Monday 16th June 2014

Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R

Stripped out and tuned up Megane 275 Trophy-R smashes front-wheel drive 'ring record

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If you're 'ringed out then apologies. But confirmation that a stripped out version of the new Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy called the Trophy-R has bagged a new front-wheel drive Nordschleife lap record with a time of 7min 54.3sec deserves your attention, whatever your view on the relevance of such manhood measurement contests.

Laurent Hurgon; SEAT and Honda hate him

Having slapped existing record holders SEAT across the chops the Renaultsport gauntlet is now thrown to the feet of Honda, whose Civic Type R development team must now be a little thoughtful about the publicly stated goal of it being the fastest front-wheel drive car around the 'ring. Especially when they learn the extent of the modifications required.

If nothing else the Megane 275 Trophy-R proves just how much work it takes to get a hot hatch round the Nordschleife in a time that a decade ago would have been more than respectable for a supercar. The standard 275 Trophy we're out at the 'ring driving today we knew about; it's an uprated version of the facelifted Megane 265 Cup with a power bump, a titanium Akrapovic exhaust and the option of fancy Ohlins dampers and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. Compared with the rest of the package the engine work is limited to that 10hp increase and an extension of the torque curve to match the 5,500rpm peak power; this map is available in Sport and Race modes via the R.S. Drive button.

c. 100kg weight loss, Ohlins dampers, Cup tyres...

The Trophy-R that actually set the lap record is a rather more serious piece of kit though, closer in spirit to the R26.R that set a previous 8min 17sec lap record back in 2008. Like the R26.R the Trophy-R benefits from significant weight savings to the tune of a claimed 101kg, bringing the kerb weight down to 1,280kg. To get there the rear seats have been removed (-20kg), fixed racing seats installed (-22kg), the rear wiper deleted (-1kg) along with the climate control (-10kg) and so on.

The DFV (Dual Flow Valve) Road&Track Ohlins dampers (with remote clicker adjusters) get Clio 200 style hydraulic bump stops up front and fancy Allevard composite epoxy/fibre glass springs saving another 2kg. These are standard on the -R, likewise the titanium Akrapovic exhaust and Cup 2 tyres on Speedline Turini wheels, worth 4kg and (an unsprung) 5kg respectively. An optional Nurburgring Pack with lithium ion battery (-16kg), 'Performance' brakes with bigger 350mm discs on aluminium bells (-3kg), Sabelt harnesses, wheel bags for your track rubber and a retaining strap to stop them rattling around in the back will be offered if you insist on having your Trophy-R in full 'ring record spec.

888-shod R26.R did an 8min 17sec in 2008

Price? The 275 Trophy starts at £28,930 for which you get the Akrapovic exhaust and power bump but not the Ohlins dampers or Cup tyres, which cost £2,000 and c. £1,000 respectively. The Trophy-R costs - wait for it - £36,430 and just 30 of the 250 to be built will make it to the UK. You can speculate on the full Nurburgring Pack price with the fancy battery and brakes and it doesn't take much imagination to come up with a figure starting with a '4', which should get the comments thread humming...

We've given SEAT a bit of a hard time over the revelations that the Leon Cupra that was the first to break the eight minute barrier wasn't standard and it's fair to say that to get your Megane Trophy-R into the full record breaking spec is going to cost a significant extra margin over the base 275 version. But Renault is upfront about the extent of the modifications and anyone in any doubt about what's required to achieve a time like this need only browse that upgrades list and the bottom line figure that underpins it. And, no, big brass ones like Renault test driver Laurent Hurgon's aren't included. You'll have to provide them yourself.

Hurgon and 265 Trophy did 8min 07sec in 2011

Is there a market for a hot hatch as extreme as this? Probably an extremely limited one but Renaultsport is to be applauded for even considering bringing such a thing to the market and those willing to sign on the line are going to be possession of a proper piece of kit. The pricing means it's not quite the everyman GT3 RS. But it's as close to as we'll get in this lifetime, complete with the daft sticker set.

