NEW CAR DEBRIEF
RENAULT MEGANE RS TROPHY
1 The Megane RS comes again, with feeling
This is the very welcome Trophy version of the Megane RS. Power climbs to 296bhp and torque to 320lb ft should you opt for the twin-clutch gearbox (295lb ft on manuals). That’s a useful increase, courtesy of a new exhaust and a trick new turbo running ceramic bearings.
2 Chassis upgrades to suit?
Oh yes. The Trophy gets the more committed of Renault’s two suspension tunes – Cup – as standard, then builds on that to up the track-readiness. The Trophy recalibrates the Cup’s Torsen mechanical LSD to more aggressively sni out traction on corner exit.
3 And the good stu keeps coming
The Trophy gets the Cup’s optional bi-material front brakes (steel discs on aluminium carriers) for fade-free braking and a useful saving in unsprung mass. Bridgestone S001s are standard, on 19-inch Jerez wheels, with the option of even stickier S007s on light Fuji 19s.
4 When can I buy one?
Order books are open soon, with the price as yet uncomirmed but expected to be around £32k before you start adding options. The light-is-right approach has given us some exceptional hot hatches in the past. This, potentially, is another.