Renault Megane 275 Trophy-R | Spotted
Still a pearly white beacon for everything that was oh-so-good about hot hatches...
Here’s a prediction. If any stripe of car is likely to appeal to Generation Z as they hit middle age, why not the stripped-out, special edition hot hatches of the early 21st century? After all, they’ll have nothing like it to buy brand new, and compared to anything autonomous and battery-powered, the greatest hits of the front-drive era will seem noisy, slow, hard work and bizarrely flimsy. In other words, perfect.
Not that you need distance or retrospect to see the Megane 275 Trophy-R for what it is - we knew from day one. This isn’t just the car that snatched the Nürburgring front-wheel drive record from the Seat Leon Cupra, it was the culmination of what Renault Sport had learnt up to that point. We can argue whether or not it was worth the asking price when new - but there is no argument about how extraordinarily good it was.
Like both its predecessor and successor, the salient point about the R was weight loss: the back seats were binned, sound deadening was stripped out, and the front Recaro bucket seats alone saved 22kg. All told, the limited-edition model weighs 100kg less than the standard Trophy – the kind of margin you need when you’re chasing incremental gains on a circuit.
The engine, itself a hard-edged and very analogue treat, was left alone, aside from the welcome addition of a standard-fit Akrapovic exhaust. But the chassis was not. Part of the R’s premium went on adjustable Ohlins, which supplied yet more dynamic sophistication to a hatchback already brimmed with the stuff. For anyone going the whole hog, there was the option of the 'Ring Pack – a £1,995 tick that added larger bi-metallic front brakes, a lightweight lithium battery, and proper seat harnesses.
This example has it, alongside a full service history and just three previous owners. With less than 13k clocked in a decade, it seems unlikely that any of them used the car as a daily - thus preserving it for what it does best. The MOT notes earlier familiarity with tyre wear, yet the early application of paint protection film to vulnerable areas (front bumper, bonnet, side skirts, mirrors, lower door mouldings, A-pillars, and roof) has clearly paid dividends in preserving the finish. The launch-spec Arctic White Pearl looks increasingly iconic.
Scratch that: it is iconic. And while it’s true you can buy the slightly more usable ‘standard’ Trophy for roughly half as much (the same dealer actually has one of those in stock, too), it is the rarity and fame of the flagship that make it a fairly sure bet. Back in 2019, we spotted a similar R up for £26,995. Six years later, this one - now of just 24 remaining - is valued at £31,295. Not quite the £40k it would’ve cost brand-new, mind. But who would bet against it reaching that number again as 2035 rolls around?
SPECIFICATION | RENAULT MEGANE RS TROPHY-R
Engine: 4 cyls, 1998cc, turbocharged petrol
Transmission: 6-spd manual, front-wheel drive
Power: 275hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 265lb ft at 3,000-5,000rpm
MPG: 37.7mpg
CO2: 174g/km
First registered: 2015
Recorded mileage: 12,625
Price new: £36,430
Yours for: £31,295
I think what kills the car is the lack of servicing even if dry stored. I still think it will sell for comfortably more than £20k although it will need to start with a 2...
The R26.R only has harnesses, no regular inertia belts
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