Renault Clio set for return

The  all-new Clio coming from France will sit at the bottom of a revitalised range that's already delivering record results in showrooms.

The new Clio reflects the latest design direction from Paris, as well as a renewed commitment to a light-class car where it will go head-to-head with everything from the Toyota Yaris and Mazda2 to the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia with a likely starting price below $20,000.

The Clio was withdrawn from Australian showrooms back in 2007 after a period of dismal sales with a car which was under-done and over-priced for Australia, eventually failing to even win worthwhile support as a cut-priced rental car. "It's a no-brainer that we need the new Clio. It's definitely coming," says Emily Ambrosy of Renault Australia.

"It's going to get people into the brand, and it's the latest design statement for Renault. We're going to have a full range of models up to the RenaultSport Clio. "At the moment we only have the RenaultSport version of the Clio. It's doing well, but it's getting close to the end of its life. She says the Clio will have a very different role under the new regime at Renault Australia.

"A lot has changed. Renault Australia has changed, and we're on a trajectory of growth. We had our biggest month ever in June, which was 540 cars. And we see Clio as being fundamental to continuing that growth in the future." 

The new Clio has just been revealed in France and will be seen publicly for the first time at the Paris motor show in September. It will be nearly a year before the first cars reach Australia, with the hotrod RenaultSport model unlikely until the final months of 2013.

"It will be here around the middle of next year. The regular models will come first, and then the RenaultSport cars about six months later. That's the same staggered timing as Europe, with RenaultSport Clio coming later." The Clio has been part of the Renault bedrock since 1990, with more than 11.5 million sold in more than 115 countries, but the newcomer is more stylish than in the past.

"New Clio is set to make a real mark. In addition to an unprecedented package of innovations, it's design marks a major shift from that of previous models," says Carlos Tavares, chief operating office of Renault. The design of the car is much edgier, and is the first work of new styling chief Laurens van den Acker - formerly of Audi, Ford and Mazda - to his the road.

Renault describes the shape of the Clio as 'voluptuous curves' and promises a cabin that is 'safe, protective and refreshing'. The technology package - not confirmed yet for Australia - includes an 18-centimetre touch screen and access to what Renault claims as the world's first automotive App store for its R-Link system. There is even a potential choice of six engine noises that can be piped into the cabin through the sound system.

Mechanically, the headliner is a three-cylinder 900cc turbocharged petrol engine with the promise of 99 grams/kilometre of CO2 emissions. Renault Australia is already committed to the baby engine and the full package of models and equipment, but pricing is a long way from settled.

"We are going to have the full thing. We'll have entry-level cars, petrol and diesel, manual and automatic. We see it as being one of our biggest models," says Ambrosy. "We haven't got the pricing yet. But it's a heavily competitive segment and we need to be sharply priced."