Renault Megane 2015 News

Nurburgring-storming Renault Megane RS275 Trophy-R lands in Australia.Renault’s latest record-setting hyper hatch is now available in Australia, priced from $61,990.The new Megane RS275 Trophy-R is limited to just 250 units worldwide, 50 of which are destined for our shores – the second largest allocation out of the 15 countries which will receive the Renault road-racer.Built as a track special, the Trophy-R is the fastest front-drive production car ever to lap Germany’s infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit with a 7:54.36 lap time – beating the previous record set by a Seat Leon Cupra by around four seconds.Based on the  $52,990 Megane RS275 which arrived in local showrooms last month, the Trophy-R ‘Ring king is lighter and faster, but no more powerful than the car it’s based on.Using the same 201kW/360Nm 2.0-litre turbo four-pot (codenamed F4RT) and Akrapovic exhaust system as the standard RS275, the Trophy R can hit 100km/h in 5.8 seconds – two tenths quicker than before.However, because Renault has thrown away the rear seats and swapped the front pews for ultra lightweight Recaro polycarbonate buckets which save 42kg, this road-racer is 92kg lighter than the car it’s based on.The already-stiff Cup chassis has also been fiddled with, gaining a rear strut brace and retuned springs and dampers to match the car’s the on-track aspirations and its super-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Tyres - the same tread used by the Porsche 918 Spyder hyper car.All Australian delivered Megane Trophy-Rs also come fitted as standard with the Nurburgring Accessory Kit, which is said to be worth over $5000.The kit includes a lithium-ion battery which saves a further 15kg, lightweight steel and aluminium brake discs and six-point harness belts.Visually, the Trophy-R is differentiated from lesser Meganes with striking 19-inch red alloys, matched to red side decals. The only paint colour available is Pearl white with contrasting Diamond Black roof.

Renault's exclusive new Megane RS 275 Trophy hot hatch hits Aussie showrooms.  The limited edition Megane 275 Trophy is the latest and most powerful to-date hot hatch from Renault's motorsport division to arrive on our shores.  Just 100 of the range-topping Megane 275 Trophy models will be sold in Australia at a price of $52,990, making the newcomer $9,000 more expensive than the less powerful Megane 265.  The new hero model is powered by the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot found in the lesser 265, but benefits from a power boost which sees the peak output rise by 7kW to 202kW - or from 265-275 metric horsepower.  Maximum torque remains unchanged at 360Nm, as do the 7.5L/100km combined fuel consumption and 6.0 second 0-100km/h figures.  So if power and straight-line performance are virtually identical to the cheaper model, what do you get for the extra $9,000?  The 275 comes standard with the Renault Sport's stiffer Cup chassis and a limited slip differential, while a new lightweight titanium exhaust system made by Akrapovič is said to produce a more "raucous bark". The new model also gains fully adjustable Ohlins dampers, and wears sticky Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tyres.  The 275 Trophy is available in just two colours, pearl white and liquid yellow, with unique 'Trophy' decals plastered across the rear of the car.  Inside, the new model gains a pair of leather and Alcantara Recaro bucket seats with red stitching.  The Megane 275 Trophy will be available from September 30, priced from $52,990 and covered by Renault's 5 year unlimited kilometer warranty.  The 275 Trophy will be Australia's ultimate Renault Sport hot hatch until the hardcore Trophy-R, which recently set the front-drive Nurburgring lap record at 7 minutes 54 seconds, arrives later this year.  Just 50 Trophy-R's will be available nationally and they are expected to sell for around $60,000. 

Renault Megane at the Nurburgring

Watch the complete lap as the Renault Megane RS 275 Trophy-R sets a new record at the Nurburgring.

French maker Renault has unveiled the hot hatch it hopes will reclaim the title as the world's fastest front-wheel-drive car.The Megane RS275 Trophy Edition has been developed to crack a sub 8-minute lap time on the perilous 21km Nurburgring race circuit in Germany after Volkswagen's Spanish brand Seat posted a 7 minute and 58-second time in March this year. Renault claims the Seat Leon Cupra was modified and not the same as a showroom standard vehicle.So Renault has upped the ante and fitted race-bred parts to its latest limited edition to reset the record it first held in June 2008 with the Megane R26R (8:16.90) and bettered with the current Megane RS265 in June 2011 (8:08.97).Renault is returning to the Nurburgring on June 16 this year with 10 extra metric horsepower from its 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder, race-style Ohlins adjustable suspension, a titanium exhaust system by Akrapovic, and Michelin Pilot Sport II tyres on new lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels.Prototype versions of the Megane RS275 have been spotted testing on the Nurburgring in recent months and the company may have already secretly reset the record. But it will wait until June 16, when it will host a media day at the circuit about 175km north-west of Frankfurt, before it makes a formal announcement.In the meantime it has teased enthusiasts on social media with the #under8 campaign, revealing details of the new car piece by piece. The Renault Megane RS275's power increases to 202kW but its torque output of 360Nm remains.The six-speed manual transmission and mechanical limited-slip differential are also part of the package. A twin-clutch manual is still not available.The limited edition is due in Australian showrooms in September and about 100 examples have been confirmed for Australia, coinciding with the introduction of the mid-life facelift: new headlights, bonnet and front bumper.The cost is yet to be announced,  but it is expected to be priced between $50,000 and $60,000 when it goes on sale locally. Currently,  the Renault Megane RS265 is priced between $42,640 to $51,640 plus on-road costs.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

