We don’t need to tell you why rally racing – though awesome – is incredibly dangerous. As much as we love to watch turbocharged, all-wheel-drive Euro hatches being flung around on dirt, gravel, snow and tarmac, the fact that many of these races go through small towns and wooded trails leaves plenty of room for disaster.
Case in point: This racer went off course during the 2012 Mazowiecki Rally, leaving driver Patrick Osowiecki and navigator Maciej Wrona trapped upside-down in a lake. According to CarScoop, no race officials were near the scene of the accident, but some selfless spectators rushed in to attempt to free Osowiecki and Wrona from their racecar. to watch the action unfold.
The challenge of small, efficient and clever hatchbacks catching on with the American masses is a long story that shows infrequent signs of becoming less challenging. The bottom line is that most U.S. consumers feel such vehicles are simply too small for our wide-open-spaces sensibilities. This smallness is only enhanced when one looks around while stopped at American intersections, only to see big and tall sheetmetal in all directions. There are admittedly serious strides being made in this segment in various U.S. markets, usually of the urban variety and on the coasts, but it will always be a struggle.
The last time Peugeot tried directly communicating in American English with imported product was back in 1991 with its 505 and 405 ranges that unceremoniously flopped. There was ongoing talk at that time of bringing over the 205 hatchback to try and improve things, but we missed out and Peugeot was gone. Perhaps the seven percent of PSA Peugeot-Citroën now owned by General Motors will someday result in the importing of the solid hatchback tested here, but I won’t hold my breath.
Recently, the new Peugeot 208 was all over the French giant’s show stand at the , together with its legendary GTi trim and new XY upmarket trim. Back in 1984, it was the 105-horsepower 205 GTi that established the legend of the French hot hatch. While the 206 was then a smash hit with buyers between 1998 and 2006, the subsequently larger 207 has been far less popular in the face of much improved competitors – a group that blossomed from just 16 different models on the European market in 1998 to now 27 separate hatches today. In its prime, the 206 outsold even the mighty Volkswagen Golf and stayed at the top of Europe’s sales charts for a time. The outgoing 207, however, has routinely lingered behind the and Polo, Renault Clio, Opel Astra and Corsa, not to mention the and .
As a Formula One entity, Renault has gone from engine supplier to full manufacturer (having acquired the Benetton team back in 2000) and back to engine supplier (having all but completely divested the team now under the banner). The French automaker’s competition engine works also powers Caterham and Williams this season, but most importantly, the Red Bull Racing team that is returning once again as World Champions. So whereas previous Renaultsport special edition hot hatches celebrated the company’s own achievements, the latest celebrates Red Bull’s.
Named the Red Bull RB7 edition after last year’s car, the special Clio RS packs a 203-horsepower four mounted to the Cup chassis that would otherwise be an option. The body is painted matte black with yellow highlights, a tone-on-tone checkerboard roof, the requisite special badging and 18-inch wheels done up in a black finish and shod with the same Bridgestone rubber that kept the glued to the Nürburgring for its lap record.
Inside it’s got yellow Recaro buckets and the RS Monitor performance telematics system. The special edition will only be available, however, in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and Spain. Details to be found in the press release after the jump with high-res images in the gallery above.
Another month, another pack of downloadable content for Forza Motorsport 4. This month’s DLC car pack, called the March Pirelli Car Pack, features 10 new cars that could potentially find their way into your Forza garage. Why call it the March Pirelli Car Pack? The team from Turn 10 Studios responsible for developing Forza Motorsport 4 says that actual tire performance data from Pirelli helped them dial in the most realistic handling possible for each car.
This month’s car pack includes some true gems, most notable of which is the Aston Martin V12 Zagato. As the was just revealed less than a month ago and won’t make its official debut until next week at the , the car in the game is the on which it’s based, though you’d be hard pressed to tell any differences between the two.
The most peculiar car in this month’s car pack is definitely the 1966 Ford Country Squire. The giant woody wagon comes from era of Country Squires that featured the Magic Door Gate, which both flipped down like a tailgate and swung open from the side. An interesting factoid, though Turn 10 says it doesn’t make a difference in the game.
We’re also excited to try the Ultima GTR, versions of which have set all sorts of world records related to speed and quickness. The version in the game is less powerful than those headline-makers, being powered by a Corvette engine producing 565 horsepower, but it still weighs just 2,200 lbs.
Check out the full list of 10 cars in the March Pirelli Car Pack below and for the official trailer. The pack will be available on Tuesday, March 6 for 560 MS points ($7) or is free for those who have already purchased the Season Pass.
Renault hot hatches are among the most celebrated on the European market, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have any room for improvement. Enter the latest special edition Clio Renaultsport 200.
