This is essentially a makeover, rather than an upgrade – the only exception being the 18” ‘Interlagos’ alloy wheels, which are one inch larger diameter than the standard 200 wheels.

These are fitted with Bridgestone RE 050A tyres, as used on the Nürburgring record-breaking Megane Renaultsport 265 Trophy. Naturally, the acclaimed Cup chassis is standard featuring a lower ride height, stiffer springs and dampers, quicker steering ratio and red finish to the Brembo brake callipers.

The matt paint finish is contrasted by a gloss black finish to the roof, rear spoiler, F1-style front blade, rear diffuser and door mirrors, rounded off by more heavily tinted rear-side and tailgate windows and a limited-edition Raider badge.

Leather is used for the front Recaro seats, which are complimented by the zinc grey finish to the centre console and fascia inserts. Other changes include a white background to the rev counter and a numbered plate identifying the car’s sequence in the 50 unit production run.

Bluetooth, USB connectivity, automatic climate control and Renaultsport carpet mats are also fitted and customers can order their Raider with a no cost option of either Renaultsport Monitor – Renaultsport’s on-board telemetry system – or Carminat TomTom Live satellite navigation.

Order books for the Raider open at the end of October, when further details and pricing will also be announced.

Gallery

So when we heard that Renault was applying its Gordini touch to the diminutive little Roadster, we immediately knew it was bound for success.

Following the Twingo and Clio Gordini models, the exclusive new Wind Roadster Gordini will be presented at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show from 1 March 2011.

Renault claim it’s a true driver’s car – shod with 17-inch black diamond alloy wheels, it features Malta blue bodywork with trademark twin white stripes, Glacier white door mirrors, grille trim and rear wing, and a gloss black roof. A badge marked with a “G” completes the Gordini look.

The Wind Roadster Gordini also places particular emphasis on interior design. The cabin features special “Gordini” black and blue leather upholstery, blue and white door straps and a blue leather steering wheel with the signature white stripes on the centre-band. A leather gear lever gaiter and polished metal gear knob bearing the Gordini name complete the look.

But first and foremost, the Gordini name expresses a spirit that has travelled down through the years. Just as Gordini drivers of the 1960s and 1970s flashed their headlamps as a sign of recognition when they met each other on the road, so the modern Gordini community meets up on social networks. In an innovative move by Renault, its community members were the first to receive news of the Wind Roadster Gordini with a teaser posted on the Gordini fan page on Facebook this past Monday.

Photo Gallery

The answer is quite a lot of people actually, and that’s a shame. See I won’t hide my prejudices here; I’ve never ‘got’ the whole contemporary Mini styling/brand thing. For me it represents the typical new-build-estate 2-car-household whose concept of ‘making it’ means a pointless, insipid marketing role and the ability to watch Big Brother on a 55-inch plasma screen. The Countryman is just a further extension of a more-money-than-sense culture.

I won’t lie, I haven’t read any reviews and don’t really intend to. Even if it’s as agile and well-sorted as an Elise with the off-road nous of a Disco, I’d still want to slap its rotund Prescott face for being so expensive and so prosaically ‘cool’.

It seems Mini and the monster that is BMW can get away with producing the most futile designs in modern car-making. X1, X3 – they have no purpose, they’re just a sub-niche of a sub-niche. Imagine the mockery that Renault, for example, would receive should they want to raise the ride-height of a Clio by 6-inches and then attach 4 acres of plastic to the front and rear bumpers.

I’m in the minority, I know, but will history look back on Mini iterations like the Countryman with any degree of fondness? Will they achieve classical status? I suspect not. They represent a period where we threw money at a fashion item and forgot about practical, graceful design.

When Renault announced the Gordini brand earlier this year we wondered how it would fit alongside their existing Renaultsport range – thoughts of even higher performing models entered our minds, bearing in mind the rich competition success of those R8 Gordinis which finished 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th in the 1964 Tour of Corsica rally.

