RE: Renault Sport Megane 300 Trophy | PH Fleet

RE: Renault Sport Megane 300 Trophy | PH Fleet

Author
Discussion

nickfrog

20,871 posts

216 months

Monday 12th August 2019
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Frimley111R said:
It doesn't need one, it looks awesome, full-on, in you're face, I'm-fast styling. Life's too short for dull cars, the roads are full of them already.

Anyway, doesn't the CTR have a comfort button/setting though?
The CTR has adaptative dampers so yes. And that really adds to its versatility.

As for looks, it's highly subjective. I find it embarrassing and I don't normally care. But I am glad it exists and that others like it. Variety etc...

Jon_S_Rally

3,385 posts

87 months

Monday 12th August 2019
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I'm a bit confused by the criticism of this to be honest. The ride was figidity at low speeds in the MK3 Megane RS. It has been in quite a few of their models to be honest, especially when you're driving the more hardcore examples (which this is). It's always been part of the character of the cars, so i'm not surprised this one is the same.

As for the clutch position, I'm not sure about the DCT only thing. For the R.S. maybe, but I very much doubt it for the rest of the Megane range, and I doubt the pedals are that different to the standard car. Far more likely it's just a slight poor design of the Megane as a whole, rather than a last minute decision to make the R.S. manual as well as auto.

cidered77

1,614 posts

196 months

Monday 12th August 2019
quotequote all
I do think Renault have got this wrong.

Am a huge fan of the brand - owned an R26, a Clip Trophy, and have R26.R on the all time bucket list. I was close to committing on the new Trophy R, but - 52k for a 2 seater with harnesses i can't get even the most creative manmaths spreadsheet to justify.

I want something i can live with everyday, but still take to the occasional trackday. I miss that with my current road cars.

The R26 and Trophy were perfect for that - but whilst i haven't driven the latest, everything I read calls out the low speed/normal road ride as being a big issue for the Mk4. And my last two cars whilst firm, were perfectly acceptable day to day .

And you need the Cup Chassis, because you don't the proper LSD without. Yes it's an extreme track-focused hatch, but as has been pointed out - the Civic manages to handle it with adaptive dampers.

I want to try a mk4 for myself, but based on what I read at least, it'll be just too stuff, - a Mk3 275 Trophy with optional Ohlins looks about the best blend of day to day practicality and being something you can track without the worry of massive bills for consumable. Handily they are also 16k, not the 38k I managed to spec a 300 up to!

CraigV6

348 posts

130 months

Monday 12th August 2019
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cidered77 said:
I do think Renault have got this wrong.

Am a huge fan of the brand - owned an R26, a Clip Trophy, and have R26.R on the all time bucket list. I was close to committing on the new Trophy R, but - 52k for a 2 seater with harnesses i can't get even the most creative manmaths spreadsheet to justify.

I want something i can live with everyday, but still take to the occasional trackday. I miss that with my current road cars.

The R26 and Trophy were perfect for that - but whilst i haven't driven the latest, everything I read calls out the low speed/normal road ride as being a big issue for the Mk4. And my last two cars whilst firm, were perfectly acceptable day to day .

And you need the Cup Chassis, because you don't the proper LSD without. Yes it's an extreme track-focused hatch, but as has been pointed out - the Civic manages to handle it with adaptive dampers.

I want to try a mk4 for myself, but based on what I read at least, it'll be just too stuff, - a Mk3 275 Trophy with optional Ohlins looks about the best blend of day to day practicality and being something you can track without the worry of massive bills for consumable. Handily they are also 16k, not the 38k I managed to spec a 300 up to!
£30k Trophy (after discount, ideal spec rrp is probably £34k) and you’ve got £20k left from the cost you were almost prepared to spend on a R left for consumables / upgrades. I doubt you’ll need to use half of that £20k, but I’m sure the resident track gods will be along soon to tell you about that.

If everyday usability is a concern then the 300 Trophy is far more liveable as a daily than the 275 with Ohlins.


Edited by CraigV6 on Monday 12th August 14:03

nickfrog

20,871 posts

216 months

Monday 12th August 2019
quotequote all
cidered77 said:
I want something i can live with everyday, but still take to the occasional trackday. I miss that with my current road cars.
I don't blame you, I am always surprised how few driving enthusiasts actually track their car. You really don't have to be a track god to have fun in safety, although I don't know what a track god is.

cidered77 said:
I want to try a mk4 for myself, but based on what I read at least, it'll be just too stuff, - a Mk3 275 Trophy with optional Ohlins looks about the best blend
Try the MK4 Trophy or Cup (same set up). You might be surprised how the hydraulic bumps stops help with a lot of chassis tension where the older car would become harsh at the end of the travel although probably not that easy to experiment on a road test drive.