Known as the Raider edition in the UK and the “Ange & Démon” in other European markets, the special edition packs the same 200-horsepower four-cylinder engine as the model on which it’s based, but comes with some crucial enhancements. One of those is the matte finish – available in either grey or red (the first we’ve seen since the original Alfa 4C concept). The exterior treatment contrasts nicely with the gloss black finish on the roof, front and rear spoilers, diffuser, mirrors and up-sized 18″ alloys from the previous , coated in the same Bridgestone rubber as the .
The special Clio also packs the stiffer Cup chassis as standard, red Brembo calipers, leather-trimmed Recaro buckets and more. You can read more about it in the press releases , but interested customers had better act fast as only 50 examples will be on offer in the UK out of a total run of 666 devilish units.
Renault’s handling of its Gordini revival has been disappointing. After starting off with Gordini appearance packages on the Renaultsport Clio and Twingo performance cars, Renault has elected to just dilute the Gordini moniker by applying it to the base and , budget vehicles with no more sporting pretension than the stripes slapped on ‘em. Now the base Clio is getting an all-show, no-go Gordini package as well.
It replaces the GT model and includes offset racing stripes, contrasting white trim, 16-inch wheels, Gordini-specific interior accents, and the requisite special badges. Engine choices for the three- or five-door hatchback are a 128-horsepower gasoline-burning four or a 105-hp diesel.
It’s a far cry from the Gordini models of yore, or from the Clio RS Gordini that at least does the name some justice. See for yourselves in the attached image gallery and the press release after the jump.
Back in the early ’90s, Renault and Williams were dominating Formula One, and their success spilled over into one of the most celebrated hot hatches of all time. And now that the two are getting for the 2012 season, rumors are afoot that they’ll collaborate on a revival that could prove one very tasty beast indeed.
Keen to avoid simply cashing in on – or cheapening – the name, Renault isn’t likely to slap on a new coat of paint and some special badges (much as it did with the Gordini brand) and call it a day. Instead, word on the street is that the new Clio Williams could pack as much as 240 horsepower.
That’s significantly more than the current Renaulsport Clio’s 197 horses, and comes within striking distance of its big brother, the 247-hp Renaultsport Megane. The package could also include a chassis setup based on the RS Clio Cup, but with the Sachs dampers from the more hardcore 2005 Clio Trophy and the brakes and rolling stock from the .
With an all-new Clio coming around the bend next year, the Williams edition could prove the ultimate send-off for one of Europe’s favorite hot hatches.
originally appeared on on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:59:00 EST. Please see our .
Top Gear Series 17 trailer – Click above to watch the
Series 17 of Top Gear is nearly upon us, the first episode scheduled to air on the BBC in just eleven days. So what can we expect from the latest series?
Well, the usual mix of epic road trips, comic shenanigans and celebrity cameos are in order. And there’s really only one way to find out what those will entail. But in advance of the season’s BBC debut, Top Gear has released the following advertising clip to get our juices flowing.
In the video , you’ll see Jeremy Clarkson taking the McLaren MP4-12C around the track, James May riding shotgun in the Mini WRC car racing through the night against a luge, Richard Hammond trying to skipper a Dartz Prombron through city streets, Jezza and Hamster driving a used through the countryside, and Jeremy chauffeuring Bernie Ecclestone around Monte Carlo in a in tow.
Looks like a great season so far, and there’s sure to be plenty more.
History and the contemporary automotive market hold no lack of examples of F1 teams translating their checkered flags into road cars. It’s practically ’s raison d’être, after all. McLaren’s following suit, as well. Even Williams has collaborated with Renault on performance-oriented Clios, and now with on the . But though each of these teams has claimed its share of championships and then some, these days it’s Red Bull Racing that’s on top. Trouble is – notwithstanding – Red Bull doesn’t make automobiles beyond a small batch of single-seaters for Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. That’s where comes in.
Powered by sister company Renault’s engines, the Red Bull team this year features prominent – a move which is expected to turn into a more comprehensive re-branding scheme in the future. In the meantime, Infiniti is keen to capitalize on its tie-in with the world champion F1 team (particularly since its only previous racing activities involved limited success in converting the Q45’s V8 for Indy racing), and now reports are suggesting that a collaborative road car project between Red Bull Racing and Infiniti could be underway.
Citing the Renault Clio Williams as precedent, the Japanese luxury automaker is reportedly looking into making a performance-oriented version of one of its current products to go beyond the current Infiniti Performace Line. The would be the likeliest basis, but a substantial re-engineering effort could (unlike the Renault Williams tie-up) involve the F1 team’s engineers to transfer their competencies to the road. Sources expect the project to be complete within two years from now.
