RE: Renault Megane R26.R: Spotted
Discussion
Viewed the three new cars they had in stock at Madeley Heath Motors towards the end of the production run or shortly afterwards as a replacement for my Clio V6. They simply couldn't sell them. I didn't fit (the racing seats were tiny for my big body) but they were hugely discounted and they were clearly open to offers as they'd bought them "in bulk" to clear the final stock. It's always amusing when a car that didn't sell well at the time becomes a premium-priced future classic. I think you could have bought one new for less than half this amount.
Miserablegit said:
Tuvra said:
If you had £30k to spend on a second hand car you would buy a Megane? 
There might be an oncoming parrot 
I'm not a huge Renault / hot hatch fan, so I'd probably buy an early Evora NA for £30k, but can see how people assign such values to a 'Renault'..
greenarrow said:
Whenever we get a thread like this, It always seems to be derailed by DC2 fans who have a rose tinted view of their favourite car. The R26 will much faster than a DC2, the R26-R even more so. Not being funny, but when it was new, the DC2 was used in a number of UK magazine track day features and the results were not exactly amazing. It couldn't beat an E46 328i around Silverstone and failed to beat a phase one Clio 172 around Pembrey. It was also 2 seconds behind a bog standard UK Impreza Turbo at Castle Combe and in another feature was only 0.7 secs ahead of a 106 GTI (all of 120BHP) at Castle Combe. So it hasn't a chance against either of the R26s.
I found some lap times on Fastest Laps.com. Hockenheim for example, the standard R26 F1's time beats the DC2 by 2.5 seconds. At Bruntingthorpe the R26F1 was faster than a BMW 335i and 2 seconds ahead of a Honda S2000. The R26-R beat a 300BHP prodrive Impreza at Bruntingthorpe and its Top Gear lap time beats the EVO 8 FQ300, an Impreza WRX STI and has only been beaten by one hot hatch I believe, a 265 Trophy. I doubt the DC2 would beat the EP3 Top Gear lap time, frankly, which is nearly 5 secs slower.
So, there really is a noticeable difference......
A noticeable difference in tyres...... I found some lap times on Fastest Laps.com. Hockenheim for example, the standard R26 F1's time beats the DC2 by 2.5 seconds. At Bruntingthorpe the R26F1 was faster than a BMW 335i and 2 seconds ahead of a Honda S2000. The R26-R beat a 300BHP prodrive Impreza at Bruntingthorpe and its Top Gear lap time beats the EVO 8 FQ300, an Impreza WRX STI and has only been beaten by one hot hatch I believe, a 265 Trophy. I doubt the DC2 would beat the EP3 Top Gear lap time, frankly, which is nearly 5 secs slower.
So, there really is a noticeable difference......
The DC2 Integra was only on little 195/55/15 road tyres whereas I would think all the Megane's times are on the R888s?
Put some 17 inch wheels on a DC2 (or DC5 for that matter) with R888s or Cup2 tyres and it would be interesting to see how close it gets to the Megane.
I think the Type-R Integra comparison will always be valid - it was by far the most hard core FWD car until the R26.R came along.
Being a RWD fan I don't have a dog in this fight. But I have lots of respect for the people who make these cars.
braddo said:
greenarrow said:
Whenever we get a thread like this, It always seems to be derailed by DC2 fans who have a rose tinted view of their favourite car. The R26 will much faster than a DC2, the R26-R even more so. Not being funny, but when it was new, the DC2 was used in a number of UK magazine track day features and the results were not exactly amazing. It couldn't beat an E46 328i around Silverstone and failed to beat a phase one Clio 172 around Pembrey. It was also 2 seconds behind a bog standard UK Impreza Turbo at Castle Combe and in another feature was only 0.7 secs ahead of a 106 GTI (all of 120BHP) at Castle Combe. So it hasn't a chance against either of the R26s.
I found some lap times on Fastest Laps.com. Hockenheim for example, the standard R26 F1's time beats the DC2 by 2.5 seconds. At Bruntingthorpe the R26F1 was faster than a BMW 335i and 2 seconds ahead of a Honda S2000. The R26-R beat a 300BHP prodrive Impreza at Bruntingthorpe and its Top Gear lap time beats the EVO 8 FQ300, an Impreza WRX STI and has only been beaten by one hot hatch I believe, a 265 Trophy. I doubt the DC2 would beat the EP3 Top Gear lap time, frankly, which is nearly 5 secs slower.
So, there really is a noticeable difference......
A noticeable difference in tyres...... I found some lap times on Fastest Laps.com. Hockenheim for example, the standard R26 F1's time beats the DC2 by 2.5 seconds. At Bruntingthorpe the R26F1 was faster than a BMW 335i and 2 seconds ahead of a Honda S2000. The R26-R beat a 300BHP prodrive Impreza at Bruntingthorpe and its Top Gear lap time beats the EVO 8 FQ300, an Impreza WRX STI and has only been beaten by one hot hatch I believe, a 265 Trophy. I doubt the DC2 would beat the EP3 Top Gear lap time, frankly, which is nearly 5 secs slower.
