When it’s all about how quick you can do the trip, then the Renault Clio Sport cars are the hot hatches for you. Scintillating performance and fast cornering are what the Renault Clio Angel & Demon and Renault Clio Sport RS 200 Cup offer the driver. A very special driving experience with loads of French style make these two flyers loads of fun to drive.

Under the hood of the Renault Clio Angel & Demon is a very quick turn of power. The 2.0-litre, 16V engine produces a fiery 147 kW of power and, for the best experience, the engine should be allowed to run into the higher revs where a punchy thrust of 215 Nm of torque at 5400 rpm is reached. With similar power, the Renault Clio Sport RS 200 Cup Hatch packs premium racing technology into the small hatch design to create a drive that boasts a top speed of 225 km/h. Acceleration is awesome, and there’s nothing like making a Commodore SS driver green with envy (or should that be red with envy) as you use the 0 to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds to full potential.

Both Renault Clio Sport models are quick, and with plenty of zip going through to the front-wheels the handling is extremely sporty. Light steering response is pin-point accurate while the feedback is weighty enough for confidence. There is plenty of stopping power, each Renault Clio Sport boasting front Brembo, four-piston caliper, ventilated disc braking. The rear braking system has solid 300 mm discs. Renault’s renowned finely tuned ‘Cup’ chassis combines with the relentless grip of the Bridgestone REO50A tyres to deliver performance that will leave a Holden Commodore SS far behind. At least they’ll enjoy a brief glimpse of the smug back end of your Clio Sport which houses two oval chrome exhaust outlets.

Looking good from any angle, the athletic lines and muscly bodywork of the Renault Clio Angel & Demon Hatch beckon plenty of attention. The matt paint finish in either Hologramme Grey or Toro Red is going to turn heads. A nicely finished gloss-black roof and racy gloss-black 18-inch Interlagos alloys give the perfect finish to what is a stunning wee hatch. The rear roof-spoiler, rear diffuser, door handles and door mirrors also have the black finish. Liquid Yellow and Racing Blue are the beautifully vivid colours available on the Renault Clio Sport RS 200 Cup Hatch. I love the blue; it’s so fresh and invigorating.

Both Renault Clio Sport cars have as much raciness on the inside as there is on the outside. Figure hugging bucket seats have wrap around bolsters for holding you in place while you fling the car in and out of corners. Luxury and sport do mix, however, and the leather RECARO bucket seats, automatic climate control, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity provide a seductive and luxurious quality throughout the Clio Sport cabin. Each Renault Clio Angel & Demon Hatch has an individually numbered Limited Edition plaque to confirm its exclusivity. Only 40 of the 666 models produced will be coming to Australia. Drilled aluminium pedals and Renault Sport embroidery on the seats are standard show-off draw cards.

Renault’s prowess on the racetrack is also second to none when it comes to safety. With any Renault Clio Sport model you will have the very best safety feaures which include: EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), ABS (Anti-locking Braking System), ABS with hazard light activation under emergency braking, a Sports-tuned ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) – with a disconnection function for more fun, front, lateral and curtain airbags, anti-submarining airbags, height-adjustable 3-point front seatbelts – with pre-tensioner and load limiters, two 3-point rear seatbelts, cruise control with a speed limiter feature, and automatic headlights and wipers.

Thankfully, with so much on offer the Renault Clio Sport has a remote central locking system with a Renault Anti-Intruder Device (R.A.I.D.) to keep prying eyes at arm’s length.

Very much a pleasure, the Renault Clio Sport cars are exciting to drive. ‘Bang for your buck’ is a surety, and the buck is well spent as all models sit well below $40k.

The current Renault Clio Sport models include the:

• Clio Angel & Demon
• Clio Sport RS 200 Cup

For any more information on the Renault Clio Sport models or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Renault dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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