Walking out to find a boot on your car is about the third worst thing that can happen to your parked vehicle. (One and two would have to be finding out your car was towed or broken into.) Jessica Davey of Southern England walked out to find her Renault Clio wearing the extra metal on one of its wheels and was afraid that the tow company was next to pay her a visit. She decided to stay with the car and fend off any tow trucks… for the next 30 hours.
According to reports, the reason she got the boot in the first place is that her parking permit was not displayed on her windshield. It was, however, sitting in plain sight on the dashboard but not follow the rules to a T is apparently grounds for a bootin’ in her neck of the woods.
Davey was worried that the cost to retrieve her car, should it be towed, would be more than the vehicle was actually worth. Her boyfriend tried removing the boot and was quickly arrested, but later released with no charges filed.
The parking enforcement officer, Anthony Brindley, stuck around to make sure the boot stayed put. Brindley said he could remove the boot if Davey paid the £110 ($180 USD) fee. She continued to stick to her guns and the seat of her Clio. Brindley also hung tough, but 30 hours later he moved on. That’s when Jessica Davey set to work and removed the boot herself.
In the end, Jessica Davey and her Renault Clio persevered and tasted freedom. Davey did miss a day of work because of the matter, and we’re curious how much that cost her.
Nick Hamilton is following in the footsteps of his big brother. You may have heard of him… Lewis Hamilton, the 26-year-old Formula One pilot who has already earned the title of world champion and is continually adding to his career wins count.
Nineteen-year-old Nick has signed a deal with Total Control Racing and will run in the UK Renault Clio Cup. He recently received his National B Race License and has spent time testing with a 2010 Clio Cup car.
Nick will certainly have pressure to peform because of his already-accomplished brother, but he will also be monitored closely because he has cerebral palsy. Hamilton states that he has watched his brother compete and achieve so much early on, which serves as an inspiration for him. He also hopes he can inspire others who face various challenges in their lives.
Okay, so it wasn’t a championship-level international stage, but just the same, Kimi Raikkonen has won his first rally. The event in question, called Rallye Vosgien, forms part of the French national series, and was contested by Kimi’s Citroën Junior Team as practice ahead of the WRC Rally of France.
The former F1 world champion and his co-pilot, Kaj Lindstrom, took their Citroën C4 to the finish line over three minutes ahead of the nearest competitor, Quentin Gilbert, driving a Renault Clio Maxi. Given the similar conditions – and that Citroën Junior Team had used up all its allotted testtime – Vosgien proved an ideal warm-up to the main event set to take place at the end of the month.
Is this a highway or the set of a new Bruce Willis flick? What appears to be a cell phone-wielding cameraman has captured some timely highway footage of a truck driver hauling more than just a few dozen tons of potentially hazardous liquid. We have no idea how a vehicle, apparently a Renault Clio, could possibly find itself in such a precarious and perpendicular position, but we’re even more puzzled as to how the truck driver could possibly pass other vehicles in traffic without noticing a 3,000 pound vehicle on its nose.
Assuming this is real and not some sort of staged stunt, we’re sure hope the driver of the Clio escaped this unfortunate incident unharmed, because otherwise we would feel really guilty about the fact that we laughed at the fact that the brake lights were flashing on and off. Like that was going to do anything. Check out the video for yourself by . The video footage is admittedly less than great, but we feel the bizarre nature of the subject matter is worth a look.
Renault Clio Gordini R.S. – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s amazing what a little paint and a few stickers can do for a small car. To illustrate that point, take a gander at the special Gordini edition Renault Clio and Twingo in the gallery below. Granted, the improvements reach much deeper than just those stickers, but the matte blue paint, white accents and white decals give these little runabouts a purposeful look and signal to the world that they are the top-of-the-performance-heap Gordini editions.
For those who need a refresher, Gordini is the name of a legendary Renault racing engineer. Amédée Gordini brought Renault some rally racing glory in the mid-’60s with the iconic R8 Gordini. Renault recently , reestablishing it as the top rung trim level on its already racy Renault Sport (R.S.) editions. Mechanically similar to their R.S. counterparts, they are mainly distinguished by retro styling touches (like the classic French racing blue paint scheme with white stripes) and an extra dose of exclusivity. Plus, they just look badass.
The first product in the new range, the . had already debuted last November, but here at the Geneva Motor Show, the company unveiled their Gordini edition Clio as well. We have galleries of both cars for you below, the Mini-sized Twingo and the slightly larger Clio. Both cars have the performance upgrades found on R.S. models, with larger wheels, Brembo brakes, Conti SportContact3 tires, diffusers, heat extractors and that great livery. Check out the little “G” confetti in the stripes – classic.
