MEGANE TROPHY · 320d · S4 · CONTI GT · JUKE
This month we welcome the Juke, and say goodbye to the Megane Trophy. We also fit the 3-Series with a crazy contraption
GOODBYE £ 31,835 OTR/£36,185 as tested/£455pcm WHY I T ’S HERE
Meh first impressions. Can RenaultSport redeem itself over time? DRI V ER
Rowan Horncastle IT’S TIME FOR MEGXIT. NO, NOT MEGHAN AND HARRY BINNING OFF the Royal Family in favour of poutine and ice hockey... rather, time for the Megane to exit TG. And, given its ride quality, this really is a hard Megxit.
It arrived six months ago with some baggage. Specifically, a big fat loss for the lesser 280 spec in our hot-hatch group test. Somewhat of a bitter pill as, up until this generation, fast Meganes had wiped the floor with the competition. Would some extra power and sportiness make a difference?
Living with something often plasters over the cracks of crapness, and I’ve been a victim of this. When I got in the Megane for the first time, I chastised it for its notchy, arthritic gearbox. But I threw the gearstick around for months and got used to it. Then I drove the new Focus ST… then the Civic Type R… and an i30N again... and wondered how the hell Renault ever signed the Megane’s shoddy box off.
I even got used to the 4WS system. Mainly because I turned it off. Having all four wheels rotate the car is impressive, and it no doubt opens up a whole new dynamic repertoire, but its complexity and unnatural application in the Megane gets in the way of good old-fashioned fun.
With 300bhp and an unsavoury amount of grip, the RS is exceedingly quick. But, more than that, it’s properly punchy and exciting. You hunker down into the fantastic Recaros, accept being bucked around by the uncompromising ride, and pounce from one corner to the next. It’s simple, analogue driving pleasure. Certainly far more exciting to drive than the expensive, techy Roborace it recently spent a day with. In fact, I’ve often actively vetoed opportunities to go home in more expensive, powerful and luxurious cars, as the Megane has proven to be much more entertaining. Has it succeeded in turning my head? I’m not ashamed to say it has.