Test Drive: Renault Lutecia R.S. | Renault

Renault Lutecia Renault Sport

The Latest Renault Hot Hatch

Test Drive: Renault Lutecia R.S.

The new "Lutecia (Clio in its home market)" has arrived as the vanguard of Renault's new generation of models. And the "Lutecia R.S." is the model that Renault Sport, responsible for Renault's motorsport activities including F1, has engineered from the ground up. Satoshi Shiomi tests Renault's hot hatch, equipped with the latest features such as a 2.0-liter turbo engine producing 200ps and a dual-clutch transmission.

Text By SHIOMI SatoshiPhotographs by ARAKAWA Masayuki

A Car That Urges You to Drive Faster

First and foremost, the "Lutecia Renault Sport" is, in a sense, a car with a sadistic personality. When you drive it on an open mountain road, the car itself goads you on, saying "Step on it more, step on it more." It's as if it's constantly asking, "Is that all you've got?"

For me, who clearly recognizes my own masochistic tendencies, this is an irresistible car. No, that's too cheap a phrase and disrespectful. Every part of the vehicle calls for sporty driving. In today's Japan, where anything that doesn't qualify for eco-car tax breaks is considered not a car, I want to applaud Renault for offering such a model at an affordable price.

The Lutecia Renault Sport is a tuned version of the normal Lutecia, made sportier. Visually, it features exclusive elements such as an F1-inspired blade on the front grille, a rear spoiler, and twin exhaust pipes with a diffuser around them. The wheels are 1-2 inches larger than the standard ones.

The interior, on the other hand, has minimal changes, with only paddle shifters on the steering column and bucket-style front seats.

The engine is a 1.6-liter inline 4-cylinder DOHC turbo, upgraded from the normal 1.2-liter unit. It boasts a maximum output of 200ps, an increase of 80ps from the normal model, and a maximum torque of 24.5kgm, an increase of 5.1kgm, at 1,750rpm. The transmission is a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission, similar to the normal model. The gear ratios, including the final drive, remain the same, and it is said to be able to handle the power of the Renault Sport without any special reinforcement.

Its biggest rival would likely be the Peugeot "208 GTi". Both have the same maximum output, but the 208 GTi has about 3kgm more maximum torque (both peak power and torque occur at the same RPM). It's interesting that the 208 GTi is only available with a manual transmission, while the Lutecia is only available with a dual-clutch. This point, along with the fact that the 208 GTi is a 3-door model while the Lutecia Renault Sport is a 5-door, could be decisive factors when choosing. I can guarantee you won't regret choosing either.

Renault Lutecia Renault Sport

The Latest Renault Hot Hatch

Test Drive: Renault Lutecia R.S. (2)

Renault Sport Doesn't Make Mediocre Turbos

The previous generation Lutecia Renault Sportachieved similar maximum output by revving its 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine to 7,100rpm, and it was a wonderfully sweet engine. However, nowadays, revving an engine above 7,000rpm is practically forbidden for mass-produced cars due to efficiency concerns. Therefore, like other manufacturers' sports models, the new model uses forced induction to generate strong torque.

"Renault Sport doesn't make mediocre turbos" is a tradition that dates back to the Renault "5 Turbo" and even to Renault in F1 during the late 70s, and it has been passed down to the new Lutecia. The process leading up to peak power, rather than the peak power itself, such as the way torque is delivered and the exhaust note, is dramatic. Also, paradoxically, when shifting manually, a beeping warning sound signals when the engine hits the rev limiter, and it's quite an irritating sound, which makes the driver even more excited. That was certainly the case for me.

As you can see from the "Megane Renault Sport," known for its sharp handling, the suspension is where Renault Sport truly excels, or rather, where they go all out.

"We wanted to incorporate all the elements that drivers expect from a hot hatch: minimal body roll, exceptional straight-line stability and cornering performance, responsive handling, and high comfort," said Philippe Merimet, Chief Chassis Dynamics Engineer, according to the press release.

In reality, "high comfort" is a bit of an exaggeration. Compared to the normal model, you clearly feel a higher body rigidity, and although not as stiff as the Megane Renault Sport, the suspension is tightened. However, it moves properly in response to input, and the tires are high-grip (the test car had Dunlop SP Sport Maxx). Since the width is kept at 205cm, the same as the normal higher-grade models, there's no forced feeling like in some tuned cars where almost all the power upgrade is handled by extremely wide tires. It gives the impression that the body and chassis as a whole are properly reinforced at considerable cost to handle the power.

Renault Lutecia Renault Sport

The Latest Renault Hot Hatch

Test Drive: Renault Lutecia R.S. (3)

Chassis Cup and Chassis Sport

Starting from Daikanzan on the Hakone Turnpike towards Odawara. It's incredibly fast in corners. The car reacts instantly to even slight steering inputs, and the electronic differential, acting as an LSD, prevents traction loss on both uneven and undulating surfaces. The front brakes are larger in diameter than the normal ones, and the rear has been changed from drums to discs. While much of the braking performance is likely due to the front, it stops very well.

There's an "R.S. Drive Switch" on the center console that allows you to select one of three driving programs: "Normal," "Sport," and "Race." Normal is for city driving, with a shift speed of 0.2 seconds. Selecting Sport increases the idling RPM by 250rpm to 1,000rpm, improves throttle response, and delays the intervention of the stability control. The shift speed is 0.17 seconds. Race mode can only be selected when shifting manually using the shift lever, with a shift speed of 0.15 seconds.

However, and this is the only aspect of this car I dislike, in Race mode, the stability control is forcibly disengaged. Even in "Race" mode, it's not intended for actual track racing but rather for a "race feeling" mode. It's fine to be able to disengage it, but I wish it were possible to keep it engaged.

A unique feature of Renault Sport, unlike other hot hatches, is the choice between two specifications: Chassis Cup and Chassis Sport. The Cup has spring rates that are 27% higher at the front and 20% higher at the rear than the Sport, and the steering is quicker. Due to the difference in springs, the overall height is 3mm lower. The Cup has 18-inch wheels, while the Sport has 17-inch wheels. The price for the Cup is 3,178,000 yen, and the Sport is 3,075,000 yen, almost the same as the 208 GTi (3,080,000 yen).

The driving impressions described so far are from the Cup version.

The Sport, which I drove afterwards, offers a slightly, but distinctly, more cultured ride. If I were buying, I would be torn, but fundamentally, I'd say, "If you're going to buy a Renault Sport, it has to be the Cup." The price difference is only 100,000 yen, and the Sport doesn't suddenly become comfortable.

The Cup will bring you closer to ecstasy on winding roads. However, for those who find ecstasy elsewhere – in other words, those with partners or families – the Sport might be a better choice. Of course, this is not to say that Cup buyers are destined for loneliness. They probably own another car.