Car Enthusiast - click here to access the home page


 


Mégane Trophy-R takes 'Ring record. Image by Renault.

Mégane Trophy-R takes 'Ring record
Hottest, most focused, limited edition Mégane laps Ring at 7m 54.36s.
<< earlier Renault article     later Renault article >>

 


News homepage -> Renault news

What's the news?

In a double-whammy press release, Renault has announced that the ultimate, track-focused version of its current Mégane hot hatch, the 275 Trophy-R, has already stripped the SEAT Leon Cupra of its front-wheel drive Nürburgring lap record by posting a 7m 54.36s time for the Nordschleife.

Exterior

The Trophy-R uses the recently unveiled, limited edition 275 Trophy as its basis, a little like the R26.R was an evolution of the R26 Team F1 during the Mégane II era. There's a two-tone version with Arctic White paint and a black roof (£625) expected to be most popular, while Liquid Yellow is available for £1,300. You'll also get a front splitter, striped decals and chequered flag graphics on the side, plus 19-inch Speedline Turini wheels in black as standard - red is an option. The rear wiper has been removed for a 1kg weight saving over the Trophy too.

Interior

Single-piece polycarbonate Recaro Pole Position bucket seats with leather and Alcantara trim shave another 22kg from the Trophy-R's kerb weight, and they look bloody lovely too. The steering wheel and handbrake gaiter are both trimmed in Alcantara, while the gear knob is leather. You can spec up Sabelt six-point harnesses inside; the price is yet to be confirmed, but buy them. Just... buy them.

Renault says the Trophy-R is 'almost 100kg' lighter than a Mégane Renaultsport with a Cup chassis and 19-inch wheels, although it then specifies the weight of the two and the Trophy-R is a full 101kg lighter at 1,280kg all in. This weight saving has been achieved through the measures already outlined, plus the shedding of 18 kilos of insulating and sound-absorbing materials and also the junking of the rear seat (20kg). A further 10kg has departed courtesy of the lack of both air conditioning and a radio, although you can option up multimedia equipment if you're utterly daft. There's a cross strut bar in the back, while the boot is designed to carry four spare wheels - Renaultsport will even offer logoed tyre covers as an option to prevent the cabin getting covered in brake dust.

Mechanicals

The R version has the same 275hp and 360Nm as the 275 Trophy, but with that loss of ballast and some juicy technical additions, it's a more focused car designed for track enthusiasts. It has the Cup chassis with a limited-slip differential, an Akrapovic exhaust (4kg lighter than the standard item), Öhlins Road & Track adjustable dampers, Allevard composite springs and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. Official fuel economy and emissions figures are the same as the regular Trophy, at 37.7mpg and 174g/km CO2. There's no performance data in terms of 0-62mph or top speed, just that damned lap time. Which equates to it being a very, very quick car.

You can further trim the Trophy-R's weight by going for a lithium-ion battery instead of the lead-acid item fitted as standard (saving another 16kg), while 350mm front brake discs - 10mm bigger than the 340mm set you get anyway - are 3kg lighter thanks to aluminium bells. There'll be a Nürburgring Pack available from September, which combines the brakes, lithium battery, two Sabelt harnesses, the four spare wheel covers and a restraining strap. That's for the tyres in the boot, not the driver...

Anything else?

The record 7m 54.36s run - beating the Leon Cupra's 7m 58.4s - was achieved on May 15th, in less than ideal conditions. The lap took place at 7.15am in the morning with the track damp in places - Renault Sport Technologies test driver Laurent Hurgon apparently had a big 'moment' at 120mph early on when he hit a wet patch of tarmac. However, the time was beaten and Renault once again has the front-wheel drive Nordschleife crown. It's now up to either SEAT to steal it back with a Cupra R, or for Honda's forthcoming Civic Type-R to spoil the party.

Just 30 Mégane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-Rs will be available in the UK, priced at £36,430 on the road. You can order it now but first deliveries won't be until November. If you can't wait until then, you can at least see the Trophy-R in action on the hill run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in late June.



Matt Robinson - 17 Jun 2014

Earlier articles featuring 2014 Renault Mégane

2014-05-14: Mégane 275 Trophy targets 'Ring record


2014 Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R. Image by Renault.2014 Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R. Image by Renault.2014 Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R. Image by Renault.2014 Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R. Image by Renault.2014 Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R. Image by Renault.

2014 Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R. Image by Renault.2014 Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R. Image by Renault.2014 Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R. Image by Renault.2014 Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R. Image by Renault.2014 Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R. Image by Renault.









www.renault.co.uk    - Renault road tests
- Renault news
- Mégane images






Electric Renault 5 revealed in full. Image by Renault.
Renault 5 E-Tech revealed
The new Renault 5 E-Tech electric channels the design of its predecessor from the 1970s.
 
