Renault Clio V

The Renault Clio () is a supermini car (B-segment), produced by French automobile manufacturer Renault. It was launched in 1990, and entered its fifth generation in 2019. The Clio has had substantial critical and commercial success, being consistently one of Europe's top-selling cars since its launch, and it is largely credited with restoring Renault's reputation and stature after a difficult second half of the 1980s. The Clio is one of only two cars, the other being the Volkswagen Golf, to have been voted European Car of the Year twice, in 1991 and 2006.

The car is named after Clio, one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology. In Japan, it is sold as the Renault Lutecia because Honda retains the rights to the name Clio after establishing the ''Honda Clio'' sales channel in 1984. Lutecia is derived from the name of ''Lutetia'', an ancient Roman city that was the predecessor of Paris. The Renault Lutecia was formerly available through Yanase Co., Ltd., but in 1999 Renault purchased a stake in Japanese automaker Nissan. Following Renault's takeover, distribution rights for the Lutecia were handed over to Nissan locations in 2000 and sold at ''Nissan Red Stage'' locations.

First generation (1990)

Renault had replaced its R5 supermini with a completely redesigned model (which had similar styling to the 1972 original) in 1984, but soon afterwards began working on an all-new supermini to take the company into the 1990s. It was eventually decided that the new car would feature a name designation, rather than the numeric model designations which Renault had traditionally used – this would be adopted across the entire Renault range by 1995. Cars like the Fuego coupe (launched in 1980) had been an exception to this rule, and the last "numeric" Renault was the 19, launched in 1988, and by the end of 1996 the numeric model designations had completely disappeared from the Renault range in Western Europe.

The Clio was introduced at the Paris Motor Show in June 1990 and sales in France and the rest of the continent began then, although sales in right-hand drive Britain did not begin until March 1991. The Clio was the replacement to the hugely successful Renault 5, although this car remained in production until 1996 at a factory in Slovenia, where some versions of the Clio were later built. The Clio's suspension and floorpan were largely the same as the R5, which was derived from the R9 saloon of 1981 and R11 hatchback of 1983 – not that of the original 1972 Renault 5, despite the later R5 visually resembling the original model.

The suspension uses half-width torsion bars (full-width on higher spec models) with trailing arms at the rear, and coil sprung MacPherson struts, attached to a thick pressed steel subframe at the front. The engine range available at launch included 1.2 L and 1.4 L E-type "Energy" petrol inline-four engines (first seen in the Renault 19) and 1.7 L and 1.9 L diesel engines, both based on the F-type unit. The petrol engines gradually had their carburettors replaced with electronic fuel injection systems by the end of 1992, in order to conform to ever stricter pollutant emission regulations brought in by the EEC.

A minor trim facelift occurred after only a year of being on sale. A new "smooth" version of the Renault diamond badge (the previous "ribbed" badge was being phased out at the time) and a new front seat design were the only changes. The altered design did not constitute a new "phase". In March 1994 (at the Geneva Motor Show), the phase two model was launched, with small updates to the exterior and interior of the Clio. Most noticeable was the change in the front grille from two metal ribs to a single colour-coded slat. The bump strips were made slightly larger and rounder and had the car's trim level badge incorporated into them. The badges on the tailgate strip were moved up onto the tailgate itself and the tailgate strip was given a carbon fibre look. The rear light clusters were given a slightly more rounded bubble shape, giving the Clio a more modern look. The clusters, however, are physically interchangeable with phase ones'.

In May 1996, with the arrival of the phase three facelifted Clio, the 1.2 L Energy engine was replaced by the 1,149 cc D7F MPi (multi point injection) DiET engine, first used in the Renault Twingo; for some time also, versions were available with the older 1239 cc "Cléon" unit from the original Twingo. The cylinder head design on the 1.4 L E-type was also slightly altered for the phase three models in a bid for better fuel economy. This resulted in the engines producing slightly less power than their earlier versions.

The phase three Clios have a slightly more noticeable update than the phase twos. The phase three has different, more rounded headlights, incorporating the turn signal in the unit with the headlight, and the bonnet curves more around the edges of the lights. The tailgate incorporates a third brake light and a new script "Clio" name badge, following the same typeface as contemporary Renaults. Some mechanical improvements were also made, as well as the introduction of side impact bars and airbags, which were now common features on mainstream cars across Europe.

Renault also released a hot hatch version of the Clio in 1991. It was aesthetically very similar, but with the addition of a 1.8 L eight-valve engine, side skirts and disc brakes on all wheels. This, with multi-point fuel injection, was badged as the RSi. From 1991 a lighter tuned version of this 1.8 litre engine (with single-point injection) joined the earlier 1.7 used in the very luxurious Baccara version which was sold in some continental European markets. In addition to this reasonably powerful engine, the Baccara has a luxurious interior with much leather and wood, as well as power windows, locks, etc. The Baccara was renamed "Initiale" in 1997, in line with other Renaults, differing from the Baccara mainly in the wheel design.