So, there really is a noticeable difference......
The DC2 Integra was only on little 195/55/15 road tyres whereas I would think all the Megane's times are on the R888s?
Put some 17 inch wheels on a DC2 (or DC5 for that matter) with R888s or Cup2 tyres and it would be interesting to see how close it gets to the Megane.
I think the Type-R Integra comparison will always be valid - it was by far the most hard core FWD car until the R26.R came along.
Being a RWD fan I don't have a dog in this fight. But I have lots of respect for the people who make these cars.
You can see why they were so highly rated
Owned 110 from new and sold 3 years later to someone who was obviously going to put it away. I did a measly 1,100 miles in 4 years, he’s done less than 100 in 6 years!
Probably a quicker car around a track than a DC2/5, but definitely not as engaging as a DC2. Never loved the Megane, efficient, but dull.
Probably a quicker car around a track than a DC2/5, but definitely not as engaging as a DC2. Never loved the Megane, efficient, but dull.
Alpinestars said:
Ahbefive said:
Said nobody ever.
Were they all track miles?
They shine brightly on track which is where you find they are very neutral but adjustable amd just brilliant.
Only 1k miles and all on public roads, I can understand someone finding that somewhat dull in pretty much any car.
I get the dull to drive comments to be honest and that was after 16k road and track miles in mine. I think it's a little miss-placed although I did feel the same at times.
The car's limits are indeed too high to be felt on the road in most conditions and that can make it feel over accomplished and a little too easy-I can remember a couple of drives in mine where it simply monstered most other cars in the group without really trying.
Then when it's that easy to drive fast, you simply don't have a nice engine, induction or exhaust note for instance to make it feel truly special. You're then painfully aware you're in a converted shopping car.
But get one on track and boy oh boy does all that change.
The car is so fantastic at letting you reach your own limits that you can really start to experience what I suspect the pro drivers do. Adjusting your lines, breaking points and I even used to play around with tyre pressures-the difference was quite pronounced. I did 100s of laps of the 'ring in mine in all conditions and really learned the place in it.
A water logged Spa was a terrific memory as well, so wet it was red flagged for the standing water on the start/finnish straight (before they cut the drainage in) and one session with a pro driver where we simply weren't passed by a single car-race teams included! Honestly, what a laugh.
The car's limits are indeed too high to be felt on the road in most conditions and that can make it feel over accomplished and a little too easy-I can remember a couple of drives in mine where it simply monstered most other cars in the group without really trying.
Then when it's that easy to drive fast, you simply don't have a nice engine, induction or exhaust note for instance to make it feel truly special. You're then painfully aware you're in a converted shopping car.
But get one on track and boy oh boy does all that change.
The car is so fantastic at letting you reach your own limits that you can really start to experience what I suspect the pro drivers do. Adjusting your lines, breaking points and I even used to play around with tyre pressures-the difference was quite pronounced. I did 100s of laps of the 'ring in mine in all conditions and really learned the place in it.
A water logged Spa was a terrific memory as well, so wet it was red flagged for the standing water on the start/finnish straight (before they cut the drainage in) and one session with a pro driver where we simply weren't passed by a single car-race teams included! Honestly, what a laugh.
Ahbefive said:
Alpinestars said:
Ahbefive said:
Said nobody ever.
Were they all track miles?
They shine brightly on track which is where you find they are very neutral but adjustable amd just brilliant.
Only 1k miles and all on public roads, I can understand someone finding that somewhat dull in pretty much any car.
Which doesn’t really explain why other cars can be so much more exciting on the road.
I never said it was stiffly sprung. You’ve never driven one have you?
LaurasOtherHalf said:
I get the dull to drive comments to be honest and that was after 16k road and track miles in mine. I think it's a little miss-placed although I did feel the same at times.
The car's limits are indeed too high to be felt on the road in most conditions and that can make it feel over accomplished and a little too easy-I can remember a couple of drives in mine where it simply monstered most other cars in the group without really trying.
Then when it's that easy to drive fast, you simply don't have a nice engine, induction or exhaust note for instance to make it feel truly special. You're then painfully aware you're in a converted shopping car.
But get one on track and boy oh boy does all that change.
The car is so fantastic at letting you reach your own limits that you can really start to experience what I suspect the pro drivers do. Adjusting your lines, breaking points and I even used to play around with tyre pressures-the difference was quite pronounced. I did 100s of laps of the 'ring in mine in all conditions and really learned the place in it.
A water logged Spa was a terrific memory as well, so wet it was red flagged for the standing water on the start/finnish straight (before they cut the drainage in) and one session with a pro driver where we simply weren't passed by a single car-race teams included! Honestly, what a laugh.