But the clue to Renault’s revival of the Gordini brand lies in the presentation of the range on their own microsite:

The Gordini Guide to Style

The very essence of French chic comes to the UK with the arrival of the Gordini range. First with Twingo and then Clio, Gordini is about more than just a car – it’s a style. The distinctive Gordini white stripes and finishing touches invite you to enjoy the very best in elegance and class from us. With a leather interior, full connectivity and beautiful looks, Gordini shows off at the top of our range. The car is not all. With merchandise worthy of a Paris catwalk, you can add a touch of glorious Gordini style to more than just your journey. Gordini is confident good looks with personality, but how does it drive? Try it.

Oh dear.. Has the cheeky French brand lost its va, va, voom..?

The Clio Gordini 200 follows on from the recent Twingo Gordini 133, and is expected to appeal to drivers who are looking for a luxurious and sporting small car, mixed with the flair of an iconic French name.

Clio Gordini 200 features a Renault i.d. Malta Blue metallic finish with twin white racing stripes on the bonnet, roof and tailgate, in keeping with the Gordini style. The front bumper is enhanced with a gloss black centre section and white F1-style ‘blade’. The door mirrors are also highlighted in white. This exclusive exterior styling package is completed by 17-inch Gordini alloy wheels with a polished face and black inner rim. ‘Gordini Series’ badging finishes the exterior design.

The same Gordini spirit continues inside thanks to Renaultsport seats in dark grey leather with blue details and Gordini-embossed logo. Blue detailing continues on the gearlever gaiter and Gordini-badged gearknob. The steering wheel is finished in blue and dark grey leather with two white stripes to indicate the centre point. The fascia features a white rev counter and the effect is completed with black gloss finish to the centre console, fascia inserts and air vent surrounds.

An exclusive plate will show the build number of the 500 exclusive examples that will come to the UK.

Clio Gordini 200 is based on the Renaultsport 200 and as with its Renaultsport sibling can be specified with either the standard ‘sport’ or Cup chassis. In addition, Clio Gordini 200 features climate control, curtain airbags, anti-submarining airbags, automatic headlight and wiper activation, cruise control, speed limiter, ESC, 4x20W radio-CD with Bluetooth hands free system with fingertip remote control and multifunctional TunePoint with USB connection, heated and electrically folding door mirrors, double optic headlamps with additional cornering lights, Renault hands free card for automatic unlocking and engine start, height and reach adjustable steering column and extra-tinted rear windows.

Customers can personalise their Gordini 200 with a choice of two other exterior colours. Pearl Black is available with white Gordini stripes or Glacier white with anthracite Gordini stripes and anthracite for the door mirrors and front blade. Should a customer wish, the Gordini stripes can be deleted. Customers can also choose from Gordini wheels with a blue inner rim (£100), Cup chassis (lower ride height, stiffer springs and dampers, red finish to the Brembo brake callipers, quicker steering rack – £410), Carminat TomTom satellite navigation (£460), rear parking sensors (£310) or electric panoramic glass sunroof (£615).

Clio Gordini 200 is available to order now at £19,650 on the road with first deliveries arriving in July, and whilst it’s a stylish little number we can’t help thinking that Renault might have missed a trick with the revival of the Gordini name.

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Standard Reviews

Your standard car review ...

Some appear in car reviews due to a related contractual obligation, some for an agreed appearance fee and others simply because they love cars. What we at SkiddMark want to analyse though is which manufacturer is currently making best use of celebrity endorsement to promote their offerings.

Your standard car review isn’t an overly complicated matter to get your head round. It should comprise a clear and concise overview of the key points of the car, any interesting or stand out features, the pros and cons of the driving and ownership experience with some summary thoughts to neatly stitch the review back together at the end. And if you’re on a popular BBC motoring show, it may also involve a lot of sideways action and driving through the grass much to the aghast face of the Lotus delivery driver.

The problem however with the phrase “standard” is that it has connotations of and implies associated words like boring, mundane and predictable, terminology no socially-savvy manufacturer wants to be associated with. To shake things up, some have employed recognisable faces to front their internet videos, with some hitting the mark much better than others.

