Mainstream Clio not on Renault Oz horizon

RENAULT will stick with the Renault Sport version of its latest Clio in Australia.

High cost constraints for the French-built light-car, coupled with the fact that it would virtually shadow the better established X84-series Megane small-car range in Australia in price as well as size, means that the Australian arm will forsake the mainstream versions of the Clio for the time being.

“With this Clio model, Renault has changed the whole dynamic of the product. They’ve upsized it, they’ve up-priced it, they’ve up-specced it,” revealed Renault Australia managing director Rudi Koenig.

“The dilemma for me is that we have a Megane sedan in the market at $24,990 – a great value proposition – so how can we expect (buyers) for a $24,990 Clio?” he explained.

“So we made the call a little while ago – having gone through the processes – we couldn’t bring this car to the market at a value proposition which made sense.”

Left: Clio and Twingo (below).

Adding further to the current Clio’s woes was the fact that Renault Australia could not secure the equivalent to the old X65 Clio’s 1.4-litre automatic model as an opener to compete against Peugeot’s base 207 1.4 auto.

The previous Clio in that engine and transmission specification was the best selling version in Austarlia.

“Unfortunately Renault doesn’t offer the new Clio as a 1.4 because in Europe the 1.4 continues as the entry-level model in the old-shape Clio,” Mr Koenig stated.

He also ruled out the introduction of the Twingo II city car and Modus mini-MPV, as they too would attract $25,000-plus pricing, which would put them into the uncompetitive basket for Australia.

Nevertheless, this does not mean that Renault has given up on its baby in Australia.

The next-generation Clio IV – due out in about 2012 – is slated to return the series as a full range of light cars, since Renault will develop an “International Stream” version with more Nissan parts in order to keep the price down.

We understand that the next-generation, Mk4 Nissan Micra, which will be built in India as well as in Japan from 2010, will be twinned with the Clio IV as Renault consolidates its B-segment light car for maximum profit and higher quality levels, under its Commitment 2009 policy instigated in 2006.

For Australia, this could mean a $16,000 to $20,000 Clio IV in today’s money, to compete against the successors to today’s up-spec Mazda2, Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris from 2012.

“What we need is a car that looks and feels like a Clio, but costs $19,990 and not $24,990,” Mr Koenig said.

Meanwhile, further versions of the X85 Clio RS 197 released this month are expected in the future, including faster and more track-orientated Cup versions.

However, these are not expected to arrive in Australia before sometime in 2009 at the very earliest.

Read more:

First drive: Renault Sport Clio 197 is one hot hatch

First look: Renault Oz says no to Twingo