RE: Renaultsport Mégane R26.R

[Fetchez la vache]

Silver Pellet said:

TOENHEEL said:

for example i have just read an article where this car is being compared to a GT3 and exige for fks sake.

I would rather spend 10k less and have this http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/932627.htm

Welcome to Pistonheads Bullst Bingo!

Front wheel drive is crap: check

Mention of chavs: check

Criticising a car you've never driven: check

Illustrate poor VFM by comparing it to a used car: check

Rely on bar room 'knowledge' and stereotypes: HOUSE!!!

You forgot:
Forgetting 2nd hand cars are generally cheaper than new cars
&
Mentioning that an article dared to compare car X to car Y that I own, which by the mere fact that I own car Y must be better than car X

[Arun_D]

kambites said:

Arun_D said:

Of course, they could have gone much more extreme by taking additional avenues, but I'm sure they wanted to keep the assembly procedure largely the same and use the standard shell.

Does it start life as a standard shell then? I'd assumed it was fairly different to support a wider track.

Yep, Standard Megane shell and Meganesport arches.. Wider track is only facilitated by a slightly lower offset on the alloys.

[TOENHEEL]

Arun_D said:

kambites said:

On a less silly note, could Renault not have saved significant weight by removing the rear side windows (and, crucially, surrounding strengthening of the side panels) and replacing the whole side of the car with a single steel panel? Or would that have destroyed 3/4 visibility?

Of course, they could have gone much more extreme by taking additional avenues, but I'm sure they wanted to keep the assembly procedure largely the same and use the standard shell.

Its all about £, it would be financial madness for Renault to make this car on a different production line for example, they would need to charge an absolute fortune for it to make any sort of profit..

[TOENHEEL]

Fetchez la vache said:

Silver Pellet said:

TOENHEEL said:

for example i have just read an article where this car is being compared to a GT3 and exige for fks sake.

I would rather spend 10k less and have this http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/932627.htm

Welcome to Pistonheads Bullst Bingo!

Front wheel drive is crap: check

Mention of chavs: check

Criticising a car you've never driven: check

Illustrate poor VFM by comparing it to a used car: check

Rely on bar room 'knowledge' and stereotypes: HOUSE!!!

You forgot:
Forgetting 2nd hand cars are generally cheaper than new cars
&
Mentioning that an article dared to compare car X to car Y that I own, which by the mere fact that I own car Y must be better than car X

The Mini wasnt far off the price of this Renault new.. My car has nothing to do with this..its a different type of car all together. The renault weighs 1230kg still to heavy..

Edited by TOENHEEL on Wednesday 15th April 10:25

Edited by TOENHEEL on Wednesday 15th April 10:26

[Fetchez la vache]

TOENHEEL said:

Arun_D said:

kambites said:

On a less silly note, could Renault not have saved significant weight by removing the rear side windows (and, crucially, surrounding strengthening of the side panels) and replacing the whole side of the car with a single steel panel? Or would that have destroyed 3/4 visibility?

Of course, they could have gone much more extreme by taking additional avenues, but I'm sure they wanted to keep the assembly procedure largely the same and use the standard shell.

Its all about £, it would be financial madness for Renault to make this car on a different production line for example, they would need to charge an absolute fortune for it to make any sort of profit..

It would also reduce the "marketting clout" of the car. Toenheel is right to a certain extent about the car being a marketting tool, but in the same way that other halo models are. A fast model at the top of the tree creates more sales lower down the poverty spec models as some 1.9tdi drivers think they're driving a sporty model in their eyes. Therefore if Renault had created a new shell, deviating from the standard Megane look, then the halo / marketting effect wold be lessened. All manufactureres do it, though arguably this and the mini GP do it with the loss of 2 / 3 seats

[Vagabond]

TOENHEEL said:

This is why i claim the car to be a "marketing tool" to some degree because they have skipped areas where they could of made the car even lighter such as the wheels and ditching the air con altogether, i cant see the carbon bonnet making that much difference maybe a carbon roof to lower the centre of gravity..

I just feel like theres only so much you can do with a FWD hatchback and trying to make it into a sports car isnt one, the only plus side from all of this is at least Renault are trying to save weight instead of other manufacturers cars getting heavier and heavier, they just need to build the cars a bit better and improve the customer service. After 3 years though this car will still be just another Megane and im 100% sure the residuals will show this.

I agree, they are trying to turn this into something it's not, and what it is trying to be already exists in a purer and better form, ie proper 2 seater RWD sports cars.

