Wouldn't think that would reduce noise. Normally the car has resonator boxes (or just one) to reduce induction noise and not another opening so close to the airbox.
I modified almost all my airboxes from my cars and when I took the std intake pipe away and fitted a bigger one and placed it so that cold air would rush in, the intake sound was always louder than std :blink:
When I open my window (my R27) and accelerate in 2nd, 3nd and 4th with the gas pushed hummm 1/2 at least (it's more of a rpm based experience so doesn't really matter in which gear) I hear a deep intake sound around 2000-2700rpm and then it vanishes - the funny part is that when you don't accelerate enough it doesn't do it. So my thought was that this isn't an acoustic valve but more of a "extra" intake. The idea was that as you drive slower and on lower revs there is not so much air pressure in the primary intake pipe as air isn't pushed throu the grill in the pipe because of the lack of speed and when you pust the throttle to a point the valve opens and the engine gets precious air so it can accelerate better at lower revs. As the revs rise so does the speed and air pressure builds up in the main pipe so the extra pipe can be closed so no hot air gets in.
Just a thought ;/
The intake of the Clio reminds me of the BMC CDA system with the pipe you fit in the front bumper. Been reading some info from users of it and almost everyone complains about a small lack of power at small speed as the air is feed to the engine by only a small pipe and there is not enough speed to force the air in. The intake of the Clio is the same sort. A pipe that draws air from the grill. So maybe with that "extra" intake pipe Renault only wanted to solve this "problem".
Thinking loud again ;/