Renault Megane R.S. Trophy as racy as they come
There is little concession to ride comfort in this hardcore hot hatch, writes Denis Droppa
The Renault Megane R.S. 300 Trophy never feels relaxed. Even when driven sedately it seems to bristle with nervous energy, like an MMA fighter stepping into the cage for a bout.
It is an edgy car with a hard ride and direct steering, so you can never really put the driving experience in the back of your mind while you focus on listening to a talk show on the radio.
Even in its most relaxed mode this car is a visceral thing that demands your attention, and in its Sports and Race settings it brings out the full-fire boy racer by sharpening the steering and throttle responses, holding on to lower gears longer and making a more pronounced roar through the adaptive exhaust.
Selectable by an RS button next to the gear lever, the various modes also change the look of the driver’s digital display and tweaks the response of the 4Control four-wheel steering, which improves both highspeed stability and low-speed manoeuvring.
The sporty Megane is a topnotch handler that scurries through fast sweeps and tight bends with impressive poise. With its wide stance and lowered ride height it really feels pegged down.
A torsen mechanical limited slip diff improves acceleration power and cornering speed, ensuring you can thrust the throttle without manic wheelspin in the front-wheel drive car. Even so, there is a fair amount of torque steer when you boot it. Edgy, like I said.
The Cup chassis has stiffened suspension with hydraulic compression stops designed to increase performance while retaining a modicum of ride comfort, but the Megane Trophy makes little pretence at being an everyday performance hatch like a Golf R. The Megane is not as comfortable or sanitised as its Golf rival in low-paced driving, and driving it is always an “event”.
Aside from its spine-jarring ride and edgy demeanour, the tyres roar loudly on rougher tar.
Despite the engine being down on cubic capacity on 2.0l rivals such as the Golf R and Civic Type R, Renault’s engineers have coaxed an impressive 221kW and 420Nm from the 1.8l four-cylinder petrol turbo unit. The power gains are thanks to development in the turbo and exhaust, using F1 technology.
At Gauteng altitude the automatic car feels very responsive once it gets past initial turbo lag.
Renault claims a respectable 0100km/h sprint of 5.7 seconds using launch control. Previously available in EDC auto and manual versions, the Megane R.S. 300 Trophy is now sold only in two-pedal guise, with steering wheel paddle shifters.
It high-performance repertoire is rounded off by an ability to arrest speed very quickly via lightened, high-performance front brakes with bi-material discs for better endurance and red Brembo brake callipers.
The racy Renault has appropriate styling to match its ebullient nature. External war paint comprises a distinctive sport front bumper with an F1-style blade flanked by the Trophy insignia, sharkfin antenna, Cshaped LED headlights and rear lights, a rear diffuser, an exhaust pipe with dual sound valve system and unique Jerez Diamond Cut 19-inch Alloy wheels with red inserts.
The cabin’s distinctive décor includes Alcantara seats finished with racy red topstitching, and a leather-covered steering wheel with a red stripe denoting the 12 o’clock position.
The sassy colours and textures are supplemented by mood lighting to give the cockpit extra pizzazz.
Executive gizmos are plentiful but at the nearly R1m price it is surprising that the front seats have manual instead of electric adjusters.
The bucket seats have excellent side support and their grippy Alcantara covering helps keeps the driver and front passenger from sliding about during robust cornering.
Infotainment is via a seveninch touchscreen with cable-fed Apple Car Play & Android Auto connection. In a nod to family practicality the Megane has a spacious cabin that comfortably takes four adults and a roomy boot that is expandable with fold-down seats. But passengers require a steely constitution to handle the firm suspension; their clucks of delight at the car’s power and handling alternated with “oofs” when going over bumps.
The Megane R.S. 300 Trophy is the most hardcore and trackfocused version of the RS (Renault Sport) range. The hard ride makes little concession to comfort and this Renault’s accent is fully on sporting prowess, at which it excels.