Renaultsport Megane Cup S 275
Discussion
The Akra is lighter, but it doesn't necessarily sound any better than a £45 mid box chop. On an old-er Megane I had a Milltek cat-back and even that was comparible to the box chop, despite costing 10x more.
If you're daily/tracking it and don't want full buckets, then the Recaros are perfect. My 250Cup isn't my daily, so I settled with the standard cloth seats (which sit lower than the Recaros) and will be getting some pole positions for it soon.
If you're daily/tracking it and don't want full buckets, then the Recaros are perfect. My 250Cup isn't my daily, so I settled with the standard cloth seats (which sit lower than the Recaros) and will be getting some pole positions for it soon.
KPB1973 said:
Agree with the previous posters. The Akra has a nice tone in normal driving but needs a lot of heat before it starts making pops and bangs.
A lad around the corner from me had a Milltek on his and it sounded much better to my ear.
When I had my milltek on my White 250 It would bang on every gearchange and sounded mega. Still miss that car sometimes. Guy in B'ham bought mineA lad around the corner from me had a Milltek on his and it sounded much better to my ear.
NelsonM3 said:
I’m considering a Cup S but it’s a real struggle to find any with uprated exhaust and recaros. Has anyone owned a car without these and do you feel it missed them?
I’d prefer a Trophy but everyone seems to ask a huge premium for them which given what extra the have doesn’t seem justified.
I don't mean to teach granny to suck eggs but do you know that a Cup S is a Trophy? If not, then you might want to include those in your list. It would be a shame to also so massively restrict your choice of good cars by insisting on Akra although I agree on the Recaro front. I’d prefer a Trophy but everyone seems to ask a huge premium for them which given what extra the have doesn’t seem justified.
Does the Trophy not get alcantara Recaro and steering wheel?
My 275 Nav (with Cup suspension, so basically like a Cup-S?), has faux leather Recaro and steering wheel. Must admit the alcantara seats do look nicer. Not too fussed on the wheel as they are a bit of nonsense unless one wears racing gloves in the daily.
My 275 Nav (with Cup suspension, so basically like a Cup-S?), has faux leather Recaro and steering wheel. Must admit the alcantara seats do look nicer. Not too fussed on the wheel as they are a bit of nonsense unless one wears racing gloves in the daily.
Zarco said:
Does the Trophy not get alcantara Recaro and steering wheel?
My 275 Nav (with Cup suspension, so basically like a Cup-S?), has faux leather Recaro and steering wheel. Must admit the alcantara seats do look nicer. Not too fussed on the wheel as they are a bit of nonsense unless one wears racing gloves in the daily.
Trophy was the only one with alcantara recaros. The wheel and shifter stuff could be specced on the cup SMy 275 Nav (with Cup suspension, so basically like a Cup-S?), has faux leather Recaro and steering wheel. Must admit the alcantara seats do look nicer. Not too fussed on the wheel as they are a bit of nonsense unless one wears racing gloves in the daily.
KPB1973 said:
I eventually sold mine to Arnold Clark in Burton for £12k. I'd had Px values of everything from £9.5k to £11k, so that was a bit of a result in the circumstances.
I told them about the ridiculously high spec and they just smiled and said "we have tools which tell us far more about a car than most sellers even know" and promptly advertised it for £13,300 and a description simply saying 'Red'.
They'd obviously price matched it against a boggo flame red one at the other side of the country, with no account taken for the Ohlins, Akra, Recaros etc, and it was sold within 3 days.
I'm now in a 986 again, with £8.5k change in my pocket and whilst I miss the Meg, I don't really feel like i've stepped down in terms of fun factor.
As someone who owns a 2.7 986 and is looking to change to a 275 for usability options. I’d really value your further thoughts on the car I told them about the ridiculously high spec and they just smiled and said "we have tools which tell us far more about a car than most sellers even know" and promptly advertised it for £13,300 and a description simply saying 'Red'.
They'd obviously price matched it against a boggo flame red one at the other side of the country, with no account taken for the Ohlins, Akra, Recaros etc, and it was sold within 3 days.
I'm now in a 986 again, with £8.5k change in my pocket and whilst I miss the Meg, I don't really feel like i've stepped down in terms of fun factor.
NelsonM3 said:
I’m considering a Cup S but it’s a real struggle to find any with uprated exhaust and recaros. Has anyone owned a car without these and do you feel it missed them?
I’d prefer a Trophy but everyone seems to ask a huge premium for them which given what extra the have doesn’t seem justified.
