What?
Imagine a cross between the new Mégane Coupé and the old Clio V6 with a dash of
Nissan 350Z. That sums up the Mégane Trophy, a replacement for the 2004 Mégane Trophy. The new car, previewed in
Paris, uses the same tubular spaceframe as the old Trophy and a few components are shared with the new coupé, but most of the panels are bespoke, shaped in the wind tunnel for increased downforce and reduced drag. As before there will be a one-model race series, which takes in some of Europe's most famous racing circuits.
When?
The new Mégane Trophy will go on sale at the end of the year as a kit to upgrade existing Trophy series cars.
Verdict?
A grid of identical cars should provide a season of close, competitive racing. The Trophy looks good and the mechanical specification sounds appealing: a road-going version would be nice but we won't hold our breath.
John Lambert - 9 Oct 2008