In their quest to lower the overall environmental impact of their cars and eventually arriving at Zero Emission mobility, Renault has launched a new edition of the Clio hatchback in the British market which is the greenest production car by the French firm ever. This model is powered by 1.5-litre dCi 86 diesel unit which does 76.3 mpg and emits just 98g/km CO_2.

The Clio eco² features many fuel saving techniques both in terms of powerplant and aerodynamics. The engine for example is purposely engineered for the job. It has:

• Taller gearing across all the transmission ratios: the torque and the flexibility of the dCi 86 allow this to be achieved without any significant impact on performance
• Reduction of frictional losses in the engine and gearbox with the introduction of low-viscosity lubricants
• Dedicated engine mapping focused on reducing fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions

Meanwhile the car’s aerodynamics has been revised and comes with:

• Flexible lip under front bumper extended by 15mm
• Front wheel arch liner extension flaps
• Specific underbody enclosure for rear axle

These changes reduce the CO2 emissions by 17 g/km! The car also gets a set of reduced rolling resistance Michelin 185×60 R15 low energy consumption tyres.

Pricing for this model starts form £12,690 which is cheap, but son’t expect any fancy equipments. You just get the regular stuff like RDS radio CD with fingertip remote control, front fog lights and electric front windows. Options here include 15” alloy wheels and fully integrated Carminat TomTom satellite navigation.