Chestrockwell

2,624 posts

156 months

Monday 12th August 2019
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CraigV6 said:
£30k Trophy (after discount, ideal spec rrp is probably £34k) and you’ve got £20k left from the cost you were almost prepared to spend on a R left for consumables / upgrades. I doubt you’ll need to use half of that £20k, but I’m sure the resident track gods will be along soon to tell you about that.

If everyday usability is a concern then the 300 Trophy is far more liveable as a daily than the 275 with Ohlins.


Edited by CraigV6 on Monday 12th August 14:03
Finally makes sense why you’re always bashing the Civic Type R! You’re a Renaultsport man

cidered77

1,614 posts

196 months

Monday 12th August 2019
quotequote all
CraigV6 said:
£30k Trophy (after discount, ideal spec rrp is probably £34k) and you’ve got £20k left from the cost you were almost prepared to spend on a R left for consumables / upgrades. I doubt you’ll need to use half of that £20k, but I’m sure the resident track gods will be along soon to tell you about that.

If everyday usability is a concern then the 300 Trophy is far more liveable as a daily than the 275 with Ohlins.


Edited by CraigV6 on Monday 12th August 14:03
38k RRP - would want an auto (i knoowww.. sacrilege, etc, but i just prefer it; especially after these reviews) - and you need the toys like adaptive cruise control, etc. well,i would anyway! But yeah, would expect a decent discount on that.

But don't need a track weapon or would want to extensively modify anything - I race, and nothing gets close to a proper racecar (brands Indy in 46 seconds in my case!); but i just miss out at the moment on those "we're going on a trackday this weekend, fancy it?" days.

So a comfortable daily that is fun on track is the goal. And nobody does that better than Renaultsport, especially with that diff tugging you to the apex. Am am happy to make compromises in ride quality, but not to the extent it starts mashing kidneys. Which is one of the more colourful comments i've read on the 300 Cup chassis' ride...

275 Ohlins can be softened for road, and then tightened up for track I figured - have you driven both out of interest, as i'm very interested in the comparison...


moonigan

2,127 posts

240 months

Monday 12th August 2019
quotequote all
cidered77 said:
38k RRP - would want an auto (i knoowww.. sacrilege, etc, but i just prefer it; especially after these reviews) - and you need the toys like adaptive cruise control, etc. well,i would anyway! But yeah, would expect a decent discount on that.

But don't need a track weapon or would want to extensively modify anything - I race, and nothing gets close to a proper racecar (brands Indy in 46 seconds in my case!); but i just miss out at the moment on those "we're going on a trackday this weekend, fancy it?" days.

So a comfortable daily that is fun on track is the goal. And nobody does that better than Renaultsport, especially with that diff tugging you to the apex. Am am happy to make compromises in ride quality, but not to the extent it starts mashing kidneys. Which is one of the more colourful comments i've read on the 300 Cup chassis' ride...

275 Ohlins can be softened for road, and then tightened up for track I figured - have you driven both out of interest, as i'm very interested in the comparison...
I had the Ohlins R&T on my JCW and if its the same system that is fitted to the previous gen Trophy it has 20 clicks of adjustment with 1 being rock hard track setting and 20 nice and compliant for the road. I used to have mine set at 11 for the road and it was far better than the stock setup. I suspect a lot people have them set too hard for day to day use or don't even know how to change them.

Jon_S_Rally

3,385 posts

87 months

Monday 12th August 2019
quotequote all
cidered77 said:
I do think Renault have got this wrong.

Am a huge fan of the brand - owned an R26, a Clip Trophy, and have R26.R on the all time bucket list. I was close to committing on the new Trophy R, but - 52k for a 2 seater with harnesses i can't get even the most creative manmaths spreadsheet to justify.

I want something i can live with everyday, but still take to the occasional trackday. I miss that with my current road cars.

The R26 and Trophy were perfect for that - but whilst i haven't driven the latest, everything I read calls out the low speed/normal road ride as being a big issue for the Mk4. And my last two cars whilst firm, were perfectly acceptable day to day .

And you need the Cup Chassis, because you don't the proper LSD without. Yes it's an extreme track-focused hatch, but as has been pointed out - the Civic manages to handle it with adaptive dampers.

I want to try a mk4 for myself, but based on what I read at least, it'll be just too stuff, - a Mk3 275 Trophy with optional Ohlins looks about the best blend of day to day practicality and being something you can track without the worry of massive bills for consumable. Handily they are also 16k, not the 38k I managed to spec a 300 up to!
Drive one yourself. I wouldn't put too much stock in the words of motoring writers. The narrative is often as important as the objectiveness of the review. Far better to make up your own mind.

