RE: Spotted: Renault Megane R26R

[Derek Chevalier]

kambites said:

Hmm, if it's nearly but not quite a match for the Cayman S then I stand by my point. I can't imagine why I'd ever buy this over an Elise (which vastly betters the Cayman S as a drivers' car, to my mind). I suppose the Renault has a bigger boot if that's important.

I don't deny that the Renault is an absolutely extraordinary car considering what they started with; I just can't imagine a situation in which I'd want to buy one. It seems that not many people could, if they only sold a couple of hundred.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 3rd July 15:07

I'd buy one over an Elise if I was looking for a track car for a number of reasons.

[UberMeister]

I think nearer £10k - I'd consider changing the V6 for one.

At £15k I'd still be considering other manufacturers.

Fun cars though, very purposeful in the flesh.

[roystinho]

I would absolutely love one.Been in one with the ti exhaust in the dales and the speed, noise and overall capabilities round the tight twisty roads was simply immense. Would love a go on a track in one.

The only reason I don't have one is due to the seats, doesn't bother me getting strapped in, but you can't (afaik) get a child's seat in the passenger seat, and I need to take my little boy to nursery. For this reason only I'll be getting a Clio V6 for the occasion of it, and have a little 172 that I'm rocking about in at the minute, slowly turning it into a track car.

Lottery win and a R26.R would definitely be in my stable. Lunar Grey, Red Whels and the all important (imo) ti exhaust

[LaurasOtherHalf]

roystinho said:

I would absolutely love one.Been in one with the ti exhaust in the dales and the speed, noise and overall capabilities round the tight twisty roads was simply immense. Would love a go on a track in one.

The only reason I don't have one is due to the seats, doesn't bother me getting strapped in, but you can't (afaik) get a child's seat in the passenger seat, and I need to take my little boy to nursery. For this reason only I'll be getting a Clio V6 for the occasion of it, and have a little 172 that I'm rocking about in at the minute, slowly turning it into a track car.

Lottery win and a R26.R would definitely be in my stable. Lunar Grey, Red Whels and the all important (imo) ti exhaust

Not sure if you can get one to fit, but it doesn't have a passenger airbag if that helps?!

[roystinho]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Not sure if you can get one to fit, but it doesn't have a passenger airbag if that helps?!

Doesn't matter as he faces forwards (he's 2). Can't believer no child seat manufacturers cater for cars with 5 point harnesses...

[Terminator X]

It's a GT3 for the masses, not sure why it bombed. I'd love one 2nd hand!

TX.

[Roma101]

They are not as impractical as you may think. Big boot, good ride, civilised on all sorts of roads, not too noisy when just cruising, good economy when not thrashing it. If you fitted an after market head unit then you could almost call it a normal car - air con, radio/cd, folding mirrors (optional). I've been in an Elise, and IMO, the Megane seems like it would be the more usuable/practicable on a daily basis. The only issue for me was the seats on long journeys. After a few hours, it was like a switch had been flicked. They went from comfy to crippling. But then, I do have a back problem.

Some people have been making comparisons with the Elise, but surely the two cars were in different price brackets when new. You could get an R for under £20k new in 2008/9. How much would a basic Elise have been then? Surely more? Comparing the two as used cars now is a different subject, though.

[DanDC5]

I like the R26.R a lot, but I'd buy the FD2 Civic Type R instead (and a set of R888's for track days). Full interior and it'd match it all day long on track on equal rubber.

[Derek Chevalier]

DanDC5 said:

I like the R26.R a lot, but I'd buy the FD2 Civic Type R instead (and a set of R888's for track days). Full interior and it'd match it all day long on track on equal rubber.

I'm not convinced that it would, based on my experiences with an R26.R and Mugen Civic (admittedly the latter being on RE050s), and the EVO lap times

http://www.fastestlaps.com/tracks/bedford_autodrom...

Renault Megane R26.R 1:27.82
Honda Civic Type-R JDM 1:31.00

3 seconds can't be down to just rubber differences

[pmr01]

Huge mistake of my car buying career. As pointed out they were struggling to shift them and my local Arnold Clark were selling a white one with cage and 888's for £18k.

Regret it most days especially when I see the money that is still in them.

[kambites]

Derek Chevalier said:

I'd buy one over an Elise if I was looking for a track car for a number of reasons.

I wouldn't even consider an Elise as a track car. Far too heavy and far too soft.

[kambites]

doogz said:

Yes it can. And then some!

Over a lap that long, it easily could be. Whether it is in that case though, I doubt.

