Test drive by Renault Clio 5 doors since 2012 Hatchback
Muse of the second generation
The oldest Renault automobile company in France celebrates a century this year. For the anniversary, she prepared a glorious gift - a new model in a small grade - Klio II, which is forgotten not only at home, but throughout Europe. The presentation of the car took place simultaneously at a car dealership in Geneva and in the overseas department of France, on the island of Guadelup. The new Klio had been waiting for a long time. Last year, numerous publications printed her spy pictures and design sketches. Passion was also heated by the fact that over eight years of its existence, the former Clio did not know defeats. Having barely appeared, she was awarded the title of 1991 car. Popularity stimulated demand: from the beginning of the release, nearly 4 million cars were sold. Clio in Europe was especially loved, where in the cramped cities the compact car provided all amenities to passengers; He also coped well with the duties of an intercity carrier.
The new car was simply obliged to become better, more perfect: Clio II cost a company of 7.5 billion francs (about 1.2 billion dollars), of which 4.5 billion are invested in the preparation of production. Design and refinement are performed in 40 months. The numbers are impressive, but still the question arose: maybe a presentation in the Antilles is an attempt to distract journalists from the subject of conversation, put dust in the eyes?
Acquaintance with the new European car in the Caribbean basin was indispensively arranged, in French in French. In the air, while the airbus flew from the Old World for eight hours, I was tormented by doubts. Can a pilot find a small island in the ocean? I found. Then, leaving the airport’s airport and plunged into the stuffy and moist evening atmosphere of Guadelup, he was concerned with a gloomy prospect to cook in a small typewriter, even with the new Renault Clio. I was not welded - although in Moscow they scared me that air conditioners are installed only on cars with motors from 1600 cm. But it turned out that even the smallest of the new Clio - 1200 -cube equip these devices and they work excellently. But first things first. The luminary emerged from behind the sea suddenly, as it happens only in those countries where nature leaves the trees green all year round and the temperature does not drop below 20 degrees Celsius. At the sunrise, birds were silent, which did not allow sleeping from dawn, the morning haze scattered and the island meekly substituted his backing back over the ocean. Three dozen of the machines provided for the test, mysterious, like Guideloud itself, and heated.
Outwardly, they looked as thawing. Large headlights, as if widely opened with amazement, looked with curiosity palm trees and coffee trees. They reflected the blue sky, the sparkling sun. The kids rejoiced: they were more fortunate than those sisters who were puffed on the catwalk of the Palace of exhibitions in distant Switzerland.
Each Renault model has something unusual and attractive. Megan, for example, has an sock of the hood and nostrils of the radiator grille. In the new Clio, such an external element, in my opinion, was the glass of the rear door. Firstly, it enters the roof. Secondly, it has a double convex, like the one that emphasized the unearthly origin of the concept of Cara Lio. I think this detail, as, indeed, the entire design of the machine of the car, will provide it with a modern look after 2000. Tinted body glass, as it turned out, is not a tropical performance at all, but the standard for all new clio. Thanks to the light-filters, the nature of the island, when looking from the salon, sometimes seemed even more enchanting: the sky was bright blue, and the sea was turquoise-blue. Even bananas through the glass of the car looked more mature ...
I go around the car, tap on the front wing - the sound is deaf. With pressure, it bends slightly, then taking the former shape. So it is: the front wings of Clio II of plastic. The heads of the headlights are made of polycarbonate and do not beat when colliding at a speed of up to 15 km/h.
The car, from which they gave me (sixteen-valve 110-horsepower version of RXT), an aluminum hood. It is almost two times easier than steel, and this is felt when opening motor compartments of two different machines. However, the future owner will not have to raise the hood so often: oil replacement in the new model is only every 20 thousand km. So a decrease in the mass of the hood is a reception in the struggle for the relief of the entire car, and not for facilitating the labor of mechanics. But it's time to get to know Clio II better until the sun has fallen up. The driver's seat has mechanical adjustments back and forth, the back, the height of the seat pillow and lumbar stops. Everything is very convenient and functional. I easily picked up the position I needed, I started the motor. On the scoreboard in the center of the front panel, the ambient temperature was displayed: +29s. I turned on the radio with a steering wheel switch. Radio stations in Guadeloup - one of the departments of France - broadcast in French; They promised in the afternoon plus thirty -five in the shade. Given that there is a trip to the mountains - Klio II will fall a hot day.
The car sets off on a short path offers comfortable pockets in the doorway (and rear sides - on three -door versions). In the pocket of the driver's door, I attached a bottle of mineral water. It’s good that there is air conditioning, but you still want to drink. I note along the way that in hot countries we, northern people, are recommended to use more fluids (better than mineral water) in order to prevent dehydration of the body. He put a detailed map of the island in the glove (the latter simply drowned in it - a useful volume of 6 liters!), And threw the legend into an empty passenger seat.
