The Renault Mégane Renault Sport (alternatively Renault Mégane RS) is a series of high-performance hatchback models based on the Renault Mégane, produced since 2004 by the high-performance subsidiary company Renault Sport for its parent company Alpine, a subsidiary of Renault. The Mégane RS won awards such as "Best hot hatch" from What car? (2010–2014), "Highest placed non-supercar" in Evo's annual Car of the Year test 2011 and "Best hot hatch" from Top Gear.
Mégane Renault Sport I (based on Second generation Mégane; 2004–2009)
The first generation Mégane RS was introduced in September 2004 and is based on the Renault Mégane II small family car. The Mégane II RS was available in three-door and five-door hatchback versions, both with the same engine and was built at Renault's Dieppe factory by using body shells made in Palencia, Spain. The Mégane Renault Sport 225 uses double-axis strut suspension with independent steering axis at the front and an electric power steering.
Engine and performance The RS uses a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine that produces , allowing the car to achieve 0–100 km/h in 6.5 seconds (0–60 mph in 6.5 seconds), with a top speed of about . Ninety percent of the engine's torque is available from 2,000 rpm until redline. A twin-scroll turbocharger minimizes turbo lag, especially when throttle is applied at over 2,000 rpm. The turbocharge functions at 1,800 rpm. The transmission is a six-speed manual. Renault's claimed combined economy is .
In a 2004 road test by Mexican car magazine Automóvil Panamericano, the engine developed a peak output of .
Equipment The Mégane Renault Sport has a speed-limiter, which prevents the car from passing a user-determined speed. It can be disabled or recalled with a button-press, and is set in the same way as the cruise control.
The Mégane RS is equipped with leather/cloth seats, seat belts with red stitching, 18-inch alloy wheels, dual sunroof, eight airbags and xenon headlights with headlight washers and Brembo brake discs.
Other features include automatic double optic headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, ABS with EBD and electronic stability control.
The Lux models feature metallic paint, hands free Renault card, electronic folding mirrors, tyre pressure monitor, electronic front and rear windows, climate control, leather upholstery, 4x15W RDS radio with CD-MP3 player and 6 speakers, front carpet mats, electronic rear view mirror, rear spoiler (petrol engine models only) and 18-inch alloy wheels over the base model.
Renault Sport 225 Cup (2005–2009)
Introduced in 2005, the Megane Renault Sport 225 Cup includes the Cup Chassis option, which adds drilled brake discs, red front and rear brake calipers and increased brake master cylinder diameter, different 18-inch wheels plus revised stiffened steering. Other features include carbon grey interior upholstery with silver stitching.
The car is lighter than the 225 Sport Hatch.
The handling improvements featured on the Cup were made to the standard Mégane, beginning in late 2005.Renaultsport Megane 225 Trophy
Facelift The Mégane RS received a facelift in July 2006. The facelifted model introduced new safety features and minor exterior changes such as new tapered headlights, a revised front grille and bumpers along with translucent taillights.
Renault Sport 230 Renault F1 Team R26 (2006–2009)
The Megane Renault Sport 230 Renault F1 Team R26 is a version that commemorates the success of Renault in the Formula 1 World Championship with the 2005 and 2006 Constructors' and Drivers' Championship titles and is named after the 2006 F1 car (R26). It is based on the facelifted Mégane RS.
The engine is rated at at 5,500 rpm and at 3,000 rpm. It incorporates the improved version of the Cup Chassis package now with a limited slip differential fitted for the first time in addition to 18-inch Anthracite spoked alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 2 235/40 R18 tires, Brembo front and rear red brake calipers and an increased brake master cylinder diameter, plus revised stiffened steering. Other features include a sport exhaust, Recaro seats, climate control, 4x15-watt RDS radio single CD/MP3 player with 6 speakers, Renault F1 decals, numbered plaque, limited slip differential and a rear spoiler. The car has a kerb weight of .
Renault Sport dCi 175 (2007–2009) The Megane Renault Sport dCi 175 is a version with a 2.0-litre (1,997 cc) diesel engine. Engine is rated at at 3,750 rpm and at 2,000 rpm.
The Cup Chassis option (available for dCi 175 Lux) includes tyre pressure monitor deletion, 18-inch anthracite alloy wheels with 225/45R18 Continental SportContact 2 tires, retuned dampers and spring rates, disconnectable ESP and anthracite coloured door mirror housings.
The Sport Hatch version includes Recaro front seats, making the vehicle lighter.
Renault Sport 230 Renault F1 Team R26.R (2009)
The R26.R is based on the Mégane Renault Sport 230 F1 Team R26, but it is lighter. Weight reduction is achieved via the removal of the rear seats and seat belts, passenger airbag and curtain airbags (the driver's airbag remains), climate control (air conditioning remains as standard), rear wash/wipe and heated rear window, front fog lamps, headlamp washers, radio/CD player and most of the soundproofing.
Other features include a carbon fibre bonnet, polycarbonate tailgate and rear side windows, Sabelt seats with carbon fibre shell and aluminium base, 6-point harnesses, a rear spoiler, optional roll cage and an optional titanium exhaust.
New parts include new front springs (14 mm/100 kg), new rear springs (16.2 mm/100 kg), recalibrated shock absorber settings, grooved brake discs, new alloy wheels are fitted with a different offset increasing the track by , optional Toyo Proxes R888 225/40R18 tyres (Michelin Pilot Sport 2 235/40R18 standard) and stiffer lower arm bushes.
