Waiver of lean menu: test drive hot hatchback Renault Clio RS
“You can still go to the race track and vzharit so that will not find – says the manager of the division Renault Sport. – But our goal was to make from this machine perlo even when driving at walking pace. And even during parking with the engine off! .. “
… On the screen multimedia system in a circle – just like on the menu of the game – cars lined up a variety of times and formats: old fashioned limousine thirties, futuristic concept car which has become for many a dream car Nissan GT-R – somehow this company wormed even unknown brand motorcycle, released forty years ago … It should choose the appropriate menu item – and Clio RS strange voice sings: Will chant in motorcycling or forced to roar in the manner of the Japanese supercar.
However, only the audio will sing and hear these sounds, only those who are sitting in the car – around the same multimedia conversions will not notice, since the exhaust sound will remain the same … “My kids are used to that Dad goes on fast machines. At the sight of another hot hatchback delight no longer squeal – suddenly enthuses manager of Renault Sport. – But from this machine for their ears could not pull … “
Base Price Clio RS in Russia – 1.049 million rubles. In the list of standard equipment includes front windows, heated front seats, cruise control and single-zone climate control (Renault engineers felt that the Clio dual-zone climate control without the need for: salon too compact to be able to achieve a significant difference between the two zones).
Those who care about driving fast, who through word remembers Nurburgring, late apex and poluslik used to seeing in the Clio RS is track fighter created for turning circle in the actual records obsolete. Used not just to this: not many riders sofa stands out among all the hot hatchbacks is “klyuhu” for exemplary handling and close to the ideal suspension settings. Despite the fact that at the heart of the rear suspension Clio RS is simpler and cheaper torsion beam, and do not consider more sophisticated multilink design – the more respect labor caused the French engineers.
And the less important seemed all kinds of “secondary” factors – Ride, comfort rear passengers, one or the other options. Here and now focuses on seemingly fundamentally important changes: instead of the usual for the first three generations atmosfernika Clio RS – turbo, instead of the previously uncontested manual gearbox – as no alternative “robot” …
Caveat is that when you create fast cars – just like in a race involving most of these machines – sometimes not do without the team tactics. Engine capacity under three hundred forces, limited slip differential, advanced front suspension with swivel complex configuration – all these components and assemblies, making fast driving even faster, if you wish not too difficult to integrate into the design. But Clio RS should not push forward the older – more precisely, a senior: hatchback Megane RS, which is a hierarchy of models of the French brand is a notch above.
Need to keep your distance and dynamics (to disperse hundreds “klyuha” about half a second slower – 6.7 vs. 6.1), and in the price. And exhibited command guidance on the cost of a direct impact on how the car behaves on the track. For example, to avoid appreciation of engineers required to use the same front fenders, as on the standard Clio. Can not put a broad wings – do not get used in the design are the same suspension knuckles advanced design, which boasts Megane RS.
For a surcharge of 35 000 rubles, you can order a Clio RS with stiffer “cup” suspension. On the race track this machine confidently holds the asphalt, on ordinary roads special airtight not afraid. Launch control feature (allowing makismalnaya briskly from place to start) have all Clio RS. When iterating gas stalled wheels from the soul – so, perform a perfect acceleration is not so simple.
Fists of these are good that minimize parasitic steer the front of the drive wheels – a harmless disappears, but very sharp and unpleasant jerk the steering wheel in the direction of which many front-wheel drive cars with powerful motors respond to blow on the gas pedal. This breakthrough is particularly harsh and unpleasant when riding in cars with limited slip differential – hence this more relevant than when driving fast assembly with Clio RS already “does not rhyme.” Instead – a simpler but less effective electronic simulation when trying to break into a slipping wheel “grab” the brakes. No doubt – any car produced in large series consists of a compromise, but in the case of “klyuhoy” these compromises than usual striking.
However, examining the bones once hot hatchback, experts often forget one obvious thing: not always bright, vociferous and able to quickly go buy a car solely for polishing racetracks. “We see in the Clio RS kind of gadget – explains his approach managers Renault Sport. – Let the owner of this car will arrive at the circuit once in a hundred years, let it be poorly represent what it is capable of his car – the buzz of” communication ” with the car it will get, even when driving at walking pace. And even standing in the parking lot with the engine off! .. “
Another attribute Racing – Shift-light in the mode of Race (transfer switch in it strictly by hand) car light and audible alarm will alert the driver that the engine almost ran into a cut-off and it’s time to switch up. The extent of this “almost” (margin on turnover before clipping) can be selected. Selecting the motion affects the usual parameters: responsiveness of the gas pedal, shift algorithm, the algorithm of the stabilization system (Race mode off completely) and the force on the steering wheel.
That is why the radio learns to imitate the voices of strangers – although this option would have looked more appropriate for low-end models whose engines do not sound particularly noble. Therefore, it is helpful multipage menu section dedicated telemetry: the screen can display information about the temperature of the intake air and the pressure in the brake system to monitor the degree of wheel slip and note the time of the circle, draw diagrams overloads and steering angles – if necessary, recording everything on the card memory. Seriously it will use one or two hundred of the buyer, but the animation look caresses: did not really understand in this pile of data, sort through dozens of pages you can until you’re blue. So tidy and borrowed from conventional Clio without any alterations: it does not matter that the tachometer pushed into a corner, to the lateral view – but the extravagant design, and huge numbers of electronic speedometer always in sight.
According to the official version, the new generation Clio RS made “closer to the people” – is that in everyday use should be charged a French order of magnitude more comfortable than its predecessor. In practice, comfort can add except that “amputation” of the clutch pedal – it will be easier to push in moving a snail’s pace traffic. As for the other components, the new chair bows hips even tighter than before, even more droning exhaust, steering wheel with one hand and still not to twist. If driving on the highway there is a need and then tinker with small podrulivaniyami course, ten minutes later, come to mind, the thought that it would be good to make the wheel less tugovato. But he, on the contrary, can only become sharper and harder – if of the most comfortable driving mode switch to Normal or Sport Race. It’s not annoying – rather the contrary, encouraged against many modern cars with empty rudders. But for many wind noise can be a major irritant – it becomes more be heard at speeds of 70-80 km / h and still noticeably “fonit” even when playing in the cabin is not the quietest music.
At the extravagant looks tidy outsider archaic information display (above the speedometer). On machines which will arrive in Russia, he will “speak” in Russian – as well as all sections of the multimedia system (including a library displayed on the central screen tips manual Clio RS and fast driving in general). Why have fuel for three pointer scale? Answer trivial – for beauty.
But the main source of positivity in everyday driving on normal roads – suspension. Secret – the design created specifically for the Clio RS dampers (by the way, their commissioned by the French developed a kind of Turkish company supplying suspension components for conventional Clio at the Renault plant in Bursa, Turkey). Besides the main valve group they have more, triggered at the end of the compression stroke. To experience this effect in all its glory, not even desirable seats, and just jump on the new Clio RS from another machine, honed under the fast ride.
Initially suspension delivers the usual signals: the language of forces and vectors too draws a detailed picture of the road profile, occasionally misses some energetic and constantly butting – light background vibration on the steering wheel … Nothing extraordinary, yet surprisingly straight ahead (too late to slow down or take Evasive) there is a deep hole or a large bump. Contact! And … the usual blunt and flat hitting is gone – as if it was cut in the installation … “Swipe on the ruble – kick a penny” – used to going in “kostotryasah” for such “ordinary miracle” can forgive and the wind whistling in the cabin, and not too conveniently located tachometer …
In “compatriot” of the number of hot hatchbacks – Peugeot 208 GTi – wheel seems too small bagel Clio RS first looks for a largish so tightly composited salon. But during the drive to her questions do not arise. Is that attached to the steering column “petals” shift inconvenient to use – even such large.
The paradox is that the idea of using shock absorbers with additional hydraulic damping did not come on bumpy provincial primers, and all on the same racetracks – during the suspension settings on the first prototypes. Usually when dealing with the most serious irregularities take the brunt cast polyurethane buffers, but at the current Clio RS they are made very short. The fact that the replacement of a manual on the heavier robotic not changed for the better weight distribution – and it threatened to make the machine more prone to “pluzheniyu” What’s the front axle “past the turn.” To keep understeer within reasonable limits, had to let the car harder to heel, “pitting” so excessive load on the front tires – and the restriction of roll is one of the functions mentioned above polyurethane buffers.
Feel how much stronger the new Clio RS leans to one side and how it affects cornering – a task for sverhopytnyh test pilots, at least – for those who wound on the race track a few hundred laps on the previous generation car. On the sheet, half an hour on an unfamiliar track circuit such nuances difficult. Understand how electronic differential lock inferior imitation “nutritious” limited slip differential – also a task for advanced drivers choose on track days and similar entertainment if not every weekend, then twice a week for sure. How critical is the relatively low speed gear (in the aggressive mode promised “less than 150 ms”, while a box mounted on the similar characteristics Volkswagen Golf GTI, does it for 8 ms) – can only show stopwatch subject to a number of conditions like identical tires ..
One of the most clever and least understood of the menu items Telemetry (officially called the RS Monitor). On the screen – maximum card overloads recorded during the arrival. Total system can capture and display about 30 different options – including measure the acceleration time to 50 and 100 km / h, passing the distance of 400 and 1000 m, slowing down from 100 km / h to a full stop. It is noteworthy that this is no new Non-conventional sensors Clio did not take place – that is, in theory, all this information can be made available to owners of more cost machines.
But some moments can be evaluated without precision equipment. Paddle shifters are available, but are fixed to the steering column. Suitable solution for crossover whose driver during slow movement along the arc of rotation can remove one hand from the steering wheel without any risk to themselves and others – and controversial for more than a sports car. Steep left turn, just passed the apex, when rotated 120 degrees on the left handlebar close to the point when you have to let go of the steering wheel and the interception, so – not bent in the most comfortable position, and not only keeps much holds the steering wheel … The machine is essentially in control right hand, which at this point … should be removed from the steering wheel to find and press located on the right side of the steering column “petal”.
The French already ready explanation: that fix the switches on the steering wheel – while taxiing to the interception driver gets confused where his plus and minus where. But this explanation is perceived as excuse: the sanity short track rod (around 2.5 turns from lock to lock), even in high heels most of the drivers reach the point of interception is often, but intercepted – extremely rare. And in tight parking spaces clicking gears would not dream of even the most otomorozhennomu street racer … In a word, “I thought you were – al, and you – udvas”: Ready to catch the small nuances and confronted with the fact that in some places elementary logic twisted inside.
Renault Clio RS imitation exhaust sound
According to the logic of gadgets every month on the site Renault must have new collections of sounds that would diversify the “voice palette” Renault Clio RS. When the French can emulate the car, “Formula 1”, haul trucks or locomotive – manufacturer representatives to answer difficult.
Here we must return to the question, for whom it was built this machine. Unlikely to fighting for a split second hardcore racing fans: they have Megane RS, which is more powerful, faster, “honest” and only 14% more expensive (base price – 1,217,000 rubles against 1.049 million rubles from the Clio RS). If need fast car for all occasions – and “instagram” put her photos and surprise friends and show off in front of the girl – then is it really so important switching speed and attaching “petals”? Where urgent to forget about engagement, save teeth from accidental exposure in a deep hole or play around with fun applications in the car park
But this does not mean that with the advent of fourth-generation Clio RS turned into sheer pontovoz.Frenchwoman on the racetrack will be in their element and would be suitable for “party” for the development of basic skills to drive fast. If the owner plunged into the apexes and slip angles, it will sooner or later felt The that at certain moments of “stick” longer “pulls” and eyeing the more advanced cars opponents. But first, up to this point will take more than one or two seasons. And secondly, is it really a high percentage of people who prefer regular sweating on the racetrack “instagramu” girls and partying with friends?