When you go alone, especially along unfamiliar roads, the car becomes much closer to you. All hopes are only on yourself and on it. A wonderful stranger behaved impeccably. Still - this is the most powerful among the Clio of the second generation. Easily the motor was untwisted to 6000 rpm. The car, thanks to a successful suspension, is creeping on a good, in general, Guadeloup roads. Behind, the plain part, which is called the Grand Ter - the Big Earth, remained behind. It is on it that most of the sugarcane is grown and more rum is prepared.
Here is a narrow isthmus connecting the Grand Ter with Baster (Low Earth)-by another part of the island. In this place, the only modern autoretic passes throughout Guideloupe: here I try to accelerate quickly. The speed exceeds 160 km/h, you can add more, but I understand that on an unfamiliar highway, without a navigator, when you yourself have to look into the legend on the go and turn away with road signs, too fast riding.
The strength of the motor will be needed in the mountains, which, contrary to the name, is replete with bass: there is the largest Sufrier in the Antille Islands of the Volcano. Expectations did not deceive me. The engine coped with its work perfectly. Excellent thrust in a wide range of revolutions saved from unnecessary switching.
By the way, in the Clio II engine all the best that designers are capable of. To reduce losses for friction and noise of the rocker, the rollers are equipped with rollers. Each inlet valve has an individual inlet pipeline. According to the characteristics of the purity of the exhaust, this engine, which has received the K4M index, is laid down with a margin of Euro-2000, which will be introduced from January 2001. French designers can also be proud that the motor has reached these indicators without the use of exhaust gas recirculation, as well as not to the detriment of powerful and other operational indicators.
Yes, it’s nice to climb the green hills, knowing that you will not harm nature. While he twisted a serpentine running up, he drew attention to another curious detail - the head worker of the front seats. If you want it or not, and when lifting, the head leans back. And at that moment, she picks up a folded head -up book folded by a book. Convenient, but the main thing is additional safety when hitting the back. In general, security in Klio II paid special attention. Firstly, the new design of the front of the machine made it more resistant to frontal clashes. It is argued that in terms of these indicators a small one in appearance, the new clio is not inferior to Safrana, and this, I note, is a solid car in the middle class. From lateral blows, the new Frenchwoman protects passengers with additional bars in the doors equipped with crushed cells from light metal, as well as side pillows. Safety belts, in addition to the usual pyrotechnic pretensors, have limiters of the effort transmitted to the body of passengers.
Thank God I did not have to test any of the devices.
As you know, in Greek mythology, Klio was called one of the nine Olympic muses, which had a difficult task of glorification. Then they gave her a story and began to portray with a sweat in her hand and a griffle wand in another. Of course, I did not find these items in the new French car. However, after meeting with Clio II, I can confidently say that another bright page is inscribed in the history of the French automotive industry.
Technical characteristics of the car Renault Clio 1.6 Rxt
(in brackets - data from 1.2 RN)
General data: number of places - 5; Equipped mass - 980 (900) kg; Full mass - 1520 (1440) kg; maximum speed - 195 (160) km/h; acceleration time from a place to 100 km/h - 9.6 (15) s; fuel consumption in conditional suburban and city cycles - 5.8 and 9.6 (5.2 and 7.9) l/100 km; Gasoline - AI -95. Dimensions, mm: length - 3773; width - 1639; height - 1417; base - 2472; The track in front/back - 1406/1385; Road clearance - 120; trunk volume - 255 l; The radius of rotation is 5.2 liters. Engine: with distributed injection, four -cylinder in order, located in front transversely; working volume - 1598 (1149) SMZ; the diameter and stroke of the piston - 79.5 x 80.5 (69.0 x 76.8) mm; compression degree - 10 (9.6); Power - 79 kW/110 liters. With. (43 kW/60 l. P.) At 5750 (5250) rpm; The maximum torque is 148 N.M at 3750 rpm (93 NM at 2500 rpm). Transmission: drive - on the front wheels; gearbox - five -speed mechanical; By order - four -speed automatic. Suspension: in front - independent, such as McExeson, with triangular levers installed on the subframe; The back is semi -dependent in the form of an N -shaped elastic beam on springs. Brakes: hydraulic with a vacuum amplifier; front - disk, rear - drum; Depending on the model, ABS Bosch 5.3 with an electronic regulator of the brake force of the rear wheels can be installed. Steering: rheck. Tire size: 185/60 R14 (165/70 R13).
Vladimir Solovyov.
Photo by the author and company Renault
A source: The magazine "Driving"
