Renault Megane 2012 News

As if the Renault Megane RS265 isn't enough, the French manufacture has upped the ante with a limited edition model called the RB8 -- for Red Bull 8. It's to celebrate the fourth consecutive victory of the Red Bull Racing Team in the Formula 1 World Championships, but we're not sure why the 8 is in the name. Only 120 of the RB8 will be available, all finished in Dusk Blue paint -- taking its inspiration directly from the race team's colours -- with Platinum detailing. It carries subtle Red Bull Racing branding, and features body-hugging Recaro front seats, the latest R-Link Multimedia system and TomTom Live navigation system, plus the latest on-board RS Monitor v2.0. The $49,990 RB8 is shod as standard with the same Cup chassis and Bridgestone tyres that helped Megane RS 265 Trophy establish a lap record at the Nurburgring. The carbon fibre effect dashboard boasts red highlights and is bisected by a grey centre band. The sporty effect is completed with red seatbelts. Further sporty details include alloy foot pedals, gloss black centre console and insert in the leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a platinum-finished Renaultsport gear knob. The RS Monitor delivers a new, more user-friendly and intuitive interface, which uses R-Link's 7-inch colour display to provide information on GPS tracked lap timing, information in 3D form and real-time access to power output data, 0-100kmh acceleration times, and G-Force read-outs. Power comes from a 195kW (265hp) engine with stop-start for better city economy.  

Kids aren’t usually a factor in Car of the Year judging.  But child friendliness rates highly with women buying cars – and with women judging cars.The countdown has been kicked off to decide the Women’s World Car of the Year, and the kid factor is one the judges pay a lot of attention to.“Statistics show that women drive children in cars significantly more often than men – and that means women need to take that into account, both when buying and as judges of cars,” WCOTY president Sandy Myhre said from New Zealand.“Any woman who has grappled constantly with child seats and belts and children considers those things when looking at buying a car.  Men might too but the fact is, women drive children in cars more than men.“Women would not consider that aspect in a Porsche 911 more than a bloke. The point is, it can be considered in these awards - and that is one of the points of difference in these awards.”Myhre points out that significant research into buying habits show that in addition to buying for themselves, women have a major influence in household purchase decisions for big ticket items.Ford Australia, for example, says their research shows that women are behind the majority of purchases of the Territory SUV – either as single women buying one, or in influencing the joint decision with their partner. “A report from Mattingly & Associates in Australia concluded, in part, that businesses that didn't understand this influence would be hard-pressed to stay in business.  That report was aptly called 'When I've Made Up Our Minds',” Myhre says.However, the kid factor is just one of the criteria by which the 2012 Women’s World Car of the Year will be judged.There are four categories in the Women's World Car of the Year – Family Car, Luxury Car, Sports Car and Economy Car. Points are allocated to each of ten criteria: driveability, engineering, comfort, child friendliness, style, interior, storage, dashboard efficiency, carbon footprint and colour range.The 20 judges from eleven countries have submitted their own personal short list and more than 300 cars were suggested. These individual choices were then whittled down to form a master list of 32 in terms of popularity. Judges will now allocate points for these cars from a criteria list.The announcement of the winning cars in each category and the supreme winner will be made before the end of March. The supreme award trophy and category certificates will be presented to the car companies concerned at the Mondial de l’Automobile 2012 – the Paris Motor Show – in September. The supreme trophy will this year be made in The Netherlands. Category-winner certificates will be designed at Peartree Studios in Colerne, UK.The first winner of the Women's World Car of the Year was the Jaguar XF in 2010 and the trophy made in South Africa was presented at the Jaguar boutique showroom in Knightsbridge, London. In 2011 there was a dead-heat between the Citroen DS3 and the BMW 5 Series. The two trophies made in India were presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2011. 

Meet the Megane Coupe Cabriolet concept, the standout star of the Geneva Motor Show stacked with designer fantasies and production test beds.“This show car emphatically showcases the evolution of Renault design,” says Renault's Patrick Le Quemont. “Its squatter proportions and powerful, energetic styling talk directly to the driver's senses. The spectacular door-opening kinematics add that little touch of magic.”Those doors, which open upwards in two stages - first the glass swings up followed by the metal bottom section - are the standout feature but are unlikely to carry through to the expected appearance of the production Megane Coupe at the Paris Motor Show in September. Renault is not about to confirm any features of future models but does concede the Megane Concept is a taste of a later compact production coupe.Inside, the concept has been styled with a funky future theme featuring ultra-thin seating, acres of red plastic, brushed aluminium and leather with a full suite of electronic gadgetry, including full Bluetooth connectivity, rear-vision cameras and a locking system operated by a mobile phone. The concept rides on 21in wheels, has Brembo brakes and is powered by a conventional 147kW, two-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with drive through a six-speed automatic box. One element of the exterior design likely to make production is the front-end treatment.Meanwhile, Hyundai continues its journey to mainstream innovator with the HED-5 i-Mode minivan concept - a six-seat vision of future urban transport.The i-Mode concept on display in Geneva showcased advanced materials and construction with an interior inspired by natural forms and landscapes. The seating is a unique swivel technology from automotive seating specialists Keiper. Powered by a 2.2-litre diesel with sequential turbochargers with 158kW of power and 450Nm of torque, the concept appears to be built off a modified i30 platform. Hyundai's sister company Kia rolled out three versions of its Soul concept, first shown two years ago in Detroit, but this time the boxy hatch is close to production.As the Soul Diva, the Soul Burner and the Soul Searcher, the three concepts are exterior studies of the same vehicle but, judging from the lack of out-there gadgetry in the interior - and ignoring the fanciful interior trim and colour treatments - the model is very close to a production future.Honda moved another step closer to its promised hybrid vehicle to sit side-by-side with Civic by the end of next year, unveiling the stylish CR-Z concept. A three-door hatch with attitude to burn, the CR-Z has already been anointed by Honda as a hybrid sports car of the future.The CR-Z's sleek look is highlighted by minimalist LED headlights and driving lights, nose-down stance and truncated tail with upright rear glass.