Renault has announced yet more details of the fourth generation Clio, ahead of the car’s global debut at the Paris motor show. These include how and where the model will be built, as well as the means used to attain a claimed 100kg average weight saving.
Manufacturing locations and processes
As the firm has chosen not to replace the three-door Clio, the new car will be sold initially only as a five-door hatchback. A wagon, as well as an R.S. (RenaultSport) derivative, will follow in 2013, the latter to be manufactured at the Dieppe plant in France. Other Clios will be built at Flins, also in France, or at Bursa in Turkey.
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Renault says the design brief could have put significant pressure on its manufacturing system, but the challenge was, it claims, transformed into an opportunity to deliver what it terms ‘ground-breaking’ quality control. Some of the features it has chosen to highlight in a new, in-depth information release are as follows:
- panel gaps reduced by 0.2mm
- elimination of paint impurities (orange peel) by using a superior standard of finish and electro-coated protection techniques
- long-life varnish that is both deeper and thicker, for a better, more durable finish
- first use of a red-tinted lacquer (for the Flame Red body colour inspired by the DeZir concept car)
- the roof is plasma-soldered by robots, a simpler process which ensures even higher quality
- the detection at the end of the assembly line of minor faults (class V3) likely to influence perceived quality reduced by a factor of three
The Renault Production Way (SPR) has been further refined ahead of the introduction of this crucial new model. The SPR requires designers of product and process, buyers, suppliers, logistics analysts and affiliated industrial plants to reach specific targets and comply with certain principles. There are regulations and operational standards that must be met by every individual who contributes to the design and build of a vehicle.
The SPR’s four objectives are to:
- make sure customers get the quality they expect
- bring down global costs
- manufacture the right products at the right time
- respect the workforce and give them responsibilities
To achieve the four goals, the same procedures are employed in the factories at Flins and Bursa, just as they are at plants throughout the Renault Group.
Objectives include the standardisation and ongoing improvement of work stations, in order to guarantee customer satisfaction in terms of quality, price and delivery times. The training, education and flexibility of the production teams are, the Group states, a key part of the SPR philosophy. In practice, any employee should be capable of occupying three different work stations and each work station should be operable by three different employees.
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By GlobalDataSaving an average 100kg: weighing up the details
New Clio is said to be approximately 100kg lighter than previous-generation models, thanks to optimisation work in several areas, including:
- the use of very high elastic limit (VHEL) steel for the body’s superstructure
- the introduction, on certain variants, of a tailgate made entirely of thermoplastic (polypropylene), which saves approximately 3kg
- a smaller fuel tank, the capacity of which has been reduced from 55 to 45 litres. The company says the loss of 10 litres will have no impact on fuel range, thanks to economy gains that have been made (the new Clio also sees the introduction of a highly efficient new 898cc three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine)
- other components to have had their weight optimised (reportedly without any affect on their performance), include the wheels, exhaust system, engine mountings, door stops, dashboard cross member, floor pan, braking system, anti-roll bar (now hollow), drive shafts and dashboard insulation(now featuring three layers of material)
The new Renault Clio, formerly known as the X98 project, goes on sale across Europe from October. The car features a 2,589mm wheelbase, which is identical to that of the new Zoe electric car. Both models use a modified version of the Alliance B platform, according to Renault. Alliance B is also used for the soon to be replaced third generation Clio, as well as the Renault Modus and first generation Nissan Note.
Author: Glenn Brooks