As others have said, all you need is to have the centre silencer chopped out of a standard exhaust system and they sound great! I test drove a 275 Trophy recently and was disappointed with the Akra. Full leather Recaros you can pick up second hand for around a grand – they look good but ultimately not as supportive on track as you'd hope and standard seats are more comfortable for a daily.I’d prefer a Trophy but everyone seems to ask a huge premium for them which given what extra the have doesn’t seem justified.
I fitted Recaro Pole Positions to my 250 and it transformed how the car felt to drive but that compromises daily driving. I sold them for what I paid for them when I sold the car https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-fleet/rena...
BenLowden said:
As others have said, all you need is to have the centre silencer chopped out of a standard exhaust system and they sound great! I test drove a 275 Trophy recently and was disappointed with the Akra. Full leather Recaros you can pick up second hand for around a grand – they look good but ultimately not as supportive on track as you'd hope and standard seats are more comfortable for a daily.
I fitted Recaro Pole Positions to my 250 and it transformed how the car felt to drive but that compromises daily driving. I sold them for what I paid for them when I sold the car https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-fleet/rena...
This has made me feel funny! Are your pole positions on runners, or static mounted?I fitted Recaro Pole Positions to my 250 and it transformed how the car felt to drive but that compromises daily driving. I sold them for what I paid for them when I sold the car https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-fleet/rena...
Blanchimont said:
This has made me feel funny! Are your pole positions on runners, or static mounted?
Good funny?! Pretty sure I used OMP runners on K-Tec subframes so they were adjustable (but you no longer have access to the back seats) 
NelsonM3 said:
I’m considering a Cup S but it’s a real struggle to find any with uprated exhaust and recaros. Has anyone owned a car without these and do you feel it missed them?
I’d prefer a Trophy but everyone seems to ask a huge premium for them which given what extra the have doesn’t seem justified.
I could take or leave the recaro sportsters. I’d prefer a Trophy but everyone seems to ask a huge premium for them which given what extra the have doesn’t seem justified.
Rather have Ohlins
BenLowden said:
Blanchimont said:
This has made me feel funny! Are your pole positions on runners, or static mounted?
Good funny?! Pretty sure I used OMP runners on K-Tec subframes so they were adjustable (but you no longer have access to the back seats) NelsonM3 said:
As someone who owns a 2.7 986 and is looking to change to a 275 for usability options. I’d really value your further thoughts on the car
Hmmm, that's a hard one to answer! They are so far apart in terms of ethos, age, experience etc that the comparison is nearly impossible.Without question, the Megane is a fabulous hot hatch, but it's still a hatchback in terms of seating position, 4-pot engine, practicality etc. It differs from its competitors by being so talented (chassis-wise) that it nearly transcends the boundaries of what a hot hatch can do and into the realms of more talented machinery. It's half-a-class above any other HH i've driven.
Even a well-driven 2.7 986 would not see which way a 275 went on a back road, but - and it's a massive but - would the 986 driver really care?
In comparison, a 986 is all about the experience - of listening to a flat-6 at 70mph in 2nd gear, the weight of the steering, the low-slung driving position and the ability to drop the roof to amplify everything. Unlike the 987, the 986 feels like an intersection between modern capability and classic components. Unfortunately that brings a certain brittle-nature that can make them hard work to own, as i'm sure you'll know!
As a good friend commented on driving mine the other day, that the control weights are absolutely perfect and 70mph felt like a whole lot more. Another factor is that a 986 on 17s or 18s will ride a whole lot more compliantly than a Megane (unless the latter has Ohlins) and the Renault can be tiring as daily drivers as a result.
I'm not sure whether this braindump helps much? Suffice to say, for my needs and preferences, i'm happier to go slower and listen to that boxer engine and pocket the change. But I would recommend an Ohlins-equiped Megane without hesitation to anyone who needed a hatchback for practical reasons.
Blanchimont said:
Good funny! Je Suis Semi. I wanna get some PP ABE's for mine with some runners. I'll prob get some after Combe on Friday.
Excellent! They transform the feeling of really being connected to the car, loved them. Any fitting questions give me a shout! As I kept the standard seatbelts, I removed the buckles off the standard seats, bent the locating tab out at the bottom of the bracket and drilled a hole in the side mounts retaining the original bolt too. Bit fiddly but the whole job took me less than two hours from memory.BenLowden said:
Blanchimont said:
Good funny! Je Suis Semi. I wanna get some PP ABE's for mine with some runners. I'll prob get some after Combe on Friday.
Excellent! They transform the feeling of really being connected to the car, loved them. Any fitting questions give me a shout! As I kept the standard seatbelts, I removed the buckles off the standard seats, bent the locating tab out at the bottom of the bracket and drilled a hole in the side mounts retaining the original bolt too. Bit fiddly but the whole job took me less than two hours from memory.Gassing Station | French Bred | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff