New Clio Scoops 2012 'Golden Steering Wheel' Award

[B]International Recognition[/B]
Now in their 37th year, the 2012 Gold Steering Wheel awards attracted 44 entries divided into six categories. In the MPV and coupé/cabriolet classes, the winners were decided directly by readers. In the four other categories, the final vote was preceded by an exhaustive road test of each of the five finalists by a panel of personalities at the Balocco test facilities in Italy.

[B]Renault, 10-time winner of the Golden Steering Wheel[/B]
The Golden Steering Wheel has been presented annually since 1976 and, with a total of ten trophies to its name, Renault is one of the award’s most successful car manufacturers. Previous models to have secured the prize are the Fuego Coupé (in 1980), the compact Renault 9 (1981), the Renault 25 (1984), Clio (1990), the second-, third- and fourth-generation Espace (1991, 1997 and 2002), the Renault 19 (1992), the Scénic MPV (2009) and, now, New Clio (2012).

[B]The reasons behind the praise for New Clio[/B]
New Clio is the first model to feature Renault’s new design cues, the most notable of which is the prominently-positioned logo, along with the emotion generated by its sensuous curves and refined lines.

New Clio’s appeal is further enhanced by its range of smaller engines that have given rise to fuel consumption savings of up to 20 percent over their predecessors.

Thanks to its architecture, suspension, extended wheelbase and wider track, the chassis of New Clio continues to stand out as a benchmark in its segment. With a five-star EuroNCAP crash test rating to its name, it is also the benchmark in terms of passive safety and obtained the best score in the small car class in three of the four parameters that are taken into account.

Another of New Clio’s compelling features is its in-dash multimedia system which sets a new standard in the model’s segment. The Media Nav system comes with a seven-inch (18cm) touchscreen display and incorporates a 4x20-Watt audio system complete with the Bass Reflex System, plus comprehensive connectivity (Bluetooth®, USB, jack) which allows occupants to enjoy music stored on portable devices.

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