Renault Megane RS Trophy: Megane’s name on the Trophy

This small confectionery treat was sitting on the passenger seat of the Renault Megane RS 300 Trophy when it was delivered a few days before Easter and was eaten almost as quickly as this car can sprint from 0-62mph, which is a brisk 5.7 seconds. The standard version of the Megane RS was launched last year both with a normal chassis and the option of a more sporty and focused “Cup” chassis; this new Trophy is an even more hardcore version that’s aimed at the passionate car enthusiast who still needs a practical car. Talking of which, the Megane RS is only available with five doors unlike the previous generation Megane RS, which was more coupe than hatchback.

You do however have the choice of either double-clutch automatic gearbox or a traditional six-speed manual box.

Renault, having already guessed that I have a sweet tooth, sent a manual version of the Trophy presuming that the grey hair probably means I’m an old-school manual gearbox man.

Partly correct, but twin-clutch and conventional automatic gearboxes are now so smooth and effective that my preference is slowly changing.

Renault’s own Alpine A110, which is the best sports car made today, is not available with a manual gearbox, yet I love that car. The Megane RS 300 Trophy uses the same 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine that’s fitted to the Alpine A110 and also to the normal Megane RS.

The difference is that the A110’s engine produces 250bhp, the Megane RS’s 275bhp and the 300 Trophy’s (as its name implies) 296bhp.Torque has been increased to 310lb ft from 295lb ft but only on the dual-clutch gearbox version of the car.

We’ve already quoted the sprinting time from 0-62mph which leaves the top speed, which is an impressive if unusable 162mph.

The trophy is fitted with the Cup chassis as standard. It’s an uncompromising set up with stiffer springs, anti-roll bars and dampers.Also included is a Torsen limited-slip differential (standard Megane RS has an electronic diff).The standard tyres are Bridgestone Potenza S001 but you can order stickier track-biased S007 versions.

This is a car, after all, that many people will want to drive on racing circuits at track days and will be bought by people who have probably traded up from, or owned in the past, similarly-focused machines.

The Trophy’s ride isn’t going to fast track you to the nearest osteopath but it is firm and jars over poor surfaces. Enthusiasts will be expecting this and will live with it.

The Megane RS and this special Trophy version are fitted with a four-wheel steering system which Renault calls 4CONTROL. At high speeds the front and rear wheels turn in the same direction up to one degree but at slow speeds the rear wheels are pointed in a contrary direction to the front wheels up to 37mph.

The idea behind this trickery is to sharpen up the way that the car turns into corners. It works, too.And it’s even more effective when you select the “Race” setting in the car’s selectable modes in which the speed at which the four-wheel steering works in this way is lifted to a 62mph maximum.

You feel the effect turning into a corner and powering out of it.This “Race” mode also sharpens up the throttle response and gives you the loudest and fruitiest exhaust note that’s provided by the Trophy’s bespoke bi-modal exhaust system.

The Renault Megane RS 300 Trophy, to trot out its full and lengthy name, costs £31,835. That’s quite a bit cheaper than its closest rivals which are the Honda Civic Type R at £33,525 and the new Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR which is a hefty £35,305.

Our car’s actual price creeps up by £1,500 because it’s fitted with the optional Recaro racing-style bucket seats.

I took the Trophy on a road trip around Sussex on a sunny afternoon laced with heavy showers. On the public road this hot Renault is as brisk point-to-point as any exotic supercar.

Its stiff suspension crashes over the worst bumps and ridges on Britain’s poorly-maintained roads but it is by no means so harsh that it makes the car unpleasant on a long trip.

The 300 Trophy is more than practical enough to be a family car but your loved ones might baulk at the stiff suspension.

LOGBOOK LOWDOWN

Price: £31,835

Engine: Petrol – 1.8 296bhp

Power: 0 to 62mph in 5.7 seconds, 162mph top speed

Average fuel economy: 34.5mpg

CO2 emissions: 183g/km

Rivals: Honda Civic Type R, Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR, Hyundai i30N

Rating: 8/10

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