Expect a price tag of around $65,000 when Renault’s two-seat Megane RS 275 Trophy-R goes on-sale locally later this year.
A special edition model with only 250 being produced by Renault Sport, our strong local sales history for the RS models has seen Renault Australia score 50 examples of the Megane RS 275 Trophy-R.
This has generated big excitement amongst hot hatch fans as the stonking Renault Megane RS 275 Trophy-R has recent Nurburgring bragging rights - a 7:54:36 lap with Laurent Hurgon at the wheel which snatched the segment ‘best-time’ from the Seat Leon Cupra.
And the excitement is justified when you study the specs. They really are a clever bunch at Renault Sport you now.
So ditching the rear seats and replacing them with a strut tower brace and luggage net produces a net weight saving of 23kgs. The fronts are gone too, replaced by lightweight Recaro Pole Position seats (net loss another 42kgs).
On the options list are a lightweight lithium-ion battery (that saves 16kgs) and deletion of some dashboard elements such as air-conditioning and audio which pares a further 10kgs.
Noise-reducing insulation – gone (18kgs saved). Akrapovic titanium exhaust - in (4.0kgs saved).
On the mechanical front, Renault kits the RS 275 Trphy_R with Ohlins adjustable dampers, Allevard epoxy springs and bigger (but lighter weight) brakes.
Also underneath are 19-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres.
Power comes from Renault’s 201kW/360Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine.
File this one under ‘M’ for ‘Must-Have’.