Sounds like a fair summary. And to make the comparison I did, one would obviously have to have driven a DC2 on track as well. And at a wet Brands, it too was magical. What separates it from the R, is that it’s magical on the road as well. The car's limits are indeed too high to be felt on the road in most conditions and that can make it feel over accomplished and a little too easy-I can remember a couple of drives in mine where it simply monstered most other cars in the group without really trying.
Then when it's that easy to drive fast, you simply don't have a nice engine, induction or exhaust note for instance to make it feel truly special. You're then painfully aware you're in a converted shopping car.
But get one on track and boy oh boy does all that change.
The car is so fantastic at letting you reach your own limits that you can really start to experience what I suspect the pro drivers do. Adjusting your lines, breaking points and I even used to play around with tyre pressures-the difference was quite pronounced. I did 100s of laps of the 'ring in mine in all conditions and really learned the place in it.
A water logged Spa was a terrific memory as well, so wet it was red flagged for the standing water on the start/finnish straight (before they cut the drainage in) and one session with a pro driver where we simply weren't passed by a single car-race teams included! Honestly, what a laugh.
Alpinestars said:
Yeah thought you would.
Which doesn’t really explain why other cars can be so much more exciting on the road.
I never said it was stiffly sprung. You’ve never driven one have you?
I've driven one more than you if you only ever covered 1k miles in one and I own an R26 which I have done 10k miles in and feels very similar.Which doesn’t really explain why other cars can be so much more exciting on the road.
I never said it was stiffly sprung. You’ve never driven one have you?
They are quite stiffly sprung on the most bumpy backstreets like the ones by my house but well damped and work well on pretty muc all other roads, the .R is slightly better than the standard R26 but still hardly a limo
What other fwd cars do you find so exciting on public roads compared to the megane?
Edited by Ahbefive on Sunday 2nd December 11:32
Ahbefive said:
I've driven one more than you if you only ever covered 1k miles in one and I own an R26 which I have done 10k miles in and feels very similar.
They are quite stiffly sprung on the most bumpy backstreets like the ones by my house but well damped and work well on pretty muc all other roads, the .R is slightly better than the standard R26 but still hardly a limo
What other fwd cars do you find so exciting on public roads compared to the megane?
If it feels very similar, why would anybody pay the premium and eulogise over it? They are quite stiffly sprung on the most bumpy backstreets like the ones by my house but well damped and work well on pretty muc all other roads, the .R is slightly better than the standard R26 but still hardly a limo
What other fwd cars do you find so exciting on public roads compared to the megane?
Edited by Ahbefive on Sunday 2nd December 11:32
The R has wonderful damping. Not an area I’d criticise.
Most Hondas are much more engaging.
Alpinestars said:
If it feels very similar, why would anybody pay the premium and eulogise over it?
The R has wonderful damping. Not an area I’d criticise.
Most Hondas are much more engaging.
Surely you are joking on your 1st and last points.The R has wonderful damping. Not an area I’d criticise.
Most Hondas are much more engaging.
The dampening yes it is very good but you know you are in a hot hatch on the bumpiest roads around here.
Most Hondas? Hilarious. DC2 may feel rawer but most Hondas? No.
Why would anyone eulogise over a limited UK run of 230no track focussed cars with carbon bonnets/rollcages/plastic windows etc rather than the 4500 normal R26s? Surely not serious.
They both drive great but the rarer track car will always be the one that balloons in value if any. I can tell you certainly have covered very few miles if any in either.
Ahbefive said:
Surely you are joking on your 1st and last points.
The dampening yes it is very good but you know you are in a hot hatch on the bumpiest roads around here.
Most Hondas? Hilarious. DC2 may feel rawer but most Hondas? No.
Why would anyone eulogise over a limited UK run of 230no track focussed cars with carbon bonnets/rollcages/plastic windows etc rather than the 4500 normal R26s? Surely not serious.
They both drive great but the rarer track car will always be the one that balloons in value if any. I can tell you certainly have covered very few miles if any in either.
You’re always so defensive aren’t you. And it doesn’t look like you’ve driven an R. No one I know complains about the “stiff ride”. Especially when we’re comparing it to other hot hatches, or a plain vanilla 26. The dampening yes it is very good but you know you are in a hot hatch on the bumpiest roads around here.
Most Hondas? Hilarious. DC2 may feel rawer but most Hondas? No.
Why would anyone eulogise over a limited UK run of 230no track focussed cars with carbon bonnets/rollcages/plastic windows etc rather than the 4500 normal R26s? Surely not serious.
They both drive great but the rarer track car will always be the one that balloons in value if any. I can tell you certainly have covered very few miles if any in either.
I’ll just leave it there and you can carry on about how good your car is.
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