![]() ![]() A comfortable car, this ain’t.Īs for the revised engine, it’s responsive and aggressive, yet hardly overflowing with character despite the growls and pops from the centre-exit exhaust. It must be sensational on track – where it will oversteer in extremis – but the pay-off on the road is suspension that endlessly jitters and jolts. The Megane changes direction like no other hot hatch, diff biting hard into bends. The secret is four-wheel steering, which bestows a rabid agility that seems almost unnatural. It feels up on its toes, totally lacking in hysteresis. God knows how the ‘R’ drives because the Trophy is sharper than lemon zest. At least it has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Perceived quality could be better, though, and Renault’s portrait-style media system seems needlessly complicated. It’s also decently practical, with five doors, ample rear legroom and a boot that swallows a baby buggy. Its leather and Alcantara steering wheel feels great and the adjustable Recaro bucket seats are fantastic – albeit a pricey £1,500 option. Last day in the Megane RS 300 Trophy, although we have another – much older – Renault hot hatch booked for next week. Their design resembles the dated TSW Venom (remember those, Max Power readers?) and the red pinstripes are just naff. However, I’m far from sold on the Trophy’s unique 19-inch ‘Jerez’ alloys. It bristles with kinetic energy even standing still. Where the Civic Type R is all OTT scoops and spoilers, Renault relies on taut, muscular curves. It looks the part, too, especially in £1,300 Liquid Yellow metallic. No doubt, this middle-tier Megane means business. The latter includes stiffer suspension, a Torsen limited-slip diff and hydraulic bump stops. Essentially, this is a faster, more focused take on the £27,835 Megane RS ( keep up at the back!) with ceramic turbo bearings for an extra 20hp, grooved brake discs, the RS Monitor on-board telemetry system and the Cup chassis option. Not that the Trophy is exactly a soft option. At £31,835, it’s also less than half the price of the ’Ring record version. On the plus side, you get rear seats, sound deadening and proper infotainment. It shares the same 300hp 1.8-litre engine and six-speed manual gearbox, but is 113kg heavier and comes with considerably less carbon. The Megane Trophy here (note the absence of ‘R’) isn’t that car. Read more Motoring Research reviews FIRST on City AM Just 500 will be sold worldwide, with 32 bound for the UK. Other trick bits – included on all cars – include Öhlins adjustable dampers, Sabelt race seats, bespoke Bridgestone track tyres and a titanium Akrapovič exhaust. Most of that additional cash goes on carbon fibre wheels, which save 2.1kg per corner, and carbon-ceramic brakes. Even so, the car’s price tag has dominated headlines.Ī ‘standard’ Megane Trophy-R will cost you £51,140, but the fully-loaded Nürburgring Record edition is (deep breath) £72,140. Its time of 7min 40.1sec is also within spitting distance of a 2008 Porsche 911 GT2. The Megane Trophy-R scorched around 14.2 miles and 154 corners in 3.7 seconds less than the Honda Civic Type R. Nürburgring lap times are a Big Deal for hot hatches, and Renault has recently reclaimed the record.
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