, kui Renault Viimane vajab star esineja, tundub, on toodetud ühe. Prantsuse firma on võttes raske aeg müüa autosid kogu Euroopas, iga müügiks vaidlustanud sõra liikumise VW ja Hyundai-Kia. Mudeli valik kaotanud nii palju hoogu UK mullu et 2012 alguses ta tappa kõik, kuid neli müüb Siin ootavad paremad autod müüa mudelid.
Suur fightback algab järgmise veebruaris, kui uue kujundi Renault Clio läheb müüki. Auto – enam, laiemad, madalam ja 100kg kergem kui tema eelkäija – põhineb hästi tõestatud käiguosa väljuvate Clio, kuid uusi funktsioone ja palju trendikasse interjööri ja välimised tööstusdisainilahendused meeskond eesotsas Laurens van den Acker, ex-Mazda disain ülemus nimetab Renault 2009.
Suur uudis tavalisemate mudelid on äsjavalminud 89bhp, 898cc, kolme silindriga turbo mootor. Theres ikka tavaliselt ülelaadeta 1. 2 l neli algtaseme mudelid ja tuttav 1. 5-liitrine turbodiisel enam pakutaks. Theres ka pooleldi spordi 1. 2 l GT diisel turbo mudel tulemas uus 197bhp Renaultsport mudelile lünk täita.
Theres mingit kahtlust, et uus Clio tundub hea. Testasimme Clio TCE 90, tootja uus kolmekordne, ja see tundus isegi parem kui paljudel fotodel näha: kaasaegsed ja eristav. Sama kehtib ka siseminister. Sidekirmega on domineerivad tema seitse-tolline puutetundlik. See on esimene mainstream Renault saada uus R-link infotainment süsteem ja see lisab palju autosid kaebusele.
Maanteel ja uus Clio koheselt tunneb küps, sest maanteemüra on madal ja tundub rohkem koosseisus üle aeglane judinad kui enne. Aga see on rohkem vilgas, liiga, sest et hammaslatt-rool on kiirem hammasülekanded, peatamine on uuesti hinnatud ja auto on kergem. Vead? See ujub natuke rohkem kui lootsime suurtel kiirustel (on selline naljakas Prantsuse peatamise tagasi?). Ja me olime üllatunud, et tasuta keerlev kolme silindriga mootor ei olnud vaid pisut rohkem tractable, arvestades, et oma kolme-pot Kiireltareneva Saatjaskond võistlejad tavaliselt on.
Ikka on Clio on suur väike auto uuesti, kaasates sees ja välja, ja valmis kaasa Prantsuse fightback. See on palju tööd teha.

Crucial new supermini for Renault delivered when it mattered mostJust when Renault most needs a star performer, it seems to have produced one. The French firm has been having a hard time selling cars across Europe, challenged for every sale by a pincer movement from VW and Hyundai-Kia. Its model range lost so much momentum in the UK last year that at the beginning of 2012 it killed all but four of the models it sells here, awaiting better cars to sell.
The big fightback begins next February, when the new-shape Renault Clio goes on sale. The car – longer, wider, lower and 100kg lighter than its predecessor – is based on the well-proven running gear of the outgoing Clio, but features new and much more characterful interior and exterior designs by a team led by Laurens van den Acker, the ex-Mazda design boss appointed by Renault in 2009.
The big news for more basic models is a brand-new 89bhp, 898cc, three-cylinder turbo engine. Theres still a normally aspirated 1. 2-litre four for entry-level models and the familiar 1. 5-litre turbodiesel is offered again. Theres also a semi-sporting 1. 2-litre GT petrol turbo model coming to fill the gap to a new 197bhp Renaultsport model.
Theres no doubting that the new Clio looks great. We tested the Clio TCE 90, powered by the new triple, and it looked even better than you see in many photographs: fresh, modern and distinctive. Same goes for the interior. The fascia is dominated by its seven-inch touchscreen. This is the first mainstream Renault to get the new R-link infotainment system and it adds much to the cars appeal.
On the road, the new Clio instantly feels mature, because road noise is low and it seems more composed over low-speed jitters than before. But it is more agile, too, because the rack and pinion steering has quicker gearing, the suspension has been re-rated and the car is lighter. Faults? It floats a bit more than we expected at high speeds (is this the return of funny French suspension?). And we were surprised that the free-spinning three-cylinder engine wasnt just a little more tractable, given the fact that its rapidly expanding retinue of three-pot rivals usually are.
Still, the Clio is a great little car again, engaging inside and out, and ready to lead a French fightback. It has much work to do.