Renault turns up the heat for its summer RS

THE All-New Megane RS has gone on sale in the UK, priced from £27,495. The French hot hatch comes with a host of Renault Sport technology, such as 4Control fourwheel steer, RS Monitor Expert to analyse data and the options of either a Sport or Cup chassis and either manual or EDC automatic transmissions.

At speeds over 37mph (or 62mph in Race mode) the front and rear wheels turn in the same direction for increased stability. At speeds less than 37mph (or at 62mph in Race mode), the front and rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to give increased agility, particularly through tight corners. 4Control also helps drivers position the car on the right line through corners in order to accelerate as quickly and as efficiently as possible. In a world-first, the RS has shock absorbers with hydraulic bump stops all round, as standard. Effectively integrating a shock absorber within the shock absorber, as the end of travel approaches, a secondary piston dampens the movement of the wheel before the bump stop.

By dissipating the energy without transferring it to the wheel the compression hydraulic stops help avoid any rebound and pendulum effects, enabling optimum control of tyre-ground contact and providing the feeling of having eight dampers on the car.

A new 1.8-litre engine has been developed for the new model with 280hp – the most powerful 1.8-litre engine available in the UK market today.