More kick in the RS
IN FRANCE, what the gendarmes want the gendarmes get and thank goodness for that. It has prompted Renault to produce arguably the best front-drive sporty coupe currently available in the handsome Megane RS 265.
The gendarmes (police) have rapid response cars to get officers to crime scenes or collisions as quickly as possible and their latest vehicle tender specified 265 horsepower (195Kw) as the minimum for a rapid response vehicle. The Megane RS250 didn’t measure up so Renault went to work, upping output to 265hp and implementing a series of other revisions along the way.
POPULAR
The 250 has been popular in Australia with 700 units sold in the last two years. It makes us the third largest market in the world for the RS250 behind France and Germany.
PRICE
The Renault has a significant price
advantage over Scirocco starting at $42,640 for the Cup model. Two other versions are available featuring more kit and larger wheels – the Trophy and the Trophy+ – with a limited, 100 unit edition Trophy 8.08 celebrating the RS265’s recent record for a front drive car around the legendary Nurburgring track in 8.08 seconds.
CHANGES
Subtle exterior changes mark the 265 over the 250 with dual lines of LED daytime running lights, blackout trim panels, gloss black body hardware and matte black wheels. More changes are evident inside including a revised and classier looking dash with new carbon look fascia and
piano black highlights. The instruments have white face dials and there’s a range of new goodies, model dependent.
ENGINE
The engine has been tweaked for more power and improved torque.
It’s a 2.0-litre petrol unit with a twin scroll turbo, variable inlet valve lift and other detail changes. Boost pressure has been upped to 2.5bar but the engine complies with Euro 5 emissions and uses less fuel than the 250 at 8.2-litres/100km. Outputs are 195kW/360Nm, the latter from 3000rpm. Renault claims a conservative sounding 0-100kmh s p r i n t o f 6 . 0 s e c o n d s . F e e l s quicker than that.
Work has been d o n e o n t h e exhaust for bett e r flow and improved note.
DYNAMICS
Though the 250 had a reputation as one of the best h a n d l i n g f r o n t
drivers around, better again. It uses a mechanical limited slip front differential to apportion drive and a clever independent steering axis front suspension system to avoid torque steer under heavy throttle applications.
Renault specifies the base car to the same chassis spec as the previous top line model adding superior rubber into the equation and a new ‘‘dial-up’’ dynamic management system offering Normal, Sport and Off.
THE DRIVE
the
is We drove the base model and the 8.08 in country Queensland on mountain switchback roads followed by country B roads with wide sweeping corners and short straights. It was eye-opening to say the least.
Front drive cars just don’t handle like this – or they didn’t. It makes all wheel drive redundant because not once did either car put a wheel out of place, even under extreme pressure on pitifully uneven and winding roads with rough bitumen.
VERDICT
Pity the 0 per cent Renault finance deal doesn’t apply on Megane RS265. That would make it even harder to resist. But why would you resist something as good as this?