450 vehicles were made with 230 destined for the UK market. The car went on sale in October 2008 for £22,990. The car was unveiled at The 2008 British International Motor Show.
Safety It received the first five-star Euro NCAP safety rating in the segment. The Renault Sport models include: six airbags, electronic stability control, traction control and a key-card in the centre console to reduce knee injury. The seatbelts feature pre-tensioners that will tighten the belts immediately after impact.
Renault Sport Mégane Trophy
The Renault Sport Mégane Trophy is a racing version of the Mégane RS, which includes a tube frame chassis with glass fibre body keeping just visual resemblance to the road legal Mégane. The RS Trophy uses the considerably modified Renault Vel Satis V4Y 3.5-litre V6 engine (which is a rebadged VQ35DE of the Nissan VQ engine family) featuring a dry sump lubrication system rated at at 7,000 rpm and at 4,500 rpm. The engine together with Sadev 6-speed sequential gearbox is placed longitudinally behind the cockpit.
The Renault Sport Mégane Trophy is not road legal and was intended to be used for competition only in the Renault Eurocup, but cars also race in events like the Belgian Touring Car Series and the Dubai 24 Hour.
The second generation was shown at the 2008 Paris Motor Show and was used in the Renault Eurocup starting from the 2009 season.
Engines
Road models 2004–2009 Mégane RS: 2.0 L turbocharged 16-valve I4, 2006 Mégane RS 225 F1: 2.0 L turbocharged 16-valve I4, 2006–2009 Mégane RS 230 Renault F1 Team R26: 2.0 L turbocharged 16-valve I4, 2006–2009 Mégane RS dCi 175: 2.0 L turbocharged 16-valve I4, 2009 Mégane RS R26.R: 2.0L turbocharged 16-valve I4,
Race models 2005–2008 Mégane Trophy: 3.5 L 24-valve V6,
Mégane Renault Sport II (based on Third generation Mégane; 2010–2016)
Mégane Renault Sport 250 (2010)
The Megane Renault Sport 250 features a 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbo 4-cylinder F4Rt engine rated at at 5,500 rpm and of torque at 3,000 rpm with a 6-speed manual gearbox, Brembo front brakes, front splitter, extended sills and wheel arches, rear diffuser with central exhaust pipe, and 18-inch alloy wheels wearing 225/40R18 tyres. Aluminum pedals, a Renault Sport steering wheel with thumb grips, analog rev counter and sport seats with extra lateral complete the interior. Other features include front LED daytime running lights and bi-xenon headlights.
The 250 Cup variant contains a number of sharpened performance features including a stiffer chassis, track focused suspension, a limited slip differential and a slightly lighter gross weight. The Cup is differentiated visually with painted red brake calipers, instead of the silver calipers for the normal Sport. 18x8.25" "Ax-l" alloy wheels are fitted with wider 235/40R18 tyres, while 19x8.25" "Steev" wheels were available as an option with 235/35R19 tyres.
In Australia, the Megane R.S. was only sold in Cup form, though the features resemble that of the luxury model sold in Europe with the only options being front parking sensors and bi-xenon directional headlights. A Cup Trophée model was offered above that, which included a number of extra inclusions like fabric Recaro Sportster CS seats, proximity key replacing remote key, tyre pressure monitoring, upgraded stereo, grey body highlights instead of black (except for Lunar Grey), electrically folding mirrors, and the 19-inch Steev wheels. 18-inch Ax-l wheels and black body highlights were available as no-cost options. Leather Recaro seats, xenons headlamps and front parking sensors were available at additional cost.
The second generation Mégane Renault Sport 250 was unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.
Mégane R.S. 265 Trophy (2011) In June 2011, Renault Sport unveiled a limited edition variant of the Mégane III R.S. called the Mégane R.S. 265 Trophy. The Megane R.S. 265 Trophy uses the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine as the standard R.S. but due to modifications such as a new air intake and higher turbo pressure (from ) it gains an extra 15 hp, increasing the power output to and of torque. The car can accelerate from 0–100 km/h in six seconds and goes on to a top speed of 254 km/h (157 mph). It is recognizable from a model-specific decoration such as Trophy stickers on the doors, a new spoiler and specific 19″ rims with R.S. center caps. It comes in a model-specific metallic yellow (Jaune Sirius) but is also available in more low-key colors such as white (Blanc Glacier), black (Noir Étoilé) and gray (Gris Cassiopée).
The Mégane R.S. 265 Trophy set a Nurburgring laptime of 8 minutes and 8 seconds, beating the record previously held by the Mégane R26.R by 9 seconds.
Production was limited to 500 units.
Renault Sport Mégane R.S. 265 (2012–2013)
Renault introduced the updates on the Trophy model to the standard Megane R.S. in 2011 replacing the Mégane R.S. 250. The car was a result of Renault winning a tender from the Gendarmerie National for a new high speed pursuit vehicle with a power output requirement of 261 bhp. In addition to supplying the updated car to the police, Renault introduced it for the general public as well.
The car retained the updated engine from the Trophy version rated at and offers the same "Cup" and "Sport" versions like the Mégane R.S. model. Changes include Piano Black interior highlights and wider LED daytime running lights with 6 LEDs per side rather than the 3 LEDs found in the RS250. The 18" wheels were changed to a new design called "Tibor", while the 19" wheels carried over from the 250. Extreme Blue and Sport Yellow were dropped as colour options.
The new exterior package introduced on the 265 was the 'Red Design Pack' which includes red striping on front blade, rear diffuser and side protection mouldings, rear parking camera with front parking sensors, Visio System lane departure warning and auto high/low beam headlights.