New Renault Clio to Take on Peugeot 207 in European Small Segment

The small-car segment has turned into the main target for most automakers around the world, mostly due to the economic chaos which encouraged people to migrate to small-displacement engines boasting a reduced fuel economy and very low CO2 emissions. This is why Renault puts all its hopes in the newly-launched Clio, a redesigned model that was especially introduced to compete with Peugeot 207 in major European markets.

"We think we have developed a product that can take on Peugeot's 207, and anyone else for that matter," Renault's director for the small-car segment Yves-Eric Morel told Automotive News Europe.

"The new design, the new features, and the touch of sportiness associated with the Renault Sport models will give us advantages over the 207, and the rest of the competition."

And the new Clio is indeed a very-well equipped model, bringing numerous exterior and interior enhancements. However, the most attractive areas are still the equipment trims, with the range now consisting of keyless entry systems, low-cost satellite navigation system developed with the help of TomTom as well as several safety features, including airbags and other advanced systems.

Renault's officials said that the company is aiming to deliver 20 to 30 percent of all new Clios equipped with satellite navigation systems.

"There's no reason we can't go as high as 40 percent in the future," Morel said.

Peugeot was the leader of the small segment in 2008 in Europe, with 368,463 sold units of its 207 model which means the French manufacturer owned a 10 percent share of the European markets. Opel/Vauxhall Corsa snatched the second place with 365,458 sales while Renault came only third with 346,699 sold Clios.