Renault reveals fastest, most expensive Megane RS ever

[Wretched]

Renault has lived up to its promise and reclaimed the Nurburgring lap record for a front-wheel drive car with its new Megane RS275 Trophy-R - a $65,000-odd hot hatch with optional air-conditioning and no sound system.

Renault Sport test driver Laurent Hurgon lapped the 21km circuit in 7 minutes 54 seconds to successfully take the record back to France.

But to do so Renault has built its most extreme Megane ever – the Trophy-R comes standard with a roll-bar but a radio and air-conditioning are optional.

The French brand has been working on this project since 2012 but only began releasing details of its #UNDER8 plan two months ago.

The original idea was to lower the benchmark set by the Megane RS265 Trophy, a 8m 07sec lap in 2011, but it turn into a mission to reclaim the lap record for the German circuit from Volkswagen’s Spanish brand Seat. Its Leon Cupra R set a new benchmark of 7m 58sec in March 2014.

Renault unveiled the Trophy-R at the Nurburgring circuit overnight and played down suggestions it was focused on beating Seat’s time.

“It’s got nothing to with that,” claimed Renault Sport sales director, Regis Fricotte. “We started this project a year and a half ago… The fact they did it three months ago didn’t change our plans.”

At the same time it announced only 250 examples of the Trophy-R will be built but Renault Australia has already secured 50 examples; the second-largest order in the world.

Renault Australia is yet to confirm pricing but spokeswoman Emily Fadeyev admitted it will be “in the mid sixties” making it the most expensive car the French brand has ever offered locally.

Renault Sport calls it an “uncompromising” take on the already revealed RS275 Limited Edition that features a more powerful 205kW version of 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine.

Renault Sport focused on weight saving for the Trophy-R claiming the car weighs almost 100kg less than the RS275.

The rear seats have been removed and the front seats have been replaced with racing-style buckets, which saves 42kg.

Other changes include a titanium exhaust system from Slovenian specialists Akraprovic, Ohlins adjustable dampers with a unique composite spring (that saves even more weight over a traditional steel sprint) and sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres.

Customers can even option a lithium-ion battery that saves an additional 16kg, a six-point racing harness and tyre blankets to keep the interior clean when you take it to a track day with spare rubber.

The Trophy-R will be available in just two colour combinations in Australia – all black and pearlescent white with a black roof; split approximately 20/30 respectively.

All will come with red 19-inch Speedline alloy wheels and other red highlights – stickers and the front "blade" on the bumper - to help the Trophy-R stand out from the rest of the range.

Fadeyev confirmed that despite the extreme nature of the car Renault Australia is likely to offer a radio, air-conditioning and navigation on the majority of cars it brings it. But, she confirmed if an owner was serious about wanting to save the weight those items could be deleted.

The Trophy-R arrives in Australia in December, 2014 and final pricing and specification will be announced then.

http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/r...616-zs9gu.html

Not bad for a shopping trolley