During 1991, a fuel injected 1.8 L 16-valve engine producing (which had debuted on the Renault 19) capable of propelling the car to was introduced to the Clio engine range, known simply as the Clio 16S in France (S for "soupapes", the French word for valves), and Clio 16V in export markets. It was the successor to the Renault 5 GT Turbo, which was discontinued that year as the R5 range was pruned back. As well as having a higher top speed than a regular Clio, the 16S sports wider plastic front wings, an offset bonnet vent, wider rear arches and uprated suspension and brakes, and colour-coded front mirrors and bumpers. The RSi side skirts were omitted, however. Inside, the 16V model has an extended instrument panel that houses dials for engine oil pressure, oil temperature, and oil level (which only indicates on engine start). The seats are also more supportive to match the sporting nature of the model. The non-catalyzed versions, still available in some markets, offer and marginally higher performance with top speeds up to and the 0–100 km/h (62 mph) time dropping from 8 to 7.8 seconds.

In December 1990, the Clio was voted European Car of the Year for 1991, and soon became one of Europe's best-selling cars, as well as the first Renault to be consistently among the top-10 best sellers in the United Kingdom, where it was selling in excess of 50,000 units a year by 1995. UK sales were helped by a famous television advertising campaign by Publicis shot in France, featuring the two main characters of Nicole (played by Estelle Skornik) and Papa.

From 1991 to 1993, trim levels were identical in every European country. Starting in 1993, trim levels designations became more varied across the various markets. The car was sold as the Renault Lutecia (from ''Lutetia'', the Latin name for Paris) in Japan, as "Clio" was used there by Honda for one of their domestic marketing networks.

Clio Williams

In 1993, Renault launched the Clio Williams as a limited edition of 3,800 cars (1,300 more than they needed for homologation purposes) with each car bearing a numbered plaque on the dash. These sold out so quickly that Renault ended up building 1,600 more.

After the first series, due to the demand, Renault built the Williams 2 and 3, with more than 12,000 eventually being built. However, many new road cars were directly converted to race cars and when damaged replaced with another converted road car, which means that the actual number of road cars is significantly lower than the figures suggest.

The car was named after the then Renault-powered Formula One team WilliamsF1, though Williams had nothing to do with the design or engineering of this Clio. The modifications to the Clio 16S on which it was based were the work of Renault Sport, Renault's motorsport division. Nevertheless, this car had a Formula One link by being the sport's Safety Car in 1996.

The naturally aspirated DOHC 4 valves per cylinder fed by Multipoint fuel injection Inline-four engine, was rated at at 6,100 rpm and at 4,500 rpm of torque. It has a top speed of equipped with performance-tuned ride and handling. Renault later released the Williams 2 and Williams 3 special editions, much to the chagrin of those owners who had been assured of the exclusivity of the "original" Williams. One common mistake people can make is thinking that the 2.0 16V (F7R) used in the Williams is simply a bored out 1.8 16V (F7P), whereas, in reality the large engine had different size valves, cams, stroked crank and engine oil cooler. Other differences between the Williams and the Clio 16S it is based on include a wider front track with wishbones similar, but not the same as the Renault 19, wider Speedline alloys, uprated (JC5) gearbox, bespoke four-to-one manifold, firmer suspension, and some cosmetic differences on the exterior and interior.

The differences between the three versions of the Williams were largely a reflection of phase changes across the Clio range, e.g. the gradual addition of enhanced safety features and cosmetic variations. Other than this, the Williams 1 and 2 had no sunroof and were painted in 449 Sports Blue. The final Williams 3 was painted in a slightly brighter shade of blue (432 Monaco Blue) and finally gained a sunroof which had long been standard on virtually all previous Clios. The original Williams was the lightest of the three, lacking the electrics necessary for the sunroof or the mirrors, and was the only one to support a metal plaque stating the build number.

The Renault Clio Williams was and still is a very popular rally car. The basic racing version (Gr.N) had racing suspension, different engine management, and a more free flowing exhaust. Power output was around . Roll cage was made by Matter France. Bucket seats were made by Sabelt.

The next step up was the Gr.A car, which was fitted with 16″ Speedline 2012 rims (with optional extractors), further improvements on suspension and more tuned engine producing between . Front brakes were also updated with 323 mm discs and four-pot Alcon brake calipers.

The final evolution was the Renault Clio Williams Maxi kit-car with wider arches and 17″ Speedline 2012 rims and improved Proflex suspension. Sodemo engine was further tuned to .

