RenaultSport Megane R26 R.
Discussion
TheAngryDog said:
I do like these. I don't mind French cars having owned a few and my wife also having owned a 1.2 Twingo and now an RS133 Twingo. I do wish I had your enthusiasm for cleaning cars.
This does look like a fun Sunday afternoon blaster. Looks good in the grey and the red wheels compliment it.
The best colour combo IMO! This does look like a fun Sunday afternoon blaster. Looks good in the grey and the red wheels compliment it.
I can’t help the car cleaning thing, I’m OCD!!
If French cars have one thing it’s character and this thing has bags of it! Perfect for a Sunday afternoon blast but equally for a road trip! The sixth gear makes it an excellent cruiser and the suspension is surprising supple! The buckets do make for a numb bum after a while though!
Regards, Danny.
Carlos24 said:
I absolutely love these, I knew a guy who got one brand new when they came out and every time I see another I head off to the classifieds to look for one. I think personally I would prefer the optional titanium exhaust that these came with but I can see the benefit in a remap. Excellent work!
Titanium exhaust is something this particular car wasn’t optioned with! The previous owner did away with the OE stainless in favour of this K-TEC replacement. It does always with the mid silencer and you just have a drain pipe diameter down pipe and a lightweight rear silencer. IMO the stainless sounds better than the titanium, I have a friend with a titanium piped 26.R which back to back sounds totally different! Personal preference although the titanium specced cars do command a premium upon sale!
Regards, Danny
TheAngryDog said:
Yeah it wears it well. A sixth year would be a dream for the wife's Twingo. Driving the 195 miles to Hull every so often with its high revs thanks to a short ratio 5 speed box gets tiresome. But as you say, it has character. Would be interesting to know how they compared. I know the Megane will be quicker, but does it still feel like a go kart.
I can’t compare to a Twingo necessarily as I have never owned one but I’ll offer you a comparison with one of its blood relations.. The shopping trolley feel of the Clio Trophy I had previously has gone!
The larger footprint and wider tyres contribute to a much more grown up feeling than the smaller variant.
The Clio felt uneasy and high speed and happy to cock a leg at the back on the tight twistes! Despite the very similar fundamentals of the two the Meagné is much more planted, stable and ultimately inspires much more confidence! The better brakes help this recipe. Despite both possessing an F4R engine the small turbo and lack of VVT drastically changes the power delivery and you find yourself using the torque more than the power 80% of the time with the Meg.
The differential is perhaps the single most difference between the smaller models; dragging you round each bend precisely and offering a crisp mechanical feel while doing so!
So, no it doesn’t particularly have that (perhaps badly worded by the press) ‘go kart feel’ but feels much more polished.
Danny.
While this thread is fresh in my head, it’s worth noting that the other week I finally got to meet a fellow R26.R owner, whom I’d been in touch with since before I took delivery of my own!
For a while I’d bombarded him with obscure questions and little details which only an owner could know! This made the experience of buying much less hassle and took the guess work out of the picture.
Owners are a much better source of information than the dealers I think we can all agree..!
We met at the Specialist cars of Malton ‘Big Breakfast meet’! The cars attracted a fair amount of interest especially as a pair! We were both tired of people prodding the windows by the end of the morning however..!
The blue Megané came better specced than my own out of the factory, coming with climate and titanium exhausts. This offered a great sound comparison between the two; which comes down to personal preference more than anything. So without further blabbering; here are the piccys!
Danny.
For a while I’d bombarded him with obscure questions and little details which only an owner could know! This made the experience of buying much less hassle and took the guess work out of the picture.
Owners are a much better source of information than the dealers I think we can all agree..!
We met at the Specialist cars of Malton ‘Big Breakfast meet’! The cars attracted a fair amount of interest especially as a pair! We were both tired of people prodding the windows by the end of the morning however..!
The blue Megané came better specced than my own out of the factory, coming with climate and titanium exhausts. This offered a great sound comparison between the two; which comes down to personal preference more than anything. So without further blabbering; here are the piccys!
Danny.
Since my last post, exploits have been minimal. Thanks to winter followed by the worldwide pandemic has rather limited the use of the semi slick tyre'd Renault! It has however given me time to reflect on a car which I'm not totally sold on yet..
