OK, what is the Chevrolet Epica based one?

I beleive there is no relation, barring that Renault owns a bit of Nissan, and Nissan owns a bit of Renault. I beleive the new Micra will use the Clio platform though when it comes out in a few years. The Clio, as it stands, is substantially bigger than the old Micra - which has been out for like 8 years or something now! If it used that platform, it'd be using a platform almost as old as the 10 year old one it was replacing hehe :-) The old ClioSport chassis though, is now the new Twingo!

'An all-new third generation Clio was unveiled in 2005. It uses a platform co-developed with Nissan (which Renault has a share in) that is shared with the Renault Modus, the current Nissan Micra and the Nissan Note.'

Renault own around 45% of Nissan with Nissan owning 15% of Renault.

HTH.

"DanB" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Will you please f*ck off with your facts, and just lie back and let us take the piss out of you in peace? Thank you.

we got 1 at work and the steering wheel looks just like a saab wheel and it's about the same length and size as a 9-3 so i reckon it's a 9-3 underneath, not a bad looking car i don't think for the cash

The 'platform' can still be shared.

The Clio is a bit bigger (wheelbase is 14.5cm longer), but that doesn't mean it isn't using the same platform.

The current (Golf V) platform has spawned the Golf, A3, TT, Jetta, Passat, Octavia, Leon, Altea, Altea XL, Toledo.... fair range of sizes and wheelbases in there.

See this is why I stand by my 'It doesn't matter' stance heh. If the chassis is different enough to be a different size, and in some case use completely different suspension set ups an components - they're significantly unrelated to each other for it to be an issue IMHO :-)

However, with the above cars, most of the differences are restricted to welding in some extra metal to make them bigger or smaller.

Shocks and dampers may be different between cars, but the same pick-up points etc. are used on all of them.

Which is why, if you didn't know any better, you'd have a bloody hard job telling someone if you were driving, for example, a Jetta or a Passat.

Well the suspension mounting points differ between the normal Clios and the RenaultSport ones heh! Plus the sports (and the Dynamique S 138) have a wider track (and as such wider wings etc).

Peugeot 405 Platform shared with the Citroen BX (BX came first I think, and had hydropneumagic front struts as a sharings concession).

406/Xantia are related too as far as I know. MGF has relations with Metro IIRC.

These cars are not exactly similar.

My next door neighbour has a 9000. We have a 9-5. I prefer the 9-5, it is shinier. (c: