RE: PH Carpool: Renaultsport Megane R26.R
Discussion
Thanks for all the positive comments about the write-up and the car.
Picking up on the old RWD / FWD debate, to my mind the issue is whether the car is throttle adjustable, and the R26 / R26.R Meganes are in a way I've never experienced in a FWD car before. In the R26 I had first, when the front started to understeer in tighter bends you'd actually give it more throttle and could feel the LSD lock-up and feed power to the outside wheel, which would tighten the line. When both front wheels eventually let go, lift-off a little, out comes the back and then get back on the throttle. It's a shame in some ways, as this first stage is less pronounced in the 'R, maybe because of the tyres or less weight? Is this better than balancing and drifting a RWD car? No, but it's up there with it and fantastic fun.
I took my R26 on an Alpine trip with some mates in a Prodrive Scooby and an RS6 Audi, and I couldn't believe how the car would take full throttle in 1st gear out of hairpin bends without spinning up its inside front wheel, matching the pace of a 450bhp 4WD Audi (autobahns were a different story though!). The re-match a couple of years later in my 'R, over the Col de la Bonette, left the Audi with boiled brake fluid.
It also made me smile reading an earlier post about stripping weight from the car and not the driver. Someone once suggested to me that I'd lost the plot a little by fitting a stereo, whereas I still think that losing 2 stone and taking a large talent pill is far higher up the list of priorities to increase my rate of progress down the road than removing the added weight of a headunit and two speakers!!
Picking up on the old RWD / FWD debate, to my mind the issue is whether the car is throttle adjustable, and the R26 / R26.R Meganes are in a way I've never experienced in a FWD car before. In the R26 I had first, when the front started to understeer in tighter bends you'd actually give it more throttle and could feel the LSD lock-up and feed power to the outside wheel, which would tighten the line. When both front wheels eventually let go, lift-off a little, out comes the back and then get back on the throttle. It's a shame in some ways, as this first stage is less pronounced in the 'R, maybe because of the tyres or less weight? Is this better than balancing and drifting a RWD car? No, but it's up there with it and fantastic fun.
I took my R26 on an Alpine trip with some mates in a Prodrive Scooby and an RS6 Audi, and I couldn't believe how the car would take full throttle in 1st gear out of hairpin bends without spinning up its inside front wheel, matching the pace of a 450bhp 4WD Audi (autobahns were a different story though!). The re-match a couple of years later in my 'R, over the Col de la Bonette, left the Audi with boiled brake fluid.
It also made me smile reading an earlier post about stripping weight from the car and not the driver. Someone once suggested to me that I'd lost the plot a little by fitting a stereo, whereas I still think that losing 2 stone and taking a large talent pill is far higher up the list of priorities to increase my rate of progress down the road than removing the added weight of a headunit and two speakers!!
Edited by Gavin Blackwell on Monday 14th May 22:53
MissChief said:
superman84 said:
Impressive bit of a kit no doubt but the ring time comparisons ate misleading - anything with a few horses can put in a half decent time if you strip it and put it on semi slicks. The only difference is that the manufacturer has done it for you. And no amount of stickers will make up for that horrible arse end.
When you're in it you don't have to look at it!
The R26 was a fab car...
...but the R26.R was simply awesome.
Far, far greater than the sum of its parts and a bit misunderstood by some. But, especially with so few made, it's got to be a classic in the making.
EVO ranked it 5th out of 100 in their "Best 100 Drivers Cars" a while back.
http://www.evo.co.uk/features/features/240343/top_...
...but the R26.R was simply awesome.
Far, far greater than the sum of its parts and a bit misunderstood by some. But, especially with so few made, it's got to be a classic in the making.
EVO ranked it 5th out of 100 in their "Best 100 Drivers Cars" a while back.
http://www.evo.co.uk/features/features/240343/top_...
roystinho said:
Just been browsing for one of these, my heart says just buy one, but my head says no, you can't get the child seat in the passenger bucket. This is the only reason I don't have one sat outside my house. Lunar Grey or Racing Blue are simply gorgeous
Do you need a child seat with the Sabelt seats and harnesses!?wal 45 said:
A mate bought one of these quite a while back, everyone talks about track times but what impressed me more was the back lane ability of these things. Over really rough Hampshire lanes the car felt mighty and supple as well, never really been in anything as competent as that before.
Great car and the titanium exhaust sounds very pleasant as well, as for practicalities I suppose you can hang your shopping bags off the roll cage.
Agreed - on a back road the R26.R is incredible.Great car and the titanium exhaust sounds very pleasant as well, as for practicalities I suppose you can hang your shopping bags off the roll cage.
Gavin Blackwell said:
Thanks for all the positive comments about the write-up and the car.