One thing that people may talk about is the so called impracticalities which fail to make this a true hot hatch, however I would argue differently. If for instance it lacked a roof, or say a windscreen then perhaps but the fact is this is a safe, quiet, comfortable (thanks to the softer spring rates of the R) Renault. Isn't that what a hot hatch is all about! The pure fact is you can easily forget that this is a car fitted from factory with perspex windows, carbon fibre bonnet and semi slick tyres. Renault have done a nice job of fit and finish and while none of the materials in the cabin are world class (spare the seat shells) there are no extra rattles or vibration and everything is covered in bespoke carpet.
A few things haven't greatly impressed me on this last hurrah track special however..
For a start the optional cage. It's viewed as a bit of a must have amongst buyers and enthusiasts alike. Apart from the bar connecting the suspension turrets which adds a little torsional rigidity, the cage is unfortunately a fake, offering little more use than visual novelty and perhaps a handy place to mount your Go Pro on a track day. I can't imagine, if you found yourself upside down, that the roll cage would offer anything that the strong monocoque wouldn't.. I'd rather just have the functional strut bar if I was to chose between the two.
The mounting of the harnesses which are mounted into the rear belt anchors also displeases me slightly. We know the risks involving badly mounted harnesses and the risk of spinal compression if the angle of the shoulder belts are too aggressive. I haven't measured this but I'm pretty sure the sit at more than a 45 Degree angle; recommended by the FIA. In no way dangerous; but perhaps the utilization of existing mounting points is a sign of budgetary constraints. After all, despite it being a French FWD equivalent; this isn't a Porsche GT3.. Which sets me up to point out that it quite disappointingly lacks rip snorting vocals. Sure the distinct woosh is fun (although slightly different sounding to what you may expect as it lacks the titanium exhaust option) but I yearn for the crisp vocals as the VVT comes in and more air is drawn in through the filter of my Clio Cup. I really feel the car would have more soul if it were a more lovable lump. Deleting the VVT and adding a noise robbing turbo to the once rev hungry F4R really changes the whole dynamic of the engine. The F4R T.. well the name says it all really. Obviously this a more of a complaint on the base product rather than the R specifically and I am hoping that a beefy induction kit will give me the extra noise I'm seeking.
That said there is a lot to like about this car. A lot. The brakes are adequate and the pedal feel nice and positive
Also less forgettable is the amazing Sabelt seats and harness which never fail to impress; it's quite spectacular just how a different seating position can change the whole dynamic of your driving experience. The differential and the way it lunges you into the bends with such confidence and vigor. This is where the R26.R comes into it's own and you really feel the shed weight and softer spring rates work in harmony with that mystical diff. The tyres have grip for days too, which you'll need as this car can carry it's speed at an alarming rate. The wider track really makes the Megane feel like a much more grown up and well rounded experience over the Clio's I've had. Perhaps that's the Meganes problem, it does everything you ask of it perfectly, no dramas at all. Sometimes a bit of drama is fun!
Taking it in the snow was an experience. Not an intentional one either, but what can one expect on a quick dash up to Northumberland in February! The conditions varied from bright sunshine to lashing rain to snow, and I was only there a day.. Driving some good roads; I was able to carry some speed although standing water is something that should be exercised with caution as the Toyo's compound and tread really don't suit stone cold wet roads. Aquaplaning could have been an big issue due to the sheer drops at either side of the road and I found myself searching for standing water above anything else while the glaringly low winter sun was doing it's best to make that really difficult.
Then came the snow, which in places (such as the one I stopped at in the pictures) the road was clear and in others it had drifted across the road.. Scary stuff! Overall a memorable trip and once again staggered how comfortable it is on a motorway in sixth ratio.
A great trip we had was camping in the Lake District, naturally I took the Megane. With lots of luggage space and plenty of roads for it to attack I felt it was the only option! The weather was unusually hot with temperatures regularly in the mid 20's; very odd indeed. The whole trip the car never missed a beat. I did notice how much wider the Megane was when attacking some of the roads I could navigate with ease in the Clio Trophy. The remote reservoir dampers seemed to cope better with the roads than the more track focused Megane but nevertheless I was able to tackle them at some speed..
On arriving home I realised the Megane had sprung a coolant leak; I suspect it had only just started as it wasn't splattered around the engine bay as one would expect. The culprit was a bad previous repair and it seemed someone had positioned a jubilee clip head against the new radiator they fitted causing it to rub through! The warranty company were predictably non compliant (would never buy again) so I ended up fronting the cost! A minor issue but annoying nevertheless.
I hope this gives you a good insight into ownership as should the pictures!
Regards, Danny.
