Renault CLIO QUICKSHIFT
Looking For A Supermini That Takes The Hassle Out Of Urban Driving? Try Renaults Clio Quickshift For Size. By Andy Enright
Next time you crawl through the urban sprawl, take a moment to consider how often you press the clutch pedal. Granted, if youre in an automatic car it wont be that often, but for the majority of us, every creeping mile in bumper-to bumper traffic requires on average a depressing 175 depressions of the left hand pedal. Spend any time doing this and youll end up with a left quadriceps so large you may end up walking round and round in circles.
Renault have an answer the Clio Quickshift.
Believe it or not, there is still a sizeable contingent of motorists who equate driving a car with an automatic gearbox as some sort of admission of failure. For those that prefer the control and kudos of a manual gearbox but envy the convenience of an automatic, the Quickshift gearbox as fitted to the £9,150 1.2-litre Clio Expression may well be the answer to their prayers. Unlike a standard automatic gearbox or a CVT (continuously variable transmission), the Clio Quickshift instead utilises a conventional five-speed manual gearbox but does away with the clutch pedal.
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There is still a clutch, buried away out of sight, but it is actuated automatically when it realises the driver is changing gear. If youre feeling especially indolent, you can set the gearbox in a mode that does its best to imitate a fully automatic gearbox. Enough of the theory. How does it work in practice? Truth be told there are smoother options available, Vauxhalls Corsa Easytronic for one, but the Clios certainly does what it claims, making city driving a more relaxing experience.
Drop the car into gear and it will creep forward like an automatic, which makes real nose-to-tail stuff simplicity itself. When in manual, the gearbox appreciates a lift of the throttle like any conventional manual when going up through the gears. Press a gearlever-mounted button and the Clio will switch into automatic. This is fine when trundling but tends to get a little flummoxed on the open road or during rapid acceleration and braking.
In town it works acceptably.
"Drop the car into gear and it will creep forward like an automatic which makes real nose-to-tail stuff simplicity itself"
A dashboard mounted indicator light flashes up the gear youre currently in, the gearbox trying hard to match ratio with engine speed of the 75bhp 1.2-litre powerplant. Driven hard, 60mph is 16.4 seconds away en route to a top speed of 106mph; again not outstanding but in the context of its native environment, the Clio Quickshift doesnt make a bad fist of things.
Its certainly a good deal better than youd have achieved with the older 60bhp eight-valve 1.2 still found in the entry-level Clio Authentique. Average fuel economy is pegged at 48.7mpg and even in town it rarely dips below 37mpg.
So, given that its cheap to service and has competitive emissions figures, the Clio Quickshift looks good value. Equipment levels are fairly good, the Expression being fitted with niceties like electric heated door mirrors, a manual tilt/remove sunroof, a height-adjustable drivers
seat, three rear headrests, a 60/40 split rear seat, Pixis wheel trims, a pollen filter with air recirculation, a 60W hi-fi with six speakers, an outside temperature display, a front map reading light and a delayed courtesy light. Two body styles are available, three or five-door, the top model being the five-door Expression with air-conditioning priced at £10,250. Were now getting used to the current shape Clio styling that has ushered in a
Renault look that is reflected in some of the companys most expensive models.
Opinion is divided as to whether the enlarged badge hanging in the small diamond-shaped front grille represents an improvement but its here to stay with even the banzai Clio V6 25v now adopting the corporate front end. Still, the tauter lines work quite well, giving the car an extra touch of individuality and a bold front bumper arrangement introduced for the 2004 model year adds a sportier feel. At the back, owners of the original post-98 Clio will notice revised rear light clusters and smarter badging, with the logo doubling as a hatch release button a la SEAT. The Quickshift does little to advertise its exotic transmission, with no external badging.
Only the eagle-eyed will spot the unorthodox gear lever. In true Renault style, safety gets its usual top billing. The previous Clio had already achieved a top four star rating in the EuroNCAP crash tests and builds on that by further including adaptive intelligent twin front and side airbags with two levels of inflation, depending upon the seating position of the driver and the severity of the impact. For the rear side seats, pretensioners are now combined with 600kg load limiters.
Finally, the latest Clio is equipped with Isofix three-point child safety seat attachments in the rear side seats and the front passenger seat, which is provided with airbag inhibition, should you wish your child to be placed alongside the driver. The Renault Clio Quickshift is a car that will delight some and frustrate others. If you need a dual-purpose car that doubles up equally well in the city and on longer runs, the Clio puts in a mixed performance. As a dedicated city car, its a good deal stronger, especially at prices which arent far removed from something VW Lupo sized.
Its worth taking an extended test drive to judge for yourself whether the Quickshift gearbox merits the additional outlay. For every person that finds it irritating, another will consider it a blessing. Try before you buy.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Renault Clio Quickshift range
PRICES: £9,150-£10,250 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 4
CO2 EMISSIONS: 137g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 106mph / 0-60mph 16.4s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 37.2mpg/ (extra-urban) 58.9mpg/ (combined) 48.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS, Brake Assist
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height [3dr] 3770/1640/1417mm
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