Racing Drivers

F1 drivers can steer a large number of viewers a manufacturer's way

The first port of call by many manufacturers is to employ current racing drivers to promote their brand, in order to take advantage of the “cool factor” association of speed and success that often goes hand in hand with racing drivers. Audi in this clip have engaged current Porsche Carrera Cup UK driver Tim Harvey to give a quick run through of its superb R8. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with the video per se, it’s an extremely dry video that doesn’t give you much of a feel for the experience of driving the R8 due to the poor film location and woefully poor soundtrack.

McLaren in their recent MP4-12C launch took advantage of their F1 team to use champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton to help promote their first supercar in over a decade. A more exciting video than the aforementioned Audi R8 clip, the higher quality production values and more scenic Goodwood circuit make for a slick production, though once you get past it being two of the world’s best drivers going for a sedate drive, the content is quite dull as the cars are hardly pushed to perform in an entertaining fashion.

Even less entertaining however is Ferrari’s 2009 clip featuring Michael Schumacher talking you through the Ferrari California. Ferrari missed a great opportunity here to make a fantastic clip featuring one of the most talented drivers of all time and instead served up a very dry video of Schumacher merely talking and stroking the California. Whilst he may be a fine racing driver, he is evidently not a fine public speaker.

Having said that, this clip alone has generated three quarters of a million views for Ferrari, underlining the effect of how a famous face can overcome even average content, and another factor for why Mercedes were so keen to sign the German for F1 2010 to appear in viral successes like this.

Turn It Up to Eleven

Brian Johnson in the excellent Rolls Royce Phantom feature around Sydney

So we’ve established that while popular for generating hits, racing drivers generally tend not to make for the most comfortable presenters when reviewing a car. In that case, perhaps it would be better to divert our attention towards those who perform charismatically in front thousands and cameras as a career.

Brian Johnson from rock band AC/DC recently took some time out from their Australian tour to take a Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe around Sydney, taking in the sights and chatting to his fans. Weighing in at a chunky ten minutes, it’s a long clip by internet standards but well worth watching even if you’re no rocker. Johnson is a likeable chap with a magnetic and genuine personality that shines through during the whole clip, with the car subtly blending into each scene rather than bluntly being thrust upon you like so many manufacturers do.

Furthermore, the clip has a story of returning to Sydney 30 years on woven into the video which makes it much more engaging than the “here is the car now look at it” approach, with Johnson offering amusing anecdotes of his experience and relationship with the Rolls Royce brand as he became gradually more successful over the years. This combination of an interesting character, a glamorous location and a strong story for the review appears to be the winning formula brands should be trying to achieve, so hats off to Rolls Royce for this one.

Fellow musician Jay Kay of Jamiroquai fame also shot a similar video to Johnson’s, this time for Audi and their Q5. This clip is a much better offering from Audi, once again because of the energetic character and wealth of anecdotes he’s able to share with the viewer. Whilst this clip has much more of an advert feel than the Phantom clip, the features of the car are explained in a fun and enjoyable way rather than offered as a cold list of bullet points like in many manufacturers’ clips.

Cross Promotions

British skier Chemmy Alcott talks you through the Range Rover Sport

Sometimes effective media takes place when directors draw on a variety of areas strongest values to make one strong consolidated package.

A good example of this can be found in Range Rover’s series of clips with British downhill skier, Chemmy Alcott. Rather than relying on the strength of a super car to make viewers gawp over or an A-list celebrity to drag eyeballs in, Range Rover have utilised one of their sponsored athletes to show off the capabilities of their Range Rover Sport in the context of where Alcott will use it on a day to day basis. Alcott’s cheeky nature and playful way of running through her five favourite parts of the car effectively highlight the strengths of one of the UK’s favourite 4x4s.

Showing your car in use in day to day conditions rather than hammering up and down a runway is a much better way for manufacturers to interact with their customers and fans, so well done to Range Rover for thinking a little harder than its competitors when it comes to video promotion.

