Renaultsport Megane 230 F1 R26 | Spotted

A bank holiday bargain that won't be around for long - in the best colour, too

If you’re anything like us, you’re probably trawling the classifieds for modern classic hot hatch heroes quite a lot. Partly because the demise of the new fast five doors has come about far sooner than anyone surely expected, and partly because they’re such a great catch-all compromise for so many: performance, practicality, usability, and these days without having to go too vintage for a bit of old school charm to the experience.

Trouble is that suitability makes them desirable; with numbers not where they once were for all the reasons hot hatches tend to meet their maker, prices go up. Add some nostalgia tax on top and the asking price soars further. Which makes this Megane R26 all the more interesting. Sure, it’s not (yet) a classic of the calibre of some Renaults, or others of the 20th century for that matter, but there’s no doubting its star quality. The Renaultsport Megane may not have launched to widespread acclaim, nor did everyone love the final iteration, though the years in between undoubtedly delivered some of the best driver-focused hatchbacks to wear the Renault diamond.

Ostensibly, the R26 existed to celebrate the back-to-back championships of Fernando Alonso in the F1 racer of the same time. You get the feeling it would have happened regardless of the GP exploits, though, addressing as it did some issues with the early Megane Renaultsports. The R26 introduced a limited-slip diff to these cars for the very first time; along with steering and suspension upgrades, there was finally some fizz to the front end so sorely lacking before.

After this car, there was no stopping the Megane: R26 became record-breaking R26.R, and so began an amazing few years as manufacturers from Ford to Volkswagen sought to outdo each other in the mad hot hatch stakes. If a Renault was out of the headlines for a few months it was never far from the minds of those who’d driven one, the motorsport-grade hardware making a hatchback experience way more exotic.

Anyway, this R26 - there’s plenty to be encouraged by. It’s obviously Liquid Yellow, as desirable a colour now as it was 20 years ago. The paint still looks decent as well, if not quite perfect after almost 100k. Same goes inside: the Recaro seats are no longer pristine, though still look fit for many more miles yet. The wheels would benefit from a refurb, but they’re wrapped in Michelin tyres, which is always a good sign.

The seller has taken it in part exchange against a Boxster (surely another good sign), the previous owner having had the car since 2020 and added to a ‘huge’ history file. You’ll want to know when the cambelt was done, of course, as it’s a big job with these. But there’s still a lot to be enthusiastic about at £5,995; apparently this was a bank holiday special price before they take it off sale, sort a few bits and ‘ask more money for the car’, so best move fast becomes another £10k-plus prospect. There’s a fault-free MOT well into 2027 and is said to be ‘perfectly usable’, opening up a whole world of options: detailers could work on getting that famous paint to its best, circuit goers could make a track car of it, or those simply craving something cheap and cool have that car right here. A little bit of cash invested is surely going to feel like money very well spent for a car as good as the Megane R26.

SPECIFICATION | RENAULTSPORT MEGANE F1 TEAM R26

Engine: 1,998cc, four-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive, LSD
Power (hp): 230@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 229@3,000rpm
MPG: 33.2
CO2: 200g/km
First registered: 2007
Recorded mileage: 92,000
Price new: £19,860
Yours for: £5,995

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JJJ.

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