Now, is Vauxhall going to be able to resist the temptation to have a go with the AstraVXR Extreme...

[matt1269]

Just awesome. Hope they manage to sell them though!

[exceed]

Nothing else to say other than brilliant, the R26-R still looks amazing today.

And I don't even like Renaults!

Honda must be so angry right now, as to claim the title they'll have to release an upgrade pack straight away and they're not ones to just increase the power (as would be easiest!). I wonder how that'll play out now.

[Fetchez la vache]

Certainly impressive for FWD, but soon as you take the rear seats out of a hot hatch it ceases to be a hot hatch in my book, even if it is hot & a hatch.

[MikeG88]

So how much are these then?

Id certainly look at one if it was new car time though Id sooner have a 4 series than a meganne.

[Fetchez la vache]

Maybe o/t but

Seat's 7min 58.4sec
Ren's 7min 54.3sec

Have Renault smashed the record, or simply beaten it by 4 seconds? I guess 4 seconds at this level *is* smashing?

Edited by Fetchez la vache on Monday 16th June 10:16

[Chapppers]

The Crack Fox said:

I am ringed out. Wrung out?

There's certainly a lot of news. Have you been though? It's pretty good. Worth the fuss.

[David87]

That is totally awesome, but - and I'm not one of the types to complain about the costs of modern cars - it is pretty bloody expensive!

I bought an R26.R with every available option for £23,000 at the tail end of 2008, although the list price was somewhere approaching £28k. I would assume similar discounts will be offered on this new car because, well, it's a Renault! Residuals will likely be excellent for cars built with all the stuff people want, though.

P.S. The time is astonishing. Rumour has it the R26.R did an 8:12, but it was before the official timing lap clocked it at 8:17.

Edited by David87 on Monday 16th June 09:36

[J8 SVG]

Wanted an R26.R and now I want one of these. Shame a house will have to be purchased first

Renault once again proving they are the hot-hatch kings. Just hoping they do something similar to the clio.. Would like a new one in a few years and the current looks far too soft.

[Regiment]

Wih the engine quite happily taking 300hp, why don't they just up it all the way to 300 and be done with it. It's gone from 250 > 265 and now to 271.

[Bladedancer]

Is there going to be a version that does not look like something from "Fast Car" magazine?

[CraigyMc]

Fetchez la vache said:

Maybe o/t but

Seat's 7min 54.3sec
Ren's 7min 58.4sec

Have Renault smashed the record, or simply beaten it by 4 seconds? I guess 4 seconds at this level *is* smashing?

Erm. Did you get those the wrong way round chap?

[epom]

Its the R version, its supposed to look daft. And I for one am loving all these ring times. Not in the market for an R (even if I could afford it) doesn't stop me loving it though. Well done Renault.

[vtecyo]

£36k?

Wow.

[Oliiiiiiiii]

Great to see Renaultsport doing their thing!

It will be interesting to see what Honda achieve and how Renaultsport come back at them.

[dukebox9reg]

Looks like a Renault Captur now with that roof.

I know the Seat cheated slightly but it still had all it seats and no fixed back front items and it still had most its bells and whistles and was only 4 seconds slower.

Whats the standard Trophy running round the ring (with the suspension and tyres ticked) to put into context?

[CraigyMc]

vtecyo said:

£36k?

Madness.

[zeppelin101]

I reckon Honda will subtly reword their original intent so as to target a "standard" production model time and not what appears to be a time set by a limited run special at vast expense.

[greggy50]

vtecyo said:

£36k?

Wow.

Probably around 31k/32k with discount

I think its a bargain for the performance that time is faster than a lot of supercars which is amazing for 275hp. These engines map up too 320hp so the extra 45hp would probably bring it down to a sub 7:50 lap with ease!

[DanielJames]

C'mon Honda

[mooseracer]

This:

Renaultsport is to be applauded for even considering bringing such a thing to the market