16 Jun 05
The all-new Clio, bigger and more spacious than the car it will replace, has been unveiled by Renault. The third-generation model has a more muscular, planted look than the car it replaces, an appearance which reflects the car's wider track, longer wheelbase and very short overhangs front and rear. The Clio will cost between £8500 and £14,000, which represents a small increase over the existing range. And for those looking for bargain Renault motoring, the existing Clio will be built alongside the new model, in 1.2-litre three-door guise, until the even smaller new Twingo is launched here in right-hand drive form from 2007. This bargain-basement Clio will be priced around £6995.
The Clio will compete with cars such as the Ford Fiesta, Citroen C3 and Toyota Yaris. For the record, Renault claims that it will be more spacious than these rivals. In any event, the new car has big shoes to fill - the Clio has been a consistent top-ten best seller in the UK since its debut in 1991. We've bought a quite spectacular 850,000 of the things, which is one reason that Renault hasn't departed dramatically from a proven formula with this new Clio.
