The Renault Megane RS Trophy-R 2020 breaks the Suzuka lap record

Following the record-breaking run of the Honda Civic Type R on various circuits around the world, it is now the turn of the Renault Megane Trophy-R, and everything suggests it hopes to achieve the same records. Will it succeed?

The compact from the diamond brand already holds front-wheel-drive production car records at Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany, Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and The Bend Motorsport Park in Australia. Recently, it has also taken the record at Japan’s Suzuka circuit.

With Laurent Hurgon at the wheel, the new Renault Megane RS Trophy-R crossed the finish line in 2:25.454 last November 26th, beating the previous record by more than 3 seconds.

“The new Renault Megane RS Trophy-R has set a new record in its class, this time at Suzuka, Japan’s leading circuit,” said Renault Sport Cars General Manager Patrice Ratti. “This performance is particularly significant for the local community of 10,000 Renault Sport and Trophy-R fans. It demonstrates the effectiveness of the specific testing campaign we carried out on site to better meet their expectations. This is enough to further strengthen our relationship with our highly international customer base.”

Renault Megane RS Trophy-R 2020, will it challenge the Honda Civic Type R for the title?

Of the entire production run of the Renault Megane RS Trophy-R, limited to 500 units worldwide, more than 50 have already been reserved in Japan, where deliveries will begin in the first half of 2020. Compared with the regular Trophy, the Trophy-R retains the 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 300 CV / 221 kW, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, but features revised suspension, improved aerodynamics and a

weight reduction of 130 kg excluding options.

The story of the Megane RS and its records began more than 10 years ago, especially at the Nürburgring. It started in 2008 with the first record in the front-wheel-drive production car category: the Megane RS R26.R completed the Nordschleife lap in 8’17”. That time was shattered three years later, in 2011, by the second-generation Megane RS Trophy, in the hands of car manufacturer Laurent Hurgon (8’07″97).

In 2014, it dipped below the 8-minute mark (7’54″36) for the first time with the Trophy-R version of the Megane III RS. It was also the driver who took the new Megane RS TROPHY-R to set a new time-trial reference of 07’40″100 on the 20.600 km Nordschleife circuit (or 07’45″389 on the official 20.832 km lap), in a record hunt where gaining every second has become much harder. And it was him again who broke the Spa-Francorchamps circuit record (02’48″338).

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackRenault Megane3 versions · from 39,650 €