SPIED: Next Generation 2013 Renault Clio Test Mule Shows New Snout

Having already received a mid-life facelift in 2009, four years after its introduction at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show, the third generation of the Renault Clio is paving the way for the presentation of an all-new model that is expected to break cover at the next Paris Motor Show in September of 2012.

Our spies caught a test mule of the fourth-generation Clio combining the front end and chassis bits of the new model with the rest of the body panels sources from the current version.

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Posted on 12.09 / 0 comments / Read More

SPIED: Renault’s Facelifted Megane Caught Again, this Time with Less Camouflage

Earlier this week, our scoop photographers caught up with the facelifted versions of the Renault Megane hatchback and Sports Tourer during testing. However, we were not able to peek through Renault's full suite of plastic armor.

Fortunately for us, our diligent spies were able to discover a different prototype wearing much less camouflage. This time, the 2012 Megange hatchback was only covered with black duct tape.

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Posted on 07.23 / 0 comments / Read More

SPIED: 2012 Renault Megane Hatchback and Sport Tourer Facelift

Renault is one of the few remaining mainstream automakers that have yet to adopt the use of vinyl wraps to cover up their prototype models from the prying eyes of spy photographers.

Nevertheless, primitive as cloth/plastic wraps may be, they do get the job done hiding the changes made to their cars like the facelifted Renault Megane hatchback and its station wagon counterpart named the Sports Tourer, that were caught testing in Southern Europe.

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Posted on 09.28 / 0 comments / Read More

SCOOP: 2012 Renault Scenic Compact MPV getting Ready for its First Facelift

One of Europe’s most popular people carriers, the Renault Scenic, is about to receive its first cosmetic refresh to stay ahead of the fierce competition in the compact segment.

The current, third generation of Renault’s minivan was launched onto the European market in 2009 and is available as the five-seat Scenic and the longer 7-seat Grand Scenic. Though we can’t be 100 percent sure, the prototype caught by our spy photographers appears to be the shorter Scenic model.

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Posted on 13.01 / 0 comments / Read More

Journalist Spies Next Renault Twingo RS at French Firm’s Test Center

During a presentation at Renault’s facilities in France, a foreign journalist attending the event managed to slip away from the crowd and snap a single photo of a small car testing on the company’s proving grounds before falling into the unloving arms of the security team.

The journalist-turned-into-spy photographer said the bagged prototype looked similar in size to the current Twingo city car. He added that the small hatchback model featured several sporty elements such as the bumper designs, wide tires and tall alloy wheels, which lead him to believe that it’s a prototype for the new Twingo RenaultSport (RS) or the Gordini RS, with the differences between the versions being purely aesthetic.

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Posted on 12.11 / 0 comments / Read More

Spy Video: Renault R-Space Concept for a Compact MPV Filmed Undisguised!

Evidently, the new Captur small crossover with the removable hardtop we told you about last week won't be the only concept model from Renault to hit the showroom floors of the Geneva Salon in less than two weeks time. A Youtube user managed to scoop a completely undisguised Renault study for a rather sporty looking compact MPV in Lisbon, Portugal. Judging by the black SUV with the camera hooked above the car, it was probably there for a photo shoot. Read more »

Posted on 11.30 / 0 comments / Read More

Renault Twingo CC Spied Again, Reportedly Heading to Geneva Show

According to the latest reports from Europe, Renault will lift the covers off its long-anticipated two seater convertible model, which we all have come to know as the Twingo CC, at the Geneva Salon in early March alongside the also new hardtop convertible version of the latest Megane.

If true, we expect to see Renault releasing teaser images of the so-called Twingo CC within the next couple of weeks.

As you can see in our updated spy gallery after the jump, the small French sports car that's based on the same underpinnings as the Twingo is still under heavy camouflage.

However, a pair of leaked photos from diecast model manufacturer Norev, gave us our fist look at the convertible model last week.

Unfortunately though, Norev kindly asked us if we could (and did) remove the photos that had been circulating on the net as the maker told us that the model was an early prototype that had been stolen from the French firm's factory. Still, the pictures are available on numerous sites around the web for those that missed out...

From what we know up until now, the small sports car will be a standalone model in Renault's vehicle range and it will be equipped with a unique rotating central-piece rooftop that will stow away inside the boot.

Being based on the Twingo, the sporty convertible will keep the small hatchback's front-wheel drive layout and most likely, its range of four-cylinder gasoline engines that include a 1.2-liter turbo with 100HP and a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter unit with 133HP.

Posted on 13.06 / 0 comments / Read More

New Renault Twingo CC Revealed via Diecast Model?

UPDATE: Norev contacted autoscardesign and kindly asked to us remove the photos of the diecast model as the maker claims it was a prototype stolen from the factory. Guess that proves its authenticity...

These photographs of a diecast model that appears to show the yet-to-be revealed Renault Twingo CC in production guise, surfaced on the internet today. According to the interwebs, the diecast was produced by Norev, a French company well known for its scale models.

Mind you that this is not the first time we've seen future production models previewed through a diecast - the same thing happened with the Citroen C4 Picasso back in 2006 and more recently with the latest-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate last summer.

Meaning, it's not out of the ordinary for automakers to share their designs with scale model makers. Only thing is that the diecasts shouldn't be shown before the actual product...

Now, back to the Renault Twingo CC, the styling of the scale model seems pretty much consistent with what we've seen in the spy photos up until now- see below.

Based on the popular Twingo hatchback, the two-seater CC is said to feature a rotating central-piece rooftop that stows away inside the boot.

It will keep the hatchback model's front-wheel drive as well as the range of small-displacement petrol engines that include a 1.2-liter turbo and a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter unit.

Even though most anticipated that Renault's small cabrio would be unwrapped at last year's Frankfurt Show, obviously that didn't happen. Chances are that we'll see the car making its debut either at the Geneva Salon in March or at the Paris Show in autumn.

Via: Blogautomobile

Posted on 06.24 / 0 comments / Read More

2011 Renault Clio Supermini Illustrations Based on Leaked Designs

The new, fourth generation Renault Clio may still be far way from production but that hasn't deterred magazines from speculating on the supermini's appearance. In one of its latest issues, French car magazine Autoplus has published a series of artist's renditions of the 2011 Clio that are said to based on some allegedly official grainy black-and-white designs that were leaked online earlier this year.

The computer generated images suggest a more dramatic styling with 'swoopier' lines and a bolder face for Renault's Ford Fiesta and Citroen C3 rival. As is the case with many of these future car renditions, there's no way of being sure about how close or not they are to the actual production model.

Via: Autoplus

Posted on 14.54 / 0 comments / Read More

Renault Twingo CC: Sporty Two-Seater Speedster Spied

The auto industry might be in a slump lately, but there are still plenty of new cars being readied for launch in 2010. This pint-size speedster is the Renault Twingo CC and it is aimed at the likes of the Opel Tigra and Peugeot 207 Coupe-Cabriolet. The drop-top variant of the new Twingo will be equipped with a one-piece retractable hardtop that stows away in the rear luggage compartment. It remains to be seen if the top will rotate (like the Ferrari 575 M Superamerica) or if it will slide to the back as recently reported in French media.

The heavy camouflaged prototype leaves a lot to the imagination when it comes to the Twingo CC's exterior appearance, but sources suggest that it will be more radical in design than any of its competitors.

Under the bonnet, buyers will most likely be offered two options including Renault's 1.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine tweaked to deliver a little over 100HP along with the Twingo RS' naturally aspirated 1.6-liter gasoline engine that produces 133 horsepower at 6,750rpm and 160Nm of torque at 4,400rpm.

Posted on 06.09 / 0 comments / Read More