The new Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R is lighter and more extreme, still

The new Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R applies the magic formula that every sports car enthusiast demands

One generation on, the Renault Mégane not only offers the most sporty version with the Renault Mégane R.S., in its Sport and Cup chassis, but, in addition, Renault Sport did its part and last summer demonstrated it with the arrival of an even more extreme version that revived the name as Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy, but for this year it has evolved its product into an even more hardcore version, the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R.

The formula is simple: keep what is good and work only on what can be improved. And the evolution of the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R is confined to a reduction in weight and the inclusion of new elements in bodywork, mechanics and dynamics.

A lightened Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R

Since the 1.8-litre, four-cylinder turbo engine of the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy, exclusively paired with a six-speed manual gearbox, delivers 300 CV and 400 Nm of torque, the Renault Sport team has focused on everything other than the engine to increase the efficiency of this machine geared towards track use.

This philosophy calls for adjustments to the chassis specific to this version, such as changing the negative camber to -2.05 degrees, which allows a greater contact patch between the tyre and the asphalt when cornering.

The rear suspension is specific to this version and features an equally exclusive geometry.

For those who believe a car always has room for improvement, we considered where that extra bit of weight reduction or performance gain could come from; weight reduction usually comes from removing or adding materials in a slimming programme.

Renault Sport knows a lot about this, and on this Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R it has managed to cut weight on its sports car’s scales by 130 kg compared with the already lightened Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy.

This means 1,289 kg for the former against 1,419 kg for the latter, seeking out even the smallest excess gram, as in the case of using a 7-inch screen for the multimedia system instead of the 8.7-inch one; this alone removes 250 grams of ballast.

To improve its airflow, new bodywork elements have appeared which, in addition, contribute to the weight reduction of this car, conceived as if it were a competition vehicle.

Therefore, after the slimming programme and the improved aerodynamics, the remaining part concerned the very nature of the car: the mechanics and the chassis.

Teamwork

And if Renault Sport is the specialist department for sporting developments and competition vehicles, brands and racing tuners turn to specialists.

That is why, in this case, the superb Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R is supported by specialists of international prestige such as Bridgestone for the wheels, Brembo for the brakes, Öhlins for the suspension, Akrapovič for the exhaust system, and Sabelt, which handles interior safety elements such as the bucket-type seats and the harnesses this almost race-spec version features.

Although its figures, with a top speed of 262 km/h and a 0 to 100 sprint in 5.4 seconds, are not heart-stopping, it should be noted that what Renault Sport seeks with this car is driving enjoyment; that is why it uses the 6-speed manual gearbox, since although it means less immediate gear changes, it not only provides a better driving experience but also contributes to weight savings compared with the dual-clutch EDC.

A very exclusive car

Production of this limited series will be restricted to 500 units, 30 with the driving position on the right. The reference price provided by the brand is for the French market, starting from 55,000 euros for the price of the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R.

It is now possible to place orders for the first units, cars whose production will take place at the Spanish factory located in Palencia, which schedules the first ones for late 2019.

The aim of the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R

To demonstrate what this car is made of, the Renault sports department wanted to show what its cake is made of and, to do so, put it to the test on the reference track for any car seeking to stand out from the rest.

Thus, on 5 April the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R put its wheels on the asphalt of the Green Hell with a timing system on board and a set of cameras to record the attempt at the Nürburgring record.

The result is this video, in which you can see how the car is king of the two-wheel-drive cars, since it has beaten the best lap time at the Nürburgring Circuit among production cars without traction modifications for front-wheel drive.

https://youtu.be/2IQHjxX1wlw

The time set by the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R to complete the 20.832 km is 07’45”389, but compared with the previous record, which covered a distance of 20.6 km, this car’s time was 07’40”100, which means 3.7 seconds faster than the previous record holder, the Honda Civic Type R of 2017.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackRenault Megane3 versions · from 39,650 €