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French class: a quick lesson on the award-winning Renault range

Groupe Renault is the Top Gear Magazine Manufacturer of the Year. Here’s why

  • From myth-busting EVs to record-breaking hot hatches, Renault has your everyday adventures covered – whether it’s an all-electric commute or a time-attack on the world’s toughest track.

    This wide-ranging repertoire, along with the relentless pursuit of perfection, is just one reason why Groupe Renault – including Dacia and Alpine – was named Manufacturer of the Year at the TopGear.com Awards.

    Want to see what makes Renault the best in the business? Click away...

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  • Now in its fifth generation, the Renault CLIO is the best-selling French car ever and an enduring favourite on British roads. The all-new CLIO – available from September - is the latest and greatest incarnation of the celebrated supermini, and the most sophisticated yet. More spacious inside yet more compact outside, it’s also lighter, stronger and safer than its predecessor, with a five-star Euro NCAP rating.

  • There’s a choice of five powertrains, including three petrol engines, one diesel and – for the first time ever in a Renault, a hybrid option, coming September 2020. With instant reactions the CLIO E-TECH is fun to drive and uses 40 per cent less fuel on urban journeys.

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  • The revolutionised interior features lots of new, cutting-edge tech, plus upgraded materials to lend a more premium feel to life on board. On top of all that, there’s plenty of equipment to make everyday driving easier – from the optional ‘Smart Cockpit’ with two digital displays to the new EASY LINK multimedia platform with 4G connectivity, plus EasyDrive driver assistance tech.

  • The all-new, second generation of the compact SUV is completely refreshed, yet still as family-friendly as ever. The enhanced exterior design delivers plenty of presence, boosted by full LED headlights as standard across the range, and there’s now a wider range of customisable options.

    Inside there’s a more premium finish, more boot space, a sliding rear bench for maximum versatility and innovative driver assistance tech.

  • From September the all-new CAPTUR will also be available with an E-TECH plug-in hybrid powertrain combining a petrol engine, two electric motors and a totally innovative gearbox. Using technology that draws on Renault’s know-how in electric vehicles and from the fast-moving world of Formula 1®, it boasts an all-electric range of 30 miles and a top speed in EV mode of 85mph.

  • To make life on the road a little easier, the all-new CAPTUR is available with the most extensive range of standard and optional equipment – and advanced driver assistance systems – in its class, including a front camera and radar plus Highway & Traffic Jam Companion adaptive cruise control. And, like all Renault passenger cars, the all-new CAPTUR comes with a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

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  • The original ZOE made EVs an affordable, everyday prospect. The new ZOE – at the forefront of Renault’s commitment to 100% electric mobility for all – takes the game to another level with a bigger 52kWh battery, a choice of 80kW or 100kW electric motors, and an increased range of 245 miles under WLTP conditions. No wonder it’s the Top Gear Magazine City Car of the Year.

  • Now in its third generation, the new ZOE has a fresh look, including a restyled exterior with new colours and a completely redesigned interior with premium materials and a 10-inch TFT instrument cluster. The electric experience is even more effective with a new ‘B Mode’, to maximise the regenerative braking effect for instinctive, single-pedal driving.

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  • With the option of 50kW DC capability the new ZOE now benefits from quicker charging on the go – allowing you to make the most of the ever-expanding public charging network, including convenient fast chargers. And there’s good news if you plan to charge your ZOE at home, as Renault provides a free, fully-installed 7kW domestic wallbox for those overnight top-ups.

  • The reigning Top Gear Magazine Performance Car of the Year, and the fastest front-wheel drive production car ever to lap the Nürburgring, with a time of 7mins 40.1 seconds. Fine-tuned for the track but equally at home the road, the Trophy-R is powered by a 300PS turbocharged 1.8-litre engine paired with a six-speed manual gearbox.

  • Like any true performance car, the Trophy-R has undergone a dramatic weight-saving regime and features all sorts of lightweight components – from the carbon-fibreglass composite bonnet to the Sabelt composite front seats with optional six-point racing harnesses. All of which make the Trophy-R up to 130kg lighter than a standard Megane R.S. Trophy.

  • As well as a Torsen limited slip differential, the Trophy-R also comes with Renault Sport-developed Bridgestone S007 tyres optimised for fast road and track use. The suspension is totally re-engineered with lighter, motorsport-inspired parts, to accompany aero improvements including a carbon rear diffuser. It even sounds fast, thanks to a lightweight titanium Akrapovič exhaust exclusive to the Trophy-R.

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