Renault Megane R.S.: A cool pièce de résistance

By Ghaith Madadha - Dec 17,2018 - Last updated at Dec 17,2018

Photo courtesy of Renault

A three time front-wheel-drive Nürburgring Nordschleife record holder in its previous two generation, the latest incarnation of the Renault Megane R.S. high performance is a quicker and more agile car that is almost certainly set to reclaim records sometime soon.

Released in its third incarnation earlier this year, the new Megane R.S. is more than just a faster and more focused track weapon. The latest in a long line of attainable, comfortable and compact daily performance cars from the French manufacturer’s RenaultSport skunkworks division, the new Megane R.S. is a more practical, efficient and technologically advanced than ever.

Urgent yet practical

Powered by a downsized but more powerful engine and most notably featuring four-wheel-steering for enhanced agility and stability, the new Megane R.S. most immediate departure from its 3-door coupe/hatchback predecessor is the adoption of a more practical 5-door design for improved rear seat access and daily usability. A more mature and evolved design with greater emphasis on width from its widened track, more prominent haunches, almost full width rear lights and narrower more aerodynamically efficient rear spoiler, the new Megane R.S. also trades its predecessor’s highly raked and low roofline for a more upright design for better rear headroom and improved visibility.

If more practical and mature than before, the new Megane R.S. is, however, no less sporty, and in fact projects a tenser and more urgent road stance and demeanour. With a double layer LED light design and large bold emblem within a mesh grille, the new Megane R.S. also features bigger air intakes that incorporate an F1-style front blade in contrasting gun metal grey to underline Renault’s sporting heritage. Meanwhile prominent side sills lend a more grounded look while a bigger and more effective rear air diffuser sits between a large central exhaust tip and generates more downforce. Featuring functional side vents to dissipate heat and improve airflow.

Power and efficiency

Giving away 200cc displacement to its predecessor and powered by a retuned version of the same turbocharged 1.8-litre 4-cylinder used by the recently resurrected Alpine A110 sports car, the new Megane R.S. gains 11BHP and 21lb/ft. With a total output of 276BHP delivered at a higher revving 6,000rpm and 287lb/ft available throughout a broader, lower and more generously accessible 2,400-4,800rpm, the new Megane R.S. is 0.2-seconds quicker through the 0-100km/h dash at 5.8-seconds, despite a slight weight gain to 1,430kg, as fitted with the newly available and responsively slick shifting 6-speed automated dual clutch gearbox. Also more frugal, its combined cycle fuel consumption is just 7l/100km, compared to its predecessor’s 8.2l/100km.

Responsive off the line with its quick spooling turbo, the Megane R.S. pounces swiftly and tidily with the toque steer often associated with powerful front-drive cars virtually eliminated owing to the use of modified MacPherson strut front suspension with an independent steering axis pivot, just like the outgoing model.

Effortlessly versatile throughout a generously abundant mid-range torque band for decisive in-gear acceleration, the Megane R.S. is builds power with an eager urgency and subdued snarl towards a higher peak than its predecessor. With little aerodynamic resistance and muscular delivery, the Megane R.S. defiantly and easily achieved high speeds, as driven at the Dubai Autodrome circuit, and is capable of a 250km/h maximum.

Corner carving

Reassuringly stable and with plenty of downforce generated to keep it planted through fast sweeping corners, the Megane R.S. also proved smooth, comfortable and highly settled for so sporting and composed a high performance hatchback riding on sticky and firm low profile 245/35R19.

Inspired by rally car technology, the Megane R.S. features hydraulic compressions stops within its dampers to act like a secondary internal damper at the end of wheel travel and bump stop.

In practical terms this translates to a more settled and committed ride quality, with highly settled rebound and pendulum effect control, which also works to push the tyre into better contact with the ground for improved traction, cornering grip and braking.

Ever dynamically adroit in terms of ride and handling characteristics, the Megane Renault Sport’s piece de resistance is its 4Control four-wheel-steering system. Innovative to its segment and conceptually similar to recently featured cars like the Lamborghini Aventador S and Audi Q8, the Megane R.S.’ rear wheels turn 2.7° opposite to the front at moderate and lower speeds to effectively shorten the wheelbase for much enhanced agility and manoeuvrability, and alternately turn 1° in the same direction at speed for improved response and stability. On the already compact and manoeuvrable Megane R.S. the result is that it handles with the agility of a yet smaller segment hot hatch and the high speed stability of a larger car.

Comfort and control

A revelation on the fast, demanding and sometimes intricate Dubai Autodrome circuit, the Megane R.S. was in its element. Braking with consistent confidence from a high speed straight and into a fast dipped carousel-like corner with rear wheels steering with the front, its stability was heroic. Impressing the feel of a tail slide while perfectly planted, it meanwhile fluently and easily recovers when tightening a cornering line by edging the rear out slightly.

Dropping several gears at once in paddle shift mode when approaching a series of chicanes, the R.S. turns in crisply and with superb body control. And with rear wheels turning opposite to front, quick and successive direction changes are executed with light-footed and nimble agility.

Comfortable, refined and sporty inside with optional Alcantara seats, contrasting stitching and smatterings of carbon fibre and aluminium the Megane R.S. delivers decent visibility and a supportive, well-adjustable driving position with integrated headrests.

Meanwhile its tablet-like infotainment screen can display various additional gauges for G-force, steering angle, temperature and more, and to suit different situations, one can choose from five driving modes including a customisable mode in terms of acoustics, gear shifts, stability setting and steering.

Featuring numerous convenience, comfort and safety features in the more road-biased Sport version, the Megane R.S. is also available with driver assistance systems cornering direction lights, rear view camera, blindspot warning and parking assistance.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 1.8-litre, transverse, turbocharged 4-cylinders

Bore x stroke: 79.7 x 90.1mm

Valve-train: 16-valve, DOHC, variable valve timing

Gearbox: 6-speed dual clutch automated, front-wheel-drive

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 276 (280) [205] @6,000rpm

Specific power: 153.5BHP/litre

Power-to-weight: 193BHP/tonne

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 287 (390) @2,400-4,800rpm

Specific torque: 216Nm/litre

Torque-to-weight: 272.7Nm/tonne

0-100 km/h: 5.8-seconds