Monday 9th September 2013

Renault Megane updated for Frankfurt

With an R26.R successor, yes? Diesel Renaultsport again? 'Fraid not, just a regular facelift here

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Call this the calm before the storm. We've had the pre-show releases and excitement; now, with the Frankfurt press days about to begin, it seems every PR and hack is indeed on a plane. Ergo the steady stream of news has stopped and we're left to tell you about the facelifted Renault Megane.

It's standard mid life refresh stuff, with new headlights and bumpers clearly inspired by the latest Clio. The bold treatment doesn't seem to transfer to the larger car quite as successfully though.

Styling is the only change here; that's no bad thing

Renault claims the front-end change 'ensures greater unity between the front ends of the hatchback, sports tourer and coupe'. That's as may be, but with C-segment rivals such as the Seat Leon now available, perhaps Renault might have wanted to inject a dash more excitement into the looks.

For the GT Line and Renaultsport Meganes, the headlights get gloss black backgrounds. As you can tell, this is a very minor facelift, but with the Megane 265 still doing the business against its rivals, the Renaultsport was perhaps the Megane least in need of an overhaul.

More details will be unveiled once everyone is off the planes and Frankfurt actually begins. UK sales of the facelifted Megane are set to start in the first quarter of 2014.

[TrackTalentUK]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 09 September 2013 at 09:27

[framerateuk]

I can't say I'm overly fond of it!

Makes it look a bit like the new MGs.

Renaults usually prove to be growers though. I quite like the front of the new Clio in person, so maybe the same will apply to this.

[David87]

Was it not already facelifted not that long ago? There was definitely a styling change between the Renaultsport 250 and 265.

[framerateuk]

David87 said:

Was it not already facelifted not that long ago? There was definitely a styling change between the Renaultsport 250 and 265.

Not really.

They were identical from the outside except that the lights had a black surround on the interior (you'd have to look closely to spot that!) and the 265 had 6 LED's on the daytime running lights instead of 3. Interior wise they were again identical except the leather door inserts were replaced with faux carbon and the matt black plastics were replaced with gloss black. It was a very minor facelist at most!

250


265


(I struggled to find pics of the correct cars since they're so similar).

If you came across the two on the road, you'd be hard pushed to spot any differences.

Edited by framerateuk on Monday 9th September 10:44

[Technomatt]

Zzzzzzzzzzzz.

[RINGMEISTER]

Very much needed and quite successful

[LaurasOtherHalf]

am i the only one who doesn't understand the headline

are you saying that an R26.R successor is on the way?

[HTP99]

David87 said:

Was it not already facelifted not that long ago? There was definitely a styling change between the Renaultsport 250 and 265.

Yes it was, although very mildly, new front bumper treatment, DRL's added, slightly different headlamps, different alloys and different interior trim, this was early last year, from memory.

I should imagine there will be an all new Magane late next year and I would have thought that this facelift is to get people used to the new corporate nose on the Megane, it's already on the recently facelifted Scenic range, new Clio and ZOE.

[Krikkit]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

am i the only one who doesn't understand the headline

are you saying that an R26.R successor is on the way?

Look at it this way:

Renault: Renault Megane updated for Frankfurt
PH: With an R26.R successor, yes? Diesel Renaultsport again?
Renault: 'Fraid not, just a regular facelift here

[Technomatt]

And this years industry Front Badge Award goes to..........

Starting to border on the offensive. Clio trend setter:

[Inverted]

Krikkit said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

am i the only one who doesn't understand the headline

are you saying that an R26.R successor is on the way?

Look at it this way:

Renault: Renault Megane updated for Frankfurt
PH: With an R26.R successor, yes? Diesel Renaultsport again?
Renault: 'Fraid not, just a regular facelift here

Pleased I wasnt the only one confused. I was getting excited for a bit that there was another .R on the way. Then I re:read it and the disappointment hit.

[The Vambo]

Technomatt said:

And this years industry Front Badge Award goes to..........

Starting to border on the offensive. Clio trend setter:

[Triumph Man]

framerateuk said:

David87 said:

Was it not already facelifted not that long ago? There was definitely a styling change between the Renaultsport 250 and 265.

Not really.

They were identical from the outside except that the lights had a black surround on the interior (you'd have to look closely to spot that!) and the 265 had 6 LED's on the daytime running lights instead of 3. Interior wise they were again identical except the leather door inserts were replaced with faux carbon and the matt black plastics were replaced with gloss black. It was a very minor facelist at most!

250


265


(I struggled to find pics of the correct cars since they're so similar).

If you came across the two on the road, you'd be hard pushed to spot any differences.

Edited by framerateuk on Monday 9th September 10:44

Christ! Even I, who is normally very good at spotting subtle differences between facelifts, can't see a difference there.

[kambites]

Triumph Man said:

Christ! Even I, who is normally very good at spotting subtle differences between facelifts, can't see a difference there.

The DRLs are different. Can't see anything else.

[Hoygo]

Why do they have to fk everything up? The only hot hatch that looked great actually and they ruined it.

[HTP99]

The first facelift is much more noticable on the run of the mill models.

[Gixer_fan]

So how come there's a 3 door Megane and only the 5 door Clio .....

[soad]

Gixer_fan said:

So how come there's a 3 door Megane and only the 5 door Clio .....

A good question.

[HTP99]

soad said:

Gixer_fan said:

So how come there's a 3 door Megane and only the 5 door Clio .....

A good question.

Renault introduced the current three door Megane with a more Coupe' look due to the poularity of the previous shape astra, which looked like a Coupe' as opposed to a three door car.

The three door Clio only ever sold well here in the UK, in the rest of Europe it tended to sell as a 5dr only so the three door was dropped, I have heard that the cost savings of having a 5dr only pretty much paid for the Captur.

[Axionknight]

HTP99 said:

The three door Clio only ever sold well here in the UK, in the rest of Europe it tended to sell as a 5dr only so the three door was dropped, I have heard that the cost savings of having a 5dr only pretty much paid for the Captur.

Sounds like using one fugly car to bank roll another fugly car to me.