Renault Scenic makes transition to electric SUV status. Image by Renault.
Renault Scenic revealed
Old MPV Mk4 Scenic is replaced by new two-box, all-electric Renault Scenic E-Tech.
Renault revives the old R4 with new electric version. Image by Renault.
Renault 4Ever Concept
4Ever concept previews 2025’s new electric Renault 4

 
 215 Racing
 9ff
 A. Kahn Design
 Abarth
 Abt
 AC Cars
 AC Schnitzer
 Acura
 Aehra
 AIM
 Alfa Romeo
 Alpina
 Alpine
 Amari
 APS Sportec
 Arash
 Arden
 Ares
 Ariel
 Arrinera
 Artega
 Ascari
 Aston Martin
 Atalanta
 Atomik
 Audi
 Austin
 Auto Union
 Autodelta
 Autofarm
 Autosport
 AVA
 Avatar
 Axon
 Aznom
 BAC
 BAIC
 Bentley
 Bertone
 Bizzarrini
 Bloodhound
 Bluebird
 BMW
 Bosch
 Bowler
 Brabham
 Brabus
 Breckland
 Bridgestone
 Brilliance
 Bristol
 Bugatti
 Buick
 Burton
 BYD
 Cadillac
 Callaway
 Callum
 Caparo
 Capstone
 Carlsson
 Caterham
 CCG
 Chang'an
 Changfeng
 Chevrolet
 Chevron
 Chongfeng
 Chrysler
 Citroen
 Climax
 Connaught
 Cooper Tires
 Corvette
 Cummins
 Cupra
 Dacia
 Daewoo
 Daihatsu
 Daimler
 Dartz
 Datsun
 David Brown
 David Brown Automotive
 DDR
 De Tomaso
 Delta
 Detroit Electric
 Devon
 Dodge
 Donkervoort
 Drayson
 DS
 Eagle
 Eagle E-type
 EDAG
 edo competition
 Eterniti
 Everrati
 Evisol
 Exagon
 FAB Design

 
 Factory Five
 Faralli & Mazzanti
 Fenix
 Fenomenon
 Ferrari
 Fiat
 Fisker
 Ford
 G-Power
 Geely
 Gemballa
 General Motors
 Genesis
 Ginetta
 Giugiaro
 Glickenhaus
 GMC
 Goodwood
 Google
 Gordon Murray
 Gordon Murray Automotive
 Gordon Murray Design
 Gray Design
 Great Wall
 GTA
 GTM
 Gumpert
 Hamann
 Hartge
 HBH
 Heffner Performance
 Hennessey
 HERE
 HiPhi
 Holden
 Honda
 Hulme
 Hummer
 Hyundai
 I.D.E.A
 Icona
 IFR
 Infiniti
 Ionity
 Isis
 JAC
 Jaguar
 Jeep
 Jensen
 Jetstream
 JJAD
 Joss Developments
 Kahn
 Kamala
 Keating
 Kia
 Koenigsegg
 KTM
 Kumho
 Lada
 Lagonda
 Lamborghini
 Lancia
 Land Rover
 Lexus
 Liberty
 Lightning
 Lincoln
 Lister
 Loma Performance
 Lorinser
 Lotus
 LupiniPower
 Luxgen
 Mahindra
 Mansory
 Maserati
 Mastretta
 Maybach
 Mazda
 McLaren
 Mercedes
 Mercedes-AMG
 Mercedes-Benz
 Mercedes-Maybach
 Mercury
 Metrocab
 MG
 Michelin
 MINI
 Mitsubishi
 MMI
 Monte Carlo
 Mopar
 Morgan
 Mosler
 MTM
 Munro
 NAC MG
 Nichols Cars
 Nissan
 NLV

 
 Noble
 Novitec
 Opel
 Overfinch
 Pagani
 Perodua
 Peugeot
 Piaggio
 Pininfarina
 Polestar
 Pontiac
 Porsche
 Praga
 Preview
 Prodrive
 Project Runningblade
 Project Velocity
 Proton
 Protoscar
 Qoros
 Radical
 Range Rover
 Red Bull
 Renault
 Reva
 Rimac
 Rinspeed
 RoadRazer
 Rolls-Royce
 Ronn Motor Company
 Rover
 RUF
 Saab
 SAIC
 Saleen
 Saturn
 Scagliarini
 SCG
 Scion
 SDR Sportscars
 SEAT
 Sin
 Singer
 Skoda
 Smart
 Soleil
 Spada
 speedArt
 Sportec
 Spyker
 SRT
 Ssangyong
 SSC
 Startech
 STaSIS
 Subaru
 Suzuki
 Suzusho
 TAD
 Tamiya
 Tata
 Techart
 Tesla
 The Little Car Company
 THINK
 Thunder Power
 Tojeiro
 Tommy Kaira
 TomTom
 Toray
 Toyota
 Trabant
 TranStar
 Trident
 Tushek
 TVR
 UKCOTY
 Vanda Electrics
 Vauxhall
 Velozzi
 Vencer
 Venturi
 Veritas
 Vizualtech
 VL Automotive
 Volkswagen
 Volvo
 VUHL
 WCA
 WCotY
 Webasto
 Westfield
 Wiesmann
 Xenatec
 Yamaha
 Zagato
 Zarooq
 Zeekr
 Zenos
 Zenvo



 
 






External links:   | Irish Car Market News |

Internal links:   | Home | Privacy | Contact us | Archives | Old motor show reports | Follow Car Enthusiast on Twitter | Copyright 1999-2024 ©