Renault has been reported working on its fourth generation hatch, the Clio. There have been spy images of the entry-level hatch in the past, but for the first time the French automaker has released teaser image of the Clio.
The image was showcased to a group of shareholders at the company’s annual meeting. Though the images were not intended to leave the room, the teaser images are now doing rounds on the web.
We cannot translate the entire styling from the teaser image, but for starters, the next-gen Clio’s rear door handles will be integrated into the C-pillar. This gives the five-door hatch a three-door appearance, suggesting that there is no three-door Clio in the future lineup.
Renault has announced an official debut of the fourth-gen Clio at the 2012 Paris Motor show, while the French automaker’s product manager, Béatrice Foucher gave away few insights of the fourth-generation hatch at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.
According to which, the new product will resemble a more ‘emotional’ design that is inspired largely from the DeZir concept showcased at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The fourth-gen Clio will appear in a sporty guise, growing broader and riding lower. Moreover, Foucher confirmed that the Clio will appear as a five-door hatch only as there is marginal sales in comparison of the three-door version.
In terms of power, the fourth-gen Clio will sport new three and four-cylinder motors. Foucher went on to declare that Renaultsport version is also in works, which will feature a downsized turbocharged engine. There is no word on the interiors yet, but coming as a sporty hatch, the Clio will offer more in terms of ergonomics and drivability.
In India, Renault has the Pulse hatch, Fluence sedan and Koleos SUV in its portfolio. The Duster compact SUV is also expecting a lunch in India by mid 2012 and Clio is one of the hottest products that could be launched under the Indian portfolio. We speculate a 2013 scheduled launch of the Clio, while the fourth-gen model may follow soon.