Engines

Second generation (BB/CB; 1998)

Development of the X65 commenced in 1991, a year after the May 1990 launch of the Clio. In 1992, Pierre Beuzit became project manager of the X65 programme. In December 1993, a final design developed under Patrick Le Quément was approved, with development for production commencing, so in 1994 Renault rented a 129,600-square-foot building in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, west of Paris. More than 600 people from Renault and its suppliers went to work there. The X65 project team became a laboratory for Renault's Guyancourt technical center. Forty teams were created, each responsible for a section of the car. In February 1997, management moved market launch by nearly a month from 15 March 1998 to 11 April 1998. Development ended in 1997, as pre-production units began to be constructed at Flins.

The second generation of the Clio was launched on 9 March 1998 and sold for less than €8,000, with considerably more rounded and bulbous styling than its predecessor. Part of the radical concept of the new Clio were many components made of unusual materials to save in weight and repair costs. For instance, the front wings were made of plastic (following criticisms of corrosion in this part of the previous model and based on technology developed for the Renault Espace) and the material of the bonnet was aluminium in some versions. Originally the engine lineup was similar to before, with 1.2 L, 1.4 L and 1.6 L petrol engines and a 1.9 L diesel. The project manager from 1992 to 1998 for the Clio II was Pierre Beuzit.

In early 2000, a sportive 16V version equipped with a new 1.6 L 16-valve engine was introduced, and eventually, all the older petrol engines were upgraded to more powerful and more economical 16-valve versions.

In 1998, Renault launched the Clio Renault Sport (also known as Clio RS for short, named Clio Renault Sport 172 in the UK and sold for less than €17,500 – 172 coming from the DIN method metric horsepower measurement), with a 2.0 L 16-valve engine and a top speed of . The standard Clio RTE powered with by the 1.2 engine could reach 160 km/h. The top-of-the-range Clio, however, was the 2001 mid-engined, rear-wheel drive Clio V6 Renault Sport, originally engineered by Tom Walkinshaw Racing for a one-make racing series, which placed a 3.0 L V6 engine, sourced from the Renault Laguna, behind the front seats, with a top speed of . Production was at the TWR factory in Sweden. Production over 3 years was approximately 1513 vehicles with 256 sold in the UK.

In 2000, a few minor changes were made to the Clio range, which included revised specification levels, a new instrument cluster, and a passenger airbag fitted as standard for all models. The Clio achieved a four-star Euro NCAP rating in 2000, which was class-leading at the time.

In Japan, Renault was formerly licensed by Yanase Co., Ltd., but in 1999, Renault purchased a stake in Japanese automaker Nissan after Nissan had faced financial troubles following the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble in 1991 and subsequent Lost Decade. As a result of Renault's purchase of interest, Yanase canceled its licensing contract with Renault in the spring of 2000, and Nissan took over as the sole licensee, hence sales of the Lutecia II in Japan were transferred from ''Yanase Store'' locations to '' Nissan Red Stage Store'' locations.

Electric Clio

An electric version of the Clio was developed by Renault for an electric carshare project in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines in 1998. Fifty cars were produced, and could be charged by plugging in or by an induction pad located in some of the town's special locations. The electric Clio had a claimed top speed of 60 mph and a range of 35–40 miles. The scheme was branded Praxitèle and membership was charged at £10/month and around £3 for a 30-minute trip.

Phase 2

A major facelift occurred in June 2001 (Phase 2) which saw the exterior restyled (most visibly the headlights were made more angular), the interior quality improved with a new dashboard and centre console including the availability of digital climate control air-conditioning and satellite navigation on top models and a 1.5 L common rail Diesel engine added.

2003

Major revisions were made to the mid-engine 3.0 litre V6 model in line with the facelift introduced to the regular models in 2001 including revised frontal styling, new dashboard and higher equipment levels including climate control, cruise control and xenon headlights. The power output of the engine was raised by to , giving it a top speed of and a 0–62 mph (100 km/h) time of 5.8 seconds. Emissions are 285g/km and meet Euro IV standards 2 years before the implementation deadline. The chassis was also significantly revised with a slightly longer wheelbase and revised suspension together with larger 18 inch alloy wheels. For the Phase 2 V6, production was transferred from TWR's Swedish factory to the dedicated Renault Sport Alpine factory at Dieppe in Northern France. Production from 2003 to the end of 2005 was approximately 1309 vehicles of which 354 were sold in the UK.

On ordinary cars, an interior equipment specification change was made from this model year – fitment of a CD player as standard (as opposed to cassette) on Expression and Dynamique. It remained optional on Authentique and its Rush derivative.

