Currently reading: Hot Renault Clio 220 Trophy to cost from £21,780
Hardcore Clio packs 217bhp and costs £21,780, while regular Renaultsport Clio 200 gets more torque, lower CO2

Renault has unveiled a faster, more powerful, better-handling version of its Renaultsport Clio called the 220 Trophy.

The car, is a specially ‘numbered’ hardcore edition designed to sit above existing Renaultsport Clios and counter disappointment among some enthusiasts with the existing model - although it stops short of delivering the manual gearbox that has been suggested by some Renault insiders. It will make its UK debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the first deliveries should arrive in August. The 220 Trophy will cost £21,780 - a premium of just over £2500 over the basic Renaultsport Clio 200.

The 220 Trophy’s 1.6-litre turbo engine has been tweaked to produce 10% more power (217bhp) and the rev limit is raised from 5600 to 6800rpm. There’s a larger turbocharger and the air intake and exhausts have been revised to meet the latest Euro 6 clean-air standards as well as delivering extra performance. The CO2 output drops 6g/km from the old Clio 200's figure, to 138g/km (one VED band).

Torque rises 8% to 192lb ft and there is an extra ‘torque boost’ feature that delivers a further 8% of torque when in fourth and fifth gears.

Renault has moved to counter criticism of the Clio 200’s dual-clutch paddle-shift transmission by cutting shift times by 50% and reducing paddle travel by 30% to improve gearchange feel. In the most focused of the car's modes, Race, the gearbox can perform multiple downshifts when the paddle is held and it will not kick down or shift up at the limiter without intervention by the driver.

The Trophy’s chassis is lowered lower by 20mm at the front and 10mm at the rear. Springs, shock absorbers and bump-stops are all re-rated for high performance use. There’s a new, faster steering rack and a change to Michelin Pilot Super Sport 205/40 R18 tyres. The result is a car that cuts three seconds from a typical 1min 40sec lap on Renault’s secret test track. 

The performance mods are accompanied by some subtle badge changes, plus new-design diamond-cut alloys and the option of a matt white paint scheme.

At the same time, the regular Renaultsport Clio 200 gets engine tweaks that bring its torque up to the same level as the 220's but lower CO2 emissions from 144g/km to 133g/km. That brings the Clio 200 down two company car tax bands.

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Adrian987 13 June 2015

@artill

Agreed, artill. The product needs to be spot on for the market and product position. Now if I were buying a Fiesta ST for example, I would not take an auto (even) if it was available. However, if I were buying a Golf R, then I would most likely take the DSG (having had about 100k accumulated experience of DSGs). I did quite fancy a Clio 197 once, but if it had been auto only, I would not have been interested at all.
Adrian987 13 June 2015

How many

According to howmanyleft.co.uk, the registration figures for "Clio Renaultsport Auto" for 2014 and 2013 are 114 and 26 respectively. The Fiesta ST however runs into many thousands.... The public vote with their wallets.
artill 13 June 2015

Adrian987 wrote: According to

Adrian987 wrote:

According to howmanyleft.co.uk, the registration figures for "Clio Renaultsport Auto" for 2014 and 2013 are 114 and 26 respectively. The Fiesta ST however runs into many thousands.... The public vote with their wallets.

Its a shame we cant tell how many of those have been dealer domonstrators or press cars. It would seem the public really dont want their hot Renaults with an auto box.

winniethewoo 12 June 2015

surely a typo and the rev

surely a typo and the rev limit was raised from 6500 (not 5600rpm) to 6800rpm!