Renault expands small wagon range with Clio Estate Exception

The Clio line of cars is quite popular in Europe thanks to its small size, wide range of body styles and relatively long features list. To help bolster the range and boost sales further, Renault has today released a new up-spec version of its Clio Estate, called the Exception, for sale throughout Europe.

Renault already markets a version of the Clio hatch under the Exception moniker, which is a special-edition title used for upgraded equipment models. The Estate Exception is hoped to add a new dimension to the already popular Clio Estate, which constitutes 1 in 7, or about 15%, of all Clios sold in Europe.

The upgraded features of the Exception trim include all the features of the Dynamique equipment level (front and side airbags, front and rear curtain airbags, manual climate control, leather steering wheel and shift knob, foglamps, flat boot floor), plus 15" alloy wheels, darker-tinted rear glass, partial leather seating surfaces, plus cruise control with speed limiter. Cargo capacity is 14.5 cubic feet (410 cubic decimeters), offering a good amount of space for gear.

A typical range of engines is available, including dCi (diesel) engines in 85 and 105 demarcations. The dCi 85 is available with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed robotized 'QuickShift' transmission, while the dCi 105 is available only with a six-speed manual. The dCi 85 is good for 53.45mpg (4.4L/100km) in either version, while the dCi 105-powered car gets 51.1mpg (4.6L/100km) in standard trim and 50.0mpg (4.7L/100km) in DPF trim. Two petrol engines, the TCe 100 and 1.6 16V 100, area also available, rated at 40.55mpg (5.8L/100km) and 31.3mpg (7.5L/100km) respectively.

Already on sale in France, the car is now being expanded throughout seven more European countries including Austria, Belgium, Germany and Italy. Pricing starts at €17,400 ($23,389).