Renault pits new concept vs. original Alpine A110 across the Alps
Renault has been busy having a little fun with the company's new A110-50 Concept. The automaker recently invited former rally driver Jean Ragnotti to take the futuristic machine for spin. Rangotti made a name for himself in the Renault 5 Turbo Group B by taking the gold at both the Monte Carlo Rally as well as the Rallye de France. As soon as the driver takes to an abandoned stretch of road, things take a different turn. It's not long before Ragnotti is pursued by an image of his former self behind the wheel of an original A110.
The clip narrowly avoids the pitfall of cheesiness, if for no other reason than we love an excuse to watch these two creations churn their tires in anger. There's just something about watching vintage French tin thrashing about in the Alps that makes us happy.
Of course, back here in reality, the A110-50 would make short work of its predecessor thanks to its 400-horsepower turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 and lightweight carbon fiber bodywork. Then again, the cars we loved in our youth always seem faster through the lens of history. Check out the video below to see what we mean. There's a bonus video down there with some amazing sound, too.
While we wait for the 2013 Renault Clio RS to come out from under its camo, the fourth-geneeration Clio hatch it's based on has just been fully revealed. The new car has been given gifts from every department: it's lost 220 pounds, its design showcases the French marque's new corporate identity, under the hood it gets new engines (including the company's first three-cylinder), a dual-clutch transmission, and infotainment moves on a step with the customizable R-Link touchscreen system and R-Link app store.
This Clio will only come as a five-door hatch, but it offers a serious amount of personalization options inside and out to separate each car from what will likely be a very large herd. In addition to the contrasting colors available on everything from the grille insert to the steering wheel, the R-Link home screen can be arranged according to user preference, and the app R-Link ecosystem is being encouraged by Renault's appeals to developer talent and startups. There's also the slightly gimmicky R-Sound Effect, which can pipe "six different engine sound profiles" into the cabin when you tire of the natural, small-displacement exhaust note.
More substantive developments are found under the hood, in the form of an available three-cylinder turbocharged, 0.9-liter TCe 90 gas engine with 90 horsepower and 100 pound-feet of torque. Other engine choices include a 1.2-liter TCe 120 gas with 120 horsepower and the 1.5-liter dCi 90 diesel with 90 hp and 162 lb-ft. The latter two powerplants will be paired with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The new Clio will go on sale early next year. Before then we'll see it at the Paris Auto Salon in September, and before that you can learn almost everything there is to know about it in the high-res gallery of photos and the press release and numerous videos below.