I don't really understand why low lap-times are important at track-days though. As long as the car I'm driving isn't massively faster or massively slower than the other cars on the track, the numbers are rather irrelevant aren't they? All that matters is how much fun you're having.

[garypotter]

thewheelman said:

I just can't get on with the way the R26R looks.

+1 totally disgusting looking car!! I do not care how well a car drives if it looks like a pile of Euro debt, not for me thanks

[noclue]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

quite simply the best car i have ever owned. loved it
(if you don't go in for the whole french atch thing then take a look at my profile-i rate it higher than quite a lot of other nice metal)


so nice in fact that after taking this chap out in it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_N116VnQA0&fea...
he went halves with his mate & bought it off me!

still miss it though & i've got the money in the bank waiting for the perfect spec one to turn up, as soon as it does it's mine!

any owners who are looking to move on please give me a shout

Jeezus!!!!! That is some grip!

[Hoygo]

DanDC5 said:

I like the R26.R a lot, but I'd buy the FD2 Civic Type R instead (and a set of R888's for track days). Full interior and it'd match it all day long on track on equal rubber.

But it really wouldn't,the R26.r has the edge in acceleration/straight to leave the Fn2 behind because of the higher torque and that available in lower rpms.Can pull out of the slow corners faster because of the torque advantage too. And in a winding narrow track a 4 door saloon isn't favored compared to a hatch too.

Here is a Best motoring 3 lap track battle of the two

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZBBf6S9gpY

The Civic is on BBS optional wheels which wears Yokohama Advan semi-slicks,so both cars are on the same rubber.Even with the legendary Tsuchiya on the wheel the Fn2 couldn't beat the R26.r.

[DanDC5]

doogz said:

Derek Chevalier said:

I'm not convinced that it would, based on my experiences with an R26.R and Mugen Civic (admittedly the latter being on RE050s), and the EVO lap times

http://www.fastestlaps.com/tracks/bedford_autodrom...

Renault Megane R26.R 1:27.82
Honda Civic Type-R JDM 1:31.00

3 seconds can't be down to just rubber differences

Yes it can. And then some!

Pretty much this, the Civic does lose a bit on the straights compared to the Megane but not a huge amount.

This is the only head to head video I could find, but it is Best Motoring so worth the watch. The Civic actually seems to catch in the corners slightly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZBBf6S9gpY

[artdealer]

Every time you drive an R26.R with Titanium Exhaust, Cage and Toyos is an event. Even a mile.

I think there's 83 left in the UK. Not all have Titanium exhaust which makes a fabulous noise inside the car, and appeals to the people who appreciate the car being lighter than std. This is why this car is cheaper, if it had a Ti it would easily sell for £16000.

The reason they didn't sell new was the price. In 2009 I sold 8 new delivery miles ones, mix of Ti and Non-Ti up to and around £21000 and they flew away. If Renault had pitched them at this price they would have got 500 away easily.

As for pace, the 8:17 Nbg fwd record at the time remains impressive, and I've seen Neil's lap around the Nbg on Youtube at 8:20 which proves you don't have to be Walter Rohrl to do it.

[NISR227]

Great cars, I admire renaultsport for selling such an extreme hatchback. You can tune them too, £400 will get you 260bhp, £1500 for 280bhp, £2500 300bhp before internal work. So cheaper to improve over a jdm civic. RS tuning have a track version running 512bhp.

Edited by NISR227 on Wednesday 4th July 16:30

[Derek Chevalier]

doogz said:

Derek Chevalier said:

I'm not convinced that it would, based on my experiences with an R26.R and Mugen Civic (admittedly the latter being on RE050s), and the EVO lap times

http://www.fastestlaps.com/tracks/bedford_autodrom...

Renault Megane R26.R 1:27.82
Honda Civic Type-R JDM 1:31.00

3 seconds can't be down to just rubber differences

Yes it can. And then some!

I'm not convinced for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the Megane 265 did the lap on RE050s in 126.1, are you suggesting that with 888s, it would be doing 1:23 - that would put it up with the Carrera GT? Also, EVO originally lapped the R26.R in 1.29 - I believe this was done on non 888s.

[Derek Chevalier]

kambites said:

doogz said:

Yes it can. And then some!

Over a lap that long, it easily could be. Whether it is in that case though, I doubt.

I don't really understand why low lap-times are important at track-days though. As long as the car I'm driving isn't massively faster or massively slower than the other cars on the track, the numbers are rather irrelevant aren't they? All that matters is how much fun you're having.

When going to places such as the ring for the first few times, having a car that is easy to keep up with the flow of traffic for the first few laps is important for me - the Renault is very good at this.