30 September 2012
The new Clio Cup makes its entrance
Renault COO Carlos Tavares was at the World Series by Renault meeting at Paul Ricard to give the all-new Clio Cup, which will be gracing next season’s Eurocup Clio, its first track outing.
A reworked version of the new Clio Renaultsport 200 EDC, one of the stars of the Paris Car Show, the new Clio Cup possesses the selfsame distinctive lines and an F1-style blade, a tribute to Renault’s success in Formula One. Compliant with all the latest safety regulations and boasting a welded roll cage, the new Clio Cup is powered by a 1.6 litre direct-injection turbo-charged engine, that will be sealed, with mapping being monitored.
Safety and a level playing field are the watchwords of Eurocup Clio. Renault Sport Technologies has drawn on all the expertise it deploys in its development formulas to come up with a series of innovations, chief among them steering-wheel paddle shifts for even slicker gear changing.
The new Clio Cup was unveiled to the public, the media and drivers at the French round of the World Series by Renault at Paul Ricard, with Carlos Tavares at the wheel.
“The new Clio Cup combines the passion for driving shared by Renault Sport’s teams, Renault’s motorsport heritage and the design and the technology of the new Clio,” said the Renault COO.
“The Clio Cup is a flagship category for Renault and continues in the tradition of the legendary R8 Gordini Cup,” said Patrice Ratti, Managing Director Renault Sport Technologies. “The qualities of this little hot hatch are showcased time and again by a whole host of talented motorsport lovers in both the national championships and Eurocup Clio, which serve up some spectacular racing.”
“The direct-injection turbo-charged engine offers high torque at low revs, which means the new car has to be driven in a different way to the existing version of the Clio Cup,” explained Francois Champod, Renault Sport Competition Director. “It’s a fantastic race car, and is less expensive to run in a category in which a level playing field in technical terms is a core element. Everything is set up for the new Clio Cup to achieve just as much success as the previous generation.”
The new Clio Cup will be make its competitive debut in the 2013 Eurocup Clio season, made up of six meetings in all, and will step out in the national championships the following year. Like the new Clio Renaultsport 200 EDC, it will be manufactured at the Renault Alpine factory in Dieppe.