Final Thoughts

Renault smartly used their 2009 Clio Cup champion Phil Glew to talk about the road going Clio RS 200

It’s apparent that as we transition from traditional media platforms and into other forms of media, some manufacturers are much more on the ball for creating fun and interesting videos that will stimulate buzz and interest in their cars and products.

As shown by the earlier California clip with Schumacher, celebrity endorsement can allow lazy concepts to flourish thanks to the pull of the popular personality, though a combination of a likeable character, a strong brand and story can bring something truly engaging to both manufacturers and its audience. This Panamera video with Jay Leno shows that even comedians can’t make a video interesting if the premise is a dull one.

The very best videos don’t feel like adverts, moreover they’re experiences you’re invited to become a part of for those brief few minutes that then whets your appetite to learn more about the brand and vehicle you’ve been given a sample of. We’re not saying you have to be an A-list rockstar or that you require a huge budget as shown in this clip as 2009 Clio Champion Phil Glew crucifies a Clio Renaultsport 200 from cold to promote Renault’s little hot hatch.

What we are saying however is that celebrity based content should make relevant use of the guest presenter in a way that’s likely to make the viewer nudge their friend and say, “hey, you should really check this out.” If it doesn’t, how else is the message of these brands meant to spread?

Be sure to check out more car reviews and other videos on our SkiddPlayer.

The two-seater will be available to pre-order later in April in exclusive, range-topping ‘Collection’ limited edition guise, of which just 200 will find their way to the UK. Customer ordering for the rest of the range – Dynamique and Dynamique S – opens in May, ahead of first deliveries in July.

Two petrol engines are available, the 133hp 16-valve 1.6 from Twingo Renaultsport, or the smooth and responsive 1.2 TCe 100.

The entry-level Dynamique offers ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), front and lateral driver and passenger airbags, brake assist, ESC, immobiliser and electric retracting hard top roof. The Dynamique S adds a 2x35W radio CD MP3 reader, 17” alloy wheels, auto lights and wipers, Thatcham category 1 alarm, Bluetooth connectivity and multi-functional TunePoint (USB connection).

The first model to go on sale will be the limited edition Collection, which offers additional equipment including electrically adjustable and heated chrome effect door mirrors, carbon black leather-faced heated seats, gloss black retractable roof, red and chrome dash inserts, leather sport wheel and gearknob, aluminium pedals, subtle ‘Collection’ side and boot badges, plus double chrome roof cover cowls.

Pricing in the UK ranges from £15,500 for the entry-level Dynamique up to £18,200 for the range-topping limited-edition Collection model – that’s over £1,500 more than the Clio Renaultsport 200 Cup and £6,000 more than a Twingo Renaultsport Cup 133, so Renault are clearly not targeting the enthusiast driver with their new 2-seater.

Whilst the new 5 door “20th“ Clio is hardly the most exciting Clio ever made (the biggest engine available is a VVT 1.6 churning out a mild 128hp), the back story of the Clio is an exciting one.  Launched here in the UK in 1991, the Clio has gone on to sell over one million units in the UK and over 10 million worldwide.  Clio sales have been strong due to its great French styling that has always been in keeping with the time, strong safety ratings (as its 2005 five-star Euro NCAP crash rating demonstrates) plus cheap running and insurance costs, making the car an instant favourite with younger drivers.

As we discussed in our recent top car TV adverts feature, the Clio benefitted hugely from the Nicole/Papa adverts in the 1990s.  Indeed, the hilarious “series finale” raked in an unprecedented 23 million Brits who caught the fairytale ending to one of the most successful car advert campaigns in history.  This was then followed by the bizarre but altogether charming and memorable ‘Va Va Voom’ campaign with Ireland’s favourite Frenchman, Thierry Henry taking centre stage between 2001 and 2004.

Renault's iconic Clio V6 didn't lack poke - 255hp was delivered via the rear wheels

What we loved most of all though about the Clio are its performance models, kicking off with the now classic Clio Williams, developed in conjunction with the then massively successful Williams Renault team.  The 172, 182 and 197 Clios that followed also reached iconic status thanks to their incredible handling and ability to humble cars priced far higher, with these performance Clios delivering amazing value for money.  The current Renaultsport 200 is also a hoot to drive and one of the best hot hatches on the market today, so hats off to Renault for staying on top of the game with the Clio for so long.

What made and makes the Clio so great is that there is a Clio out there for everyone.  If you’re a newcomer to the road, the car’s simplicity and modest running costs provide an accessible route for cheap beginner motoring, and if you’re the sort of petrolhead who pours super unleaded on your cornflakes, the crazy Clio V6 could satisfy even the most ardent of lunatics.  Even in motorsport the Clio is the biggest selling one-make motorsport car of all time.  For giving us such a breadth of cars within one model, we thank you Renault, and look forward to more Clios.

Which generation of Clio was your favourite?  Were you more of a fan of the Nicole/Papa adverts or the Va Va Voom series fronted by Thierry Henry?

Share your thoughts with us as we wish the Clio a happy 20^th birthday.

The launch car is currently on display until January 10th 2010, at the L’Atelier Renault on Champs-Elysées in Paris, as part of the showroom’s ‘Christmas in Blue’ exhibition.

Before we get too excited, the first thing to realise is that this Gordini model is a restyling and rebranding effort – it’s the same underlying car as the regular Renaultsport 133 Twingo. No bad thing, since the RS 133 is already one of the most fun and accomplished small cars on the market, but nevertheless a little dissapointing to discover after all the pre-launch hype.

The Gordini Renaultsport features a gleaming Malta Blue metallic finish, plus two white racing stripes, in keeping with the tradition founded by Amédée Gordini. The front and rear bumpers are enhanced by gloss black centre sections, while the fog lamp surrounds, exterior door mirror housings and rear tailgate spoiler are all picked out in a contrasting white finish.

‘Gordini Series’ badging either side harks back to the 1960’s heyday of the Gordini Cup in France when the qualifying heats of the different race meetings were known as séries.

This exclusive exterior styling package is rounded off by 17-inch alloy wheels with a polished face and a choice of the inner rim finished in either blue or black.

Inside the Gordini spirit continues, the Renaultsport seats are present but this time with extra lateral support, blue and black Gordini-embossed leather upholstery, blue leather door panel inserts, blue and black leather-covered steering wheel with two white stripes to indicate the centre point, blue gearlever gaiter and Gordini-badged gearlever knob, blue rev-counter with white surround and a leather-trimmed dashboard cowl.

So you’d better like the colour blue then.

This Gordini version is quite heavily specced as standard with two choices of exterior paint colour – Malta Blue or Pearlescent Black metallic paint, automatic climate control, tinted rear windows, automatic headlamp activation and cruise control. This is not a ‘Cup’ version then, which continues within the Renaultsport range, however as with the standard RS 133 it’s possible to choose the ‘Cup’ chassis (lower ride height, stiffer springs and dampers) although this might be at odds with the quilted leather upholstery of the Gordini package.

Prices have yet to be announced – Renault will reveal these nearer to its UK launch in March – however we would expect the Twingo Gordini Renaultsport to be slightly more expensive than the standard RS 133 at around £13,000.

Renault’s Twingo RS Gordini becomes the first new model to be revealed in the range, presented under the cheeky strapline “The little blue bombshells with two white stripes are back”.

Further details on its specification and pricing will be revealed as we receive them, but in the meantime you can visit the official Gordini page on Facebook to view further images.

The Gordini brand will be positioned just below the current Renaultsport range, providing customers a greater range of options from which to personalise their cars. A wide range of paint schemes, body stripes and alloy wheels will be offered following the formula that’s been such a success with BMW’s Mini.

First model is likely to be a Twingo Gordini appearing in 2010, followed by hotter versions of the Clio and Mégane Coupe. The famous Gordini blue paintwork will be an option along with the trademark white stripes and contrasting black alloys.

If you have any questions then feel free to post them and we will pass them along to Renault.

The French press are understandably getting very excited about this news, so we will bring you further information when we hear it.