Hot hatches are popular due to their "do it all" ability (as in transport passenegers, give some degree of driving enjoyment, load lugging, and so on), Elises and similar two seater sports cars are popular for their totally stripped out, real driving experience, trying to mesh the two to this degree seems uneccessary when better examples of each already exist.

and Id prefer my passenger has an airbag rather than aircon.

Edited by Vagabond on Wednesday 15th April 10:37

[Arun_D]

In the spirit of just being picky, the passenger's head would hardly nudge the airbag given the seat position and the harnesses.

[Jgtv]

I do love this site.

Its FWD Burn the Witch!!!!

If anyone can name me a RWD car that can lap the ring in that time that has a fixed roof, comes in a similar money and can still take stuff in the boot I would appreciate it.


Its a pretty special car, there is no denying it. Its not my cup of tea but hats of to the Frenchies for trying it. Its impractical its looks "interesting" in my opinion but with a full paint job and no stickers you could get away with it...Just.

Cracking car and of course its been used as a marketing tool, if it had no press no one would buy it, Its funny no one exactly complains about the amount of Hype the RS is getting, the column inches the M series or AMG's get. IF you dont like it dont buy it and laugh at those that do.

I sir doth my cap at you you have bought something massivly diffrent for no other reason than you liked it.

[Silver Pellet]

TOENHEEL said:

The Mini wasnt far off the price of this Renault new.. My car has nothing to do with this..its a different type of car all together. The renault weighs 1230kg still to heavy..

The Megane weighs a mere 110kg more than the Mini.

Given that it's a whole class larger (family hatch vs supermini), I don't think the R26.R suffers an unacceptable weight penalty against a Cooper Works GP.

If you want to compare eggs broadly with eggs, a Clio R27 weighs exactly the same as the Mini. Take the back seats out of it and it would be lighter.

[mattbvw]

kambites said:

Arun_D said:

Of course, they could have gone much more extreme by taking additional avenues, but I'm sure they wanted to keep the assembly procedure largely the same and use the standard shell.

Does it start life as a standard shell then? I'd assumed it was fairly different to support a wider track.

Yes, same shell. The suspension has been upgraded and tuned for the lower weight though but the track remains the same.

[hairykrishna]

1200kg is pretty damn lardy for a stripped out track focussed car. Stinkin' modern cars.

My trusty old Renault 5 turbo was under 700kg when I stripped it. That was a proper hot hatch...

[Arun_D]

mattbvw said:

kambites said:

Arun_D said:

Of course, they could have gone much more extreme by taking additional avenues, but I'm sure they wanted to keep the assembly procedure largely the same and use the standard shell.

Does it start life as a standard shell then? I'd assumed it was fairly different to support a wider track.

Yes, same shell. The suspension has been upgraded and tuned for the lower weight though but the track remains the same.

Wheels have a 4mm lower offset, but that's about it.

[TOENHEEL]

Silver Pellet said:

TOENHEEL said:

The Mini wasnt far off the price of this Renault new.. My car has nothing to do with this..its a different type of car all together. The renault weighs 1230kg still to heavy..

The Megane weighs a mere 110kg more than the Mini.

Given that it's a whole class larger (family hatch vs supermini), I don't think the R26.R suffers an unacceptable weight penalty against a Cooper Works GP.

If you want to compare eggs broadly with eggs, a Clio R27 weighs exactly the same as the Mini. Take the back seats out of it and it would be lighter.

Yes but its a Renault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its more than just the weight, the Mini will still be around in a few years and be in good nick, Renaults always seem like disposable cars you get the 3 years and warranty out the way then they start to get problems. Anyone whos spent more than 5 minutes working on one will tell you how ste they are screwed together. We had a couple of Renaults and they all went the same way, warranty up and then lot of problems.

Edited by TOENHEEL on Wednesday 15th April 13:56

[Jgtv]

TOENHEEL said:

Yes but its a Renault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Says the man with a Beetle

[TOENHEEL]

Jgtv said:

TOENHEEL said:

Yes but its a Renault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Says the man with a Beetle

Never had a problem with it, cracking little car for what its used for.

[Arun_D]

TOENHEEL said:

Jgtv said:

TOENHEEL said:

Yes but its a Renault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Says the man with a Beetle

Never had a problem with it, cracking little car for what its used for.

Aye, I can say exactly the same with my car, and the last French effort I bought.