Phase 3

In 2004, Phase 3 followed starting on a 53 Plate, this was just some small changes to bring it up to date. The front bumper was changed giving it a wide lower grille and the foglights were bulged out at the side (cars not equipped with foglights remained using the older ph2 bumper), the upper grille was changed and the headlights (which previously had black background) now had grey. The 15" alloy wheels were changed and were now a 15" version of the facelift 172 model on Dynamique and Extreme models. Clear side repeaters were added, as was a colourcoded rear spoiler (again on Dynamique spec cars). In the South American market, the facelifted Clio continued to use the dashboard of the 1998 model and was never updated, except for the Colombian 2008 model that included the same interior of the European version with little changes, and continued having the same exterior as the phase II model.

On the inside the pattern on the seats was changed for a simpler one, and the dials were changed to do away with the fuel and water temperature needles and now featured a larger screen that included a digital version of these gauges as well as the mileage and trip computer. Climate control equipped cars were given a vent in the back of the glove box so it could be climate controlled. Under the bonnet a new dCi engine was available (the 1.2 16v also received a new engine developed with Nissan). Rear disks were fitted on 1.6 16v models and DCi 100 models equipped with ESP. On this second facelift, the Clio Renault Sport's power was improved to (in the UK, the designation RS 182 was adopted). For the first time there were two options in chassis stiffness for the RS model. the standard Settings (different from the non-sport models), and CUP badge chassis, 20 mm lower, larger stabilizer bars, and stiffer suspension with dark graphite alloy wheels.

At the 2006 Paris International Agricultural Show, Renault exhibited a Hi-Flex Clio II with a 1.6 L 16-valve engine. This vehicle, which addresses the Brazilian market, features Renault-developed flex-fuel technology, with a highly versatile engine that can run on fuel containing a blend of petrol and ethanol in any proportion (0% to 100% of either).

Phase 4 / 5

The Phase 4 Clio II, known as the Clio Campus, was introduced in 2006 and had a restyled rear end, the number plate moving from boot to bumper, and a better specification on all models. This car stopped being sold in the UK in late 2008, and a revised front end was then released in April 2009 (Phase 5).

The last units of the Clio II built in Mexico featured the headlights used on the Nissan Platina, thus becoming the third headlight design to be used in the car. This version lasted a month (January 2010) on sale, before both the Clio and Platina being replaced by the Logan and Sandero due to quality issues. The second generation Clio was marketed until 2012 in France as the Clio Campus, or in Slovenia as the Clio Storia. It is still marketed in Colombia also as Clio Campus since 2012, with the same interior as the pre-facelifted model and a very basic equipment, without airbags or foglights.

Phase 6

In October 2012, a new version of the Clio II, called Clio Mío, was introduced at the São Paulo Motor Show, featuring the brand's new design theme. Intended to be the lowest priced Renault model available in Latin America, it was manufactured in Córdoba, Argentina, and featured additional styling and equipment updates. It kept the dashboard of the pre-facelift version, but with new gauges and optional colour matching inserts.

As of 2015, it contained about 40% Argentine parts.

The Phase 6 Clio II was also offered in Maghreb, where it kept the name Clio Campus. It was finally retired from production in October 2016.

Safety

The Clio Mio in its most basic version for Latin America with no airbags received 0 stars for adult occupants and 1 star for infants from Latin NCAP in 2013.

Sedan

In 1999, Renault launched the saloon version of the Clio II, named Clio Symbol in Turkey and Eastern Europe, Thalia in Central Europe, Clio Classic in Asia and North Africa, Clio Sedan in Brazil and Paraguay, or Symbol in the rest of South America (except Argentina where it was called Clio). The car was intended for sale in developing countries, where saloons were traditionally preferred over hatchbacks, most notably in Eastern Europe, where the Thalia was cheaper than the Clio, but was still about 30% more expensive than the Dacia Logan, also sold by Renault as a low cost model. In some Latin American markets the sedan was offered as the Nissan Platina (manufactured in Aguascalientes, Mexico), with slight changes in the front of the car to make it resemble the Nissan Altima. The sedan version of the Clio was facelifted in 2002, with new exterior similar to the facelifted Clio, better equipment and safety levels.

In the fall of 2006, an improved Clio sedan has been offered, renamed in Eastern Europe as Renault Symbol. This model featured the interior of the facelifted Clio II with very minor parts commonality with Megane II, as well as new standard and optional equipment, such as automatic air conditioning and a CD player. The model earned moderate reception in the domestic market.

Renault introduced the second generation of the Symbol model at the 2008 Moscow Motor Show. This new model featured chrome-trimmed front grille and rear fascia, while powered by similar engines as the Dacia Logan range. It was designed for the Eastern and Central Europe, Russia, Turkey and North Africa, and it was also manufactured in Argentina for South America.

''Watchdog'' controversy

In April 2006, the BBC
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