CraigV6

348 posts

130 months

Monday 12th August 2019
quotequote all
Chestrockwell said:
Finally makes sense why you’re always bashing the Civic Type R! You’re a Renaultsport man
I bash the CTR because I have the ability to see and people keep posting pictures of the awful looking thing.

CraigV6

348 posts

130 months

Monday 12th August 2019
quotequote all
cidered77 said:
38k RRP - would want an auto (i knoowww.. sacrilege, etc, but i just prefer it; especially after these reviews) - and you need the toys like adaptive cruise control, etc. well,i would anyway! But yeah, would expect a decent discount on that.

But don't need a track weapon or would want to extensively modify anything - I race, and nothing gets close to a proper racecar (brands Indy in 46 seconds in my case!); but i just miss out at the moment on those "we're going on a trackday this weekend, fancy it?" days.

So a comfortable daily that is fun on track is the goal. And nobody does that better than Renaultsport, especially with that diff tugging you to the apex. Am am happy to make compromises in ride quality, but not to the extent it starts mashing kidneys. Which is one of the more colourful comments i've read on the 300 Cup chassis' ride...

275 Ohlins can be softened for road, and then tightened up for track I figured - have you driven both out of interest, as i'm very interested in the comparison...
I moved from a fully loaded 275 Cup-S (including Ohlins), which I had for three years to a 300 Trophy.
Day to day the Trophy trumps the 275 in most departments.

Two let downs in the 300 - sometimes finding 3rd gear can be a PITA and steering feel. However, neither detract and in all other departments as a daily it’s an improvement.

Sometimes I do also feel the 300 is a touch too soft, but it’s only on some roads where the bump stops do their job at soaking up the undulations.
Stick it into race and on a B road I doubt there’s anything in this class that can corner as quick.

nunpuncher

3,364 posts

124 months

Monday 12th August 2019
quotequote all
I drove a standard car spec'd with the cup chassis pack and a few other bits a few months back. I've never had a Renault sport car but have had loads of hot hatches and wanted something more focussed than the Cupra 290 it was replacing. I really liked how sharp and precise the 4ws made it feel, didn't find the suspension jiggly or uncompromising, in fact, I was amazed at how well it masked potholes that would have come smashing through the cabin in the Cupra.

The killer for me was the pedal position and in particular the clutch pedal travel and feel. The clutch was stupidly high compared to the other pedals and the dash constantly got in my way.

cidered77

1,614 posts

196 months

Monday 12th August 2019
quotequote all
Jon_S_Rally said:
Drive one yourself. I wouldn't put too much stock in the words of motoring writers. The narrative is often as important as the objectiveness of the review. Far better to make up your own mind.
Well, yes, clearly. Only car I've ever bought without a drive before was ironically enough my old R26 Megane bought new - still the car i've owned longest, and probably enjoyed most. And yes agree re narratives, but still - it's a *very* common theme over every review. I don't need a Citroen C6 ride (did own one of those too - another story), but I commute on crap roads so need to know it won't be so annoying to make me regret a still considerable investment.

CraigV6 said:
I bash the CTR because I have the ability to see and people keep posting pictures of the awful looking thing.
I always consider myself beyond just looks and image - and focus on the car. The "it's a Renault" chat re the 70k Trophy-R (for literally *one* car in that spec) was beyond tedious, for example.

Except when it comes to that Honda. Because everyone has limits that thing goes way beyond mine.

CraigV6 said:
I moved from a fully loaded 275 Cup-S (including Ohlins), which I had for three years to a 300 Trophy.
Day to day the Trophy trumps the 275 in most departments.

Two let downs in the 300 - sometimes finding 3rd gear can be a PITA and steering feel. However, neither detract and in all other departments as a daily it’s an improvement.

Sometimes I do also feel the 300 is a touch too soft, but it’s only on some roads where the bump stops do their job at soaking up the undulations.
Stick it into race and on a B road I doubt there’s anything in this class that can corner as quick.
Thanks - really useful. Did you ever drive the R26? If that's my benchmark, the day to day low speed town ride is absolutely acceptable. With the Ohlins, i figure i'd set them soft and then have the best of both worlds for the maybe 1-2 track days per year or welsh mountain driving trips. As well as a considerable savings vs. the new one. Any other detail on what you gained/missed with the swap...?


cidered77

1,614 posts

196 months

Monday 12th August 2019
quotequote all
nunpuncher said:
I drove a standard car spec'd with the cup chassis pack and a few other bits a few months back. I've never had a Renault sport car but have had loads of hot hatches and wanted something more focussed than the Cupra 290 it was replacing. I really liked how sharp and precise the 4ws made it feel, didn't find the suspension jiggly or uncompromising, in fact, I was amazed at how well it masked potholes that would have come smashing through the cabin in the Cupra.