I care not that it's French, or a Renault. From my limited experience It' certainly no better or worse than any other car i've owned. I hate putting cars in badged boxes and judge them on how their past counterparts have fared. If I like the car, then that's all I need.

Edited by Arun_D on Wednesday 15th April 14:10

[TOENHEEL]

Arun_D said:

TOENHEEL said:

Jgtv said:

TOENHEEL said:

Yes but its a Renault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Says the man with a Beetle

Never had a problem with it, cracking little car for what its used for.

Aye, exactly the same with my car, and the last French effort I bought. I care not that it's French, or a Renault. I hate putting cars in badged boxes and judge them on how their counterparts haev fared. If I like the car, then that's all I need.

I agree its your car not mine if your happy then happy days just stating that all the renaults we have owned werent built very well and were unreliable. Its not me jumping on the bandwagon or anyone else its just something you expect with a Renault. My mate sold his cooper s for a R26 F1 and hes gutted, cars lost a fortune and hates the build quality, he really wishes he could turn back time and buy a JCW cooper S instead to replace his standard cooper s. I dont see what the Beetle has to do with it, its used as a work horse to go shopping etc and as a general taxi for the family just what a hatchbacks for!!

[ewenm]

TOENHEEL said:

Arun_D said:

TOENHEEL said:

Jgtv said:

TOENHEEL said:

Yes but its a Renault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Says the man with a Beetle

Never had a problem with it, cracking little car for what its used for.

Aye, exactly the same with my car, and the last French effort I bought. I care not that it's French, or a Renault. I hate putting cars in badged boxes and judge them on how their counterparts haev fared. If I like the car, then that's all I need.

I agree its your car not mine if your happy then happy days just stating that all the renaults we have owned werent built very well and were unreliable. Its not me jumping on the bandwagon or anyone else its just something you expect with a Renault. My mate sold his cooper s for a R26 F1 and hes gutted, cars lost a fortune and hates the build quality, he really wishes he could turn back time and buy a JCW cooper S instead to replace his standard cooper s. I dont see what the Beetle has to do with it, its used as a work horse to go shopping etc and as a general taxi for the family just what a hatchbacks for!!

Just to provide the opposite view, I'd never touch another MINI again - the build quality on my girlfriend's example was terrible and it was back at the dealer practically every month. You get lemons from every manufacturer.

[TOENHEEL]

ewenm said:

TOENHEEL said:

Arun_D said:

TOENHEEL said:

Jgtv said:

TOENHEEL said:

Yes but its a Renault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Says the man with a Beetle

Never had a problem with it, cracking little car for what its used for.

Aye, exactly the same with my car, and the last French effort I bought. I care not that it's French, or a Renault. I hate putting cars in badged boxes and judge them on how their counterparts haev fared. If I like the car, then that's all I need.

I agree its your car not mine if your happy then happy days just stating that all the renaults we have owned werent built very well and were unreliable. Its not me jumping on the bandwagon or anyone else its just something you expect with a Renault. My mate sold his cooper s for a R26 F1 and hes gutted, cars lost a fortune and hates the build quality, he really wishes he could turn back time and buy a JCW cooper S instead to replace his standard cooper s. I dont see what the Beetle has to do with it, its used as a work horse to go shopping etc and as a general taxi for the family just what a hatchbacks for!!

Just to provide the opposite view, I'd never touch another MINI again - the build quality on my girlfriend's example was terrible and it was back at the dealer practically every month. You get lemons from every manufacturer.

Thats true, my friend bought a mini that rattled a hell of a lot where as my car was spot on. Just seems Renault make more lemons than peaches.. :-)

[Ecurie Ecosse]

FL07AAV said:

zebra said:

FL07AAV said:

zebra said:

In a front wheel drive car, how does backing off the throttle give you tail end drift?

Zebra

It's called lift-off oversteer.

....and the alleged speed for this....

Alleged???? What do you mean?

Edited by FL07AAV on Tuesday 14th April 17:07

Here's a good vid of Chris Harris demonstrating the technique for lift off oversteer in a Clio 197:

http://www.drivers-republic.com/dr_tv/index.cfm?vi...

And here is one of Martin Rowe demonstrating FWD driving techniques:

http://www.drivers-republic.com/dr_tv/index.cfm?vi...

Finally, and just because it's a great video, Chris Harris again demonstrating power oversteer in an e39 M5:

http://www.drivers-republic.com/dr_tv/index.cfm?vi...