The traditional station wagon has been one casualty among many of the rise of SUVs, but they remain popular in Europe so German and French brands spin them off hatchbacks and sedans across their line-ups. Demand here is tiny, but local distributors are usually obliged to bring them in. They are then faced with the problem of how to sell them. I've lost count of how many times I've heard someone explain that their new wagon will lure people away from SUVs because it drives better, is cheaper to run and more practical. It's usually true, but it doesn't make a difference. The latest to ply this line is Renault, which has added a wagon variant to its Megane range as part of a mid-life freshen up. The wagon is substantially longer - 25cm - than the hatchback and has 40 per cent more cargo space. It starts at $26,490 with a 103kW 2-litre petrol or another $4000 for the most accessible diesel, an 81kW 1.5-litre. Its star turn, however, is the GT220 performance model, with a retuned version of the turbocharged engine in the RS265 hatchback. The RS265 holds the record for the fastest lap of Germany's Nurburgring racetrack for a front-wheel-drive car and is a benchmark among performance hatches. The wagon, with 162kW, gets 33kW less power from the same turbocharged 2-litre unit, but its sports chassis means it's still a hoot to drive and one of the few performance wagons on offer at this level. Available only with a six-speed manual, it costs $36,990, or another $5000 for the Premium version, which adds leather, satnav and a reversing camera. It won't revive Megane sales on its own - supply has been limited to 220 examples - but Renault says a shift in sourcing for the model from Turkey to Spain is responsible for a 7 per cent dip in demand for the Megane and supplies are now back on track. The revised line-up lowers the entry point to $20,990 plus on-road costs, from $25,990 driveaway, for a base manual petrol and introduces an additional trim level called GT Line to widen its appeal. The starting point for the convertible Megane CC drops $9000 to $36,990. Engines and transmissions carry over and, aside from minor styling changes such as LED lights at the front, the revisions focus on retuning the suspension and making more safety kit available, including an intelligent light system. Supplies are now likely to be the least of its worries, with Renault suffering more than most from the prolonged European downturn. First half sales results out this week show Renault sales down 10.3 per cent in western Europe compared with 6.6 per cent for the overall market. Chief executive Carlos Ghosn said recently that Europe might not recover for another two years. Renault might find some consolation in the figures for compatriot brands Peugeot and Citroen, because they are worse - down 11.7 per cent and 16.2 per cent respectively. It's a situation mirrored in Australia, where Citroen demand is down 34 per cent and Peugeot is treading water with a 1.5 per cent increase over the first half of last year. By comparison, Renault is up 44 per cent and on track to outsell Peugeot here for the first time - the importer believes - since the 1970s.  

In addition, the mainstream family Megane will be headlined by a turbo-powered GT model that bridges gap to the hotrod RS turbo models that have become the French brand's signature in Australia.The GT 220 lands in June and will be followed by ‘regular’ wagons less than a month later. Pricing is from $36,990 and the cooking cars will have stickers starting below $30,000 with a choice of a 2.0-litre petrol engine with CVT transmission or a 1.5-litre diesel with a dual-clutch manumatic.After a very short preview drive of the GT 220 in France, and just a couple of twisting corners, it's obvious that the car will suit people who like to drive. It's nowhere near as extreme as the RS 265, which will be good news for youngsters in the back, but it is plenty quick enough for family hauling.It also looks good, is well equipped and easy to handle in all conditions. The basics of the Megane wagon, before the GT 220 upgrade, also point to a reasonable future with families who have been starved of anything but SUVs in the compact class.It's not the most modern car in the class, or the sharpest on price, but it is going a different way as Renault also readies its all-new Captur SUV for Australia next year.The real shortcoming is that it only comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, not even a paddle-shift manumatic. So it's for old-school drivers, as I learn when switching out of a sharp-edged Clio RS."We believe the wagon is a different proposition for consumers. It's a good looking car and sits nicely in the range," says Renault spokesperson, Emilie Ambrosy."We also have an SUV with the Koleos but the wagon suits different people." The GT 220 is developed by RenaultSport, but is not as extreme as the full-on RS cars despite a turbocharged engine that makes 162 kiloWatts with 340 Newton-metres of torque.The best way to highlight the difference is the 0-100km/h time, which rises from 6.0 seconds in the RS 265 hatch to 7.6 seconds in the GT wagon."It is the link between RenaultSport and the normal cars. But it is seen as a RenaultSport car and there are plaques in the cars with a build number," says Ambrosy.But why is the GT 220 coming as a wagon and not a hatch?"We're doing it because we see an opportunity for this vehicle. We've had a tremendous success with the RS 265 but there are people who want the practicality of five doors."And the RS is an extreme car. This is a chance to grow the portfolio."The GT 220 is slugged as a limited-edition car - with 18-inch alloys - but it is also the first Renault for Australia with stop-start technology, helping trim fuel use to 7.3 litres/100km from 8.3 for the RS."We will get a couple of hundred cars. The base model will be $36,990 with no options, then there will be a premium pack for $5000, which puts the car at $41,990, with leather seats, satellite navigation with reversing camera, front parking sensors, panoramic sunroof and a system that Renault calls Visio with lane departure warning, bi-Xenon lamps and automatic dimming of the high beam," says Ambrosy.This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover 

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.