One thing that people may talk about is the so called impracticalities which fail to make this a true hot hatch, however I would argue differently. If for instance it lacked a roof, or say a windscreen then perhaps but the fact is this is a safe, quiet, comfortable (thanks to the softer spring rates of the R) Renault. Isn't that what a hot hatch is all about! The pure fact is you can easily forget that this is a car fitted from factory with perspex windows, carbon fibre bonnet and semi slick tyres. Renault have done a nice job of fit and finish and while none of the materials in the cabin are world class (spare the seat shells) there are no extra rattles or vibration and everything is covered in bespoke carpet.
A few things haven't greatly impressed me on this last hurrah track special however..
For a start the optional cage. It's viewed as a bit of a must have amongst buyers and enthusiasts alike. Apart from the bar connecting the suspension turrets which adds a little torsional rigidity, the cage is unfortunately a fake, offering little more use than visual novelty and perhaps a handy place to mount your Go Pro on a track day. I can't imagine, if you found yourself upside down, that the roll cage would offer anything that the strong monocoque wouldn't.. I'd rather just have the functional strut bar if I was to chose between the two.
The mounting of the harnesses which are mounted into the rear belt anchors also displeases me slightly. We know the risks involving badly mounted harnesses and the risk of spinal compression if the angle of the shoulder belts are too aggressive. I haven't measured this but I'm pretty sure the sit at more than a 45 Degree angle; recommended by the FIA. In no way dangerous; but perhaps the utilization of existing mounting points is a sign of budgetary constraints. After all, despite it being a French FWD equivalent; this isn't a Porsche GT3.. Which sets me up to point out that it quite disappointingly lacks rip snorting vocals. Sure the distinct woosh is fun (although slightly different sounding to what you may expect as it lacks the titanium exhaust option) but I yearn for the crisp vocals as the VVT comes in and more air is drawn in through the filter of my Clio Cup. I really feel the car would have more soul if it were a more lovable lump. Deleting the VVT and adding a noise robbing turbo to the once rev hungry F4R really changes the whole dynamic of the engine. The F4R T.. well the name says it all really. Obviously this a more of a complaint on the base product rather than the R specifically and I am hoping that a beefy induction kit will give me the extra noise I'm seeking.
That said there is a lot to like about this car. A lot. The brakes are adequate and the pedal feel nice and positive
Also less forgettable is the amazing Sabelt seats and harness which never fail to impress; it's quite spectacular just how a different seating position can change the whole dynamic of your driving experience. The differential and the way it lunges you into the bends with such confidence and vigor. This is where the R26.R comes into it's own and you really feel the shed weight and softer spring rates work in harmony with that mystical diff. The tyres have grip for days too, which you'll need as this car can carry it's speed at an alarming rate. The wider track really makes the Megane feel like a much more grown up and well rounded experience over the Clio's I've had. Perhaps that's the Meganes problem, it does everything you ask of it perfectly, no dramas at all. Sometimes a bit of drama is fun!
Taking it in the snow was an experience. Not an intentional one either, but what can one expect on a quick dash up to Northumberland in February! The conditions varied from bright sunshine to lashing rain to snow, and I was only there a day.. Driving some good roads; I was able to carry some speed although standing water is something that should be exercised with caution as the Toyo's compound and tread really don't suit stone cold wet roads. Aquaplaning could have been an big issue due to the sheer drops at either side of the road and I found myself searching for standing water above anything else while the glaringly low winter sun was doing it's best to make that really difficult.
Then came the snow, which in places (such as the one I stopped at in the pictures) the road was clear and in others it had drifted across the road.. Scary stuff! Overall a memorable trip and once again staggered how comfortable it is on a motorway in sixth ratio.
A great trip we had was camping in the Lake District, naturally I took the Megane. With lots of luggage space and plenty of roads for it to attack I felt it was the only option! The weather was unusually hot with temperatures regularly in the mid 20's; very odd indeed. The whole trip the car never missed a beat. I did notice how much wider the Megane was when attacking some of the roads I could navigate with ease in the Clio Trophy. The remote reservoir dampers seemed to cope better with the roads than the more track focused Megane but nevertheless I was able to tackle them at some speed..
On arriving home I realised the Megane had sprung a coolant leak; I suspect it had only just started as it wasn't splattered around the engine bay as one would expect. The culprit was a bad previous repair and it seemed someone had positioned a jubilee clip head against the new radiator they fitted causing it to rub through! The warranty company were predictably non compliant (would never buy again) so I ended up fronting the cost! A minor issue but annoying nevertheless.
I hope this gives you a good insight into ownership as should the pictures!
Regards, Danny.
Edited by Willo26 on Monday 4th May 21:39
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff