2017 Renault Clio R.S.16 (spyshot)
Renault surprised everyone with the
reveal of the Clio R.S.16 concept, a faster, badder version of the popular hot
hatch powered by the same powertrain found in the outgoing Megane RS.
The company’s engineers found a way to shoehorn the
turbocharged 271 hp 2.0-litre engine under the bonnet of the Clio, together with
its six-speed manual gearbox, turning the Clio RS from hot to extra-extra fiery
hatch as a celebration for the 40 years of RenaultSport.
That big wing hanging out at the back though,
combined with the wider tracks and the lack of a rear seat is giving away
Renault’s intentions of bringing the R.S.16 Concept into production, albeit in
limited numbers.
The chassis of the concept featured the Perfohub
struts on the front suspension, known from previous generations of the Clio RS,
to better cope with the power, while the rear axle is coming straight from the
rally R3T version, offering a 50 per-cent increase in roll rigidity. A set of
expensive Ohlins dampers along with bigger brakes are also present.
Reports says that Renault will build no more
than 500 units of their ultra-hot hatch at the Alpine factory with production
to start even before the end of the year. The deletion of the rear seat will
likely be an option. If you really want one though, you better be prepared to
fork some money out as it’s expected to cost around 40,000 euros (US$ 45,000).
Source : Carscoops