The killer for me was the pedal position and in particular the clutch pedal travel and feel. The clutch was stupidly high compared to the other pedals and the dash constantly got in my way.
I do think this car suits an automatic better, and think there may be something in the article - perhaps this this powertrain had the majority of its development with the auto, with manual a mostly UK-market afterthought. Am currently in a mk2 MX5 as a temporary daily after i drove for one for a weekend was blown away with how much fun they are - a car i can genuinely enjoy on a short 15 min commute with mostly crap town roads. The gearshift is as close to perfect as i can imagine - so i'm for a manual if that is the benchmark, but i see nothing wrong with a decent auto box and paddles. the world moves on, etc.

The racecar has a Hewland sequential box, and there are a couple of corners (Donny - McCleans; Silverstone - Club) where i don't quite have enough ratios for avoid a change mid corner, and i would absolutely love to have paddles instead. Doesn't mean i'm any less involved, just means i'm not trying to hold onto a 1.8G corner with one hand!

Matt Bird

1,450 posts

204 months

PH Reportery Lad

Tuesday 13th August 2019
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Gandahar said:
Nice review Matt, again.

The gearbox is one of those damned if you do or damned if you don't things, it seems to be damned manual or non manual. Renault need to sort this out, or perhaps Porsche and Ferrari having a ste load of money to spend on their uber gearboxes means the journos feel let down when it comes to something costing rather less?

PH need to get the cheapest version of the new Nurburgring champion from Renault sport as a long term test. none of those carbon wheels etc
You could make that argument, but when a Civic Type R manual is as good as it is then it becomes difficult to make... Yep, we need to try a Trophy R and a DCT car of any description - will get it sorted soon!

Matt Bird

1,450 posts

204 months

PH Reportery Lad

Tuesday 13th August 2019
quotequote all
CraigV6 said:
I moved from a fully loaded 275 Cup-S (including Ohlins), which I had for three years to a 300 Trophy.
Day to day the Trophy trumps the 275 in most departments.

Two let downs in the 300 - sometimes finding 3rd gear can be a PITA and steering feel. However, neither detract and in all other departments as a daily it’s an improvement.

Sometimes I do also feel the 300 is a touch too soft, but it’s only on some roads where the bump stops do their job at soaking up the undulations.
Stick it into race and on a B road I doubt there’s anything in this class that can corner as quick.
Interesting to know, thanks for the insight! We'll hope to get hold of a Mk3 and do something similar soon.

greenarrow

3,551 posts

116 months

Tuesday 13th August 2019
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Reading through this thread and the comments made I wonder how many sales Renaultsport will lose to Hyundai with this car. Seems the i30N has nailed the brief better, being a good road car (with manual gearbox), but handy on track and fairly understated looks wise. I have yet to see a Mk4 Renaulsport Megane on the road......

nickfrog

20,871 posts

216 months

Tuesday 13th August 2019
quotequote all
greenarrow said:
Reading through this thread and the comments made I wonder how many sales Renaultsport will lose to Hyundai with this car. Seems the i30N has nailed the brief better, being a good road car (with manual gearbox), but handy on track and fairly understated looks wise. I have yet to see a Mk4 Renaulsport Megane on the road......
True, I haven't seen many, but then again I never saw many Mk3 or i30Ns for that matter. More choice and competition help keeping prices in check I guess.

Edited by nickfrog on Tuesday 13th August 10:53

Zarco

17,702 posts

208 months

Tuesday 13th August 2019
quotequote all
I've seen a couple of each FWIW smile

cidered77

1,614 posts

196 months

Tuesday 13th August 2019
quotequote all
nickfrog said:
greenarrow said:
Reading through this thread and the comments made I wonder how many sales Renaultsport will lose to Hyundai with this car. Seems the i30N has nailed the brief better, being a good road car (with manual gearbox), but handy on track and fairly understated looks wise. I have yet to see a Mk4 Renaulsport Megane on the road......
True, I haven't seen many, but then again I never saw many Mk3 or i30Ns for that matter. More choice and competition help keeping prices in check I guess.

Edited by nickfrog on Tuesday 13th August 10:53
Seen more Meganes than the i30Ns now i think of it - despite all the great press, doesn't feel like there are many on the road. Wonder if they're meeting sales expectations

I've driven an I30N - a mate's car, so couldn't really push it. Felt great though, and decent place to sit. Crackles on downshifts were a bit silly but each to their own ... overall just didn't feel special enough for me though. Just a very well sorted hatch.

Edited by cidered77 on Tuesday 13th August 14:31


Edited by cidered77 on Tuesday 13th August 14:33