Picking up on the old RWD / FWD debate, to my mind the issue is whether the car is throttle adjustable, and the R26 / R26.R Meganes are in a way I've never experienced in a FWD car before. In the R26 I had first, when the front started to understeer in tighter bends you'd actually give it more throttle and could feel the LSD lock-up and feed power to the outside wheel, which would tighten the line. When both front wheels eventually let go, lift-off a little, out comes the back and then get back on the throttle. It's a shame in some ways, as this first stage is less pronounced in the 'R, maybe because of the tyres or less weight? Is this better than balancing and drifting a RWD car? No, but it's up there with it and fantastic fun.
Reminds me of my Alfasud on the rare occasions when it's working. Hmmm, great inspiration for spending three hours patching up yet another rust spot when I get home this evening Picking up on the old RWD / FWD debate, to my mind the issue is whether the car is throttle adjustable, and the R26 / R26.R Meganes are in a way I've never experienced in a FWD car before. In the R26 I had first, when the front started to understeer in tighter bends you'd actually give it more throttle and could feel the LSD lock-up and feed power to the outside wheel, which would tighten the line. When both front wheels eventually let go, lift-off a little, out comes the back and then get back on the throttle. It's a shame in some ways, as this first stage is less pronounced in the 'R, maybe because of the tyres or less weight? Is this better than balancing and drifting a RWD car? No, but it's up there with it and fantastic fun.
Excellent write-up, and who could argue about the choice of car? In fact, I think you've just helped to confirm it at the top of my to-do list!
veevee said:
Very slightly less or the same, plus a lot more hassle.
And the residuals would be...
Oh right.
If you choose to modify a car and worry about the residuals it's better to find another hobby. And the residuals would be...
Oh right.
And stripping it, fitting a set of decent coilovers, exhaust and a remap isn't that much hassle to be honest.
roystinho said:
Just been browsing for one of these, my heart says just buy one, but my head says no, you can't get the child seat in the passenger bucket. This is the only reason I don't have one sat outside my house. Lunar Grey or Racing Blue are simply gorgeous
i'd say racing blue was a great colour! cough cough! The toyo's temperature tolerence is -9degrees for storage and -4degree running? the guidlines changed i thought, so it said on the label on the two i bought last month..
not that mine are used/stored anywhere near the above
I've had mine for over 3 years now - absolutely love it.
Not particularly fast in a straight line dragg race - but that's not the point of the car.
Used primarily for trackdays and sunny weekends - it's only just passed 9k miles (at spa a couple of weekends ago) - and has been faultless.
Couple of small upgrades; brakes, tyres + intercooler have helped boost its on-track performance, but other than that its just standard servicing and massive smiles per miles per ££.
I keep telling myself I should be getting into something RWD but the .r is just so spot on for me and my driving ability I worry it would actually be a step backwards and the fun factor (which at the end of the day is what its all about) will deminish. Think i'll be keeping her for a good while yet.
Not particularly fast in a straight line dragg race - but that's not the point of the car.
Used primarily for trackdays and sunny weekends - it's only just passed 9k miles (at spa a couple of weekends ago) - and has been faultless.
Couple of small upgrades; brakes, tyres + intercooler have helped boost its on-track performance, but other than that its just standard servicing and massive smiles per miles per ££.
I keep telling myself I should be getting into something RWD but the .r is just so spot on for me and my driving ability I worry it would actually be a step backwards and the fun factor (which at the end of the day is what its all about) will deminish. Think i'll be keeping her for a good while yet.
clarki said:
Hi Arun - still well i trust and being looked after by that sexy exige!
The meg is really our 3rd car now tbh, so no, it doesnt get much useage. Still smells new inside!! Think it could be a long-term keeper this one.
Yes, and yes, thank you.The meg is really our 3rd car now tbh, so no, it doesnt get much useage. Still smells new inside!! Think it could be a long-term keeper this one.
Glad you're still loving the .R. Better loved than your Evos!
TheOrangePeril said:
Gary C said:
Chicane-UK said:
And it'll show a clean pair of heels to plenty more supposedly exciting RWD stuff, on a track. So what's the problem?
Its not all about who's fastest, more about personal preference. Plenty of RWD cars would leave this car on a track too.I quite like the idea of the R26.R but I also prefer RWD (with a manual gearbox too).
Edited by TheOrangePeril on Monday 14th May 16:02
I never thought I'd be a fan of FWD cars... and I'm still not.
I can't beleive that someone's beaten me to the "RWD is better" discussion!
LewisR said:
Yep.
I never thought I'd be a fan of FWD cars... and I'm still not.
I can't beleive that someone's beaten me to the "RWD is better" discussion!
Would not call RWD 'better', different certainly, my preference... yes. I never thought I'd be a fan of FWD cars... and I'm still not.
I can't beleive that someone's beaten me to the "RWD is better" discussion!
Would this Megan beat my RX8 or my 911 round a track, almost certainly but I don't care
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