Hot Clio R.S 16 could return to manual gearbox

Renault is invading the Monaco Grand Prix as the venue to debut a hardcore version of the Clio and the narrow street circuit is quite apt for its nimble chassis and explosive short bursts of acceleration.

.This news confirms the early Twitter campaign stating that; “a surprise is awaiting for you at #MonacoGP”. Their typo…

Patrice Ratti, Managing Director of Renault Sport Cars, said: “We successfully completed the project of a slightly crazy car. It was a joint effort by the Renault Sport Cars and Renault Sport Racing teams. This Clio R.S. refines the expertise of Renault Sport engineers whilst exploring new avenues for the future”.

The new Renault Clio R.S will receive a hefty power hike, either from the current 1.6 litre turbo charged engine or the 2.0-litre turbo engine used in the Megane RS. What difference would that make to the power reaching the front wheels? Either 186kW or 202kW – record numbers for the segment, however Renault decides to do it. A manual gearbox could return the current generation Clio to its most-loved format while other mechanicals borrowed from the Megane RS could help stick the power.

The Renault Clio R.S 1.6 (the name currently used to honour the F1 car) comes with unique decals, a large roof spoiler and inflamed wheel arches.  We wouldn’t be surprised if some bespoke rubber is added to the mix.