Renault Clio GT

Renault has revamped the Clio range and unveiled this, the new Clio GT. It’s intended to slide neatly between the Dynamique and Renaulsport versions of the Clio. They boast 2-litre engines with 138 and 197bhp respectively, and while details of the all new engine range are scant, the 2-litre 163bhp unit from the old Megane GT would seem to fit the bill quite nicely.

However, Renault could always choose to go down the oil-burning route. It’s only offered one hot diesel car before, the old Renaultsport Megane dCi that we ran on the evo Fast Fleet. A cooled down and more insurance friendly option in the Clio – offering around 150bhp, perhaps –would no doubt attract a more sensible hot hatch audience in the current climate.

 The GT gets its own specifically designed suspension setup and more aggressive styling, with twin exhausts, a rear spoiler, beefier wheel arches and new side skirts featuring. There’s also an exclusive colour – Malta Blue – that bears a close resemblance to early Clio 197s.

The rest of the Clio range benefits from new styling, too, with the key changes at the front. A new super-thin grille and redesigned headlights echo styling on the new Megane, a car which has attracted some criticism for its conservative styling, a stark change from the previous model.

The other Clios will benefit from a fettled engine range as well, with lower emissions the order of the day to catch up with newer and more efficient superminis. Full details will be announced at the Geneva motor show next month, with the new Clio and Clio GT going on sale in May 2009.