The first Renault Sport model built in Brasil can now be configured on the manufacturer's website. The base Renault Sandero RS starts at BRL 59,880 ($15,590 or €13,985 at current exchange rates) and comes as standard with black-painted 16-inch wheels.
As you will find out by playing with the Sandero RS configurator, the 17-inch Grand Prix alloys with 205 tires are optional extras. If you're not happy with the solid paint jobs, Renault Brazil offers metallic paint for an additional BRL 1,360. It pains us to say this but the car isn't available with the trademark RS yellow paint.
Once you hop inside, the Renault Sandero RS greets you with a steering wheel lifted from the Euro-spec Renault Clio GT and seats with decorative stripes. Climate control, RS Drive selectable driving modes that modify the weight of the steering and throttle response, an R-Link infotainment system with satellite navigation, and a six-speed manual are on the cheap and cheerful hot hatchback's menu as well.
Well, when we say hot hatchback, we actually mean mildly warm by European or American standards. Under the hood of the Sandero RS you'll find a 2-liter naturally aspirated motor that churns out a not-too-shabby 150 horsepower and 195 Nm (144 lb-ft) of torque. That doesn't sound like much, but for a front-wheel drive car as light as this one it translates to a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration of 8 seconds.
By comparison, the extremely nice to drive Renault Clio RS manages to do it in 6.7 seconds thanks to an EDC double-clutch transmission and a 200 HP turbo-four. Still, the Renault Clio RS starts at a whopping €27,450 in France, which is way more costly than the delightful Sandero RS.
Curiously enough, Renault Brazil offers an even hotter proposition in the South American country – the so-called Renault Fluence GT2. In this form, the humble Fluence sedan is animated by a 2-liter engine that churns out 190 horsepower, good enough for a top speed of 225 km/h (140 miles per hour).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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