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Fast, light, cheap and adjustable, with a heady 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine and twangy Cup chassis, past versions positively clamoured to be driven hard and devoured track duties just as readily as they spiced up a commute.

To anyone lucky enough to have spent a decade and a half behind its oversized steering wheel, the Renaultsport Clio was a formula of devilish perfection. But apparently not one immune to change.

With an all-new Clio comes a seismic change to Renaultsport’s established approach. Like the standard model, the RS 200 must now be bought with five doors. Its engine has been downsized and turbocharged. And the gearbox has been automated. Although a more track-focussed RS 220 Trophy has recently been added.

These changes are intended to make the former tearaway a more appealing prospect to a broader cross-section of buyers.

The Clio RS 200 EDC has a 197bhp 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine that drives the front wheels through the six-speed ‘Efficient Dual Clutch’ gearbox that lends this model its initialised suffix, alternatively if you want a bit more overall power there is 217bhp RS 220 Trophy available too.

The powertrain difference from the previous Clio couldn’t be more marked. Offered with a six-speed manual only, its 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine wanted revs to give results and it produced its 197bhp power peak at 7250rpm. This time around, peak power arrives by 6000rpm and, significantly, peak torque of 177lb ft starts at 1750rpm.

The chassis – a steel monocoque – is more familiar. It’s a five-door-only, 4062mm-long, conventional supermini shell. There are MacPherson struts at the front and a rear torsion beam. It’s available in two settings: standard chassis and the Cup variant.

Our test car was the Cup, which has 3mm lower suspension, 15 percent stiffer springs and a quicker steering rack. Both models have what Renault calls an RS Diff, an electronic differential, although its technical bumf reveals that it works on the brakes rather than through the diff.

It monitors differences between front wheel speeds, and differences between rear wheel speeds, and applies light braking to a spinning front wheel accordingly, without affecting power delivery (thus acting on the differential, which will apportion more power to the outside).

It works independently of the traction and stability control systems, which can be reduced in their intrusion or switched off entirely.

Renault’s decision to replace the old 2.0-litre tempest with a smaller, turbocharged engine would have been sufficient to noticeably alter the model’s temperament on its own, but coming as it does with the dual-clutch auto ’box, the new driveline imposes a radically different character on the car.

Driven in default automatic mode, the car is predictably and wilfully amenable to measured inputs, humming along with the civilised anonymity of any other modern automatic hatchback. This is obviously as intended.

Away from the hard data, the Clio does still have its moments, and it’s ingratiating at least to find them very close to the 6500rpm redline. But even here, the gearbox is a split-second hurdle rather than a spine-tingling addition.

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