Driving FORCE

France’s seductive supermini, the Renault Clio, is also celebrating a milestone anniversary this year

- Helen ParkinsonHelen Parkinson

The Paris Motor Show, 1990: a little car that will make an enormous impact is revealed to the world for the first time.

Cute and compact, the Renault Clio was introduced as a successor to the ageing Renault 5, boasting a slightly larger frame and longer wheelbase to make it a more comfortable ride.

It took its name from the Greek, ‘to make famous’; an ambition it has indubitably achieved, being crowned European Car of the Year not once but twice, in 1991 and 2006.

White knuckle ride

The Clio’s arrival was the harbinger of an exciting new era for Renault. During the 1980s, the automotive giant had enjoyed success both on the road and on the track.