RE: Renault Sport Megane 300 Trophy | PH Fleet

RE: Renault Sport Megane 300 Trophy | PH Fleet

Saturday 26th October 2019

Renault Sport Megane 300 Trophy | PH Fleet

Better in a group test than expected, worse on a track day than hoped



The past few weeks have been nothing if not busy for the PH Megane Trophy. It's now through 8,000 miles, which is some achievement given how seldom it's used for commuting and - truth be told - how little I've been in it recently. Given how divisive this Megane is proving, and how I'm warming to KUB over time, a second (and third, and fourth) opinion is surely going to prove no bad thing.

But we'll deal with those next time. Because this month has finally been the one in which the Trophy got out on track, as part of our Oulton Park Saturday Service. It's been something I've been desperate to do with the car ever since arrival, because if there's one place you would expect a car with 'Renault Sport' and 'Trophy' badges on it to be great, it's a circuit. Even at the launch of the regular of the 280, an element of track prowess was clear to see, one that should only be built on further with the Trophy, so a dry, warm Oulton Park was the ideal place to find out for myself.

By and large, the Megane was really, really good. I think we forget that a level of track ability is pretty much demanded of fairly ordinary performance cars nowadays, where not that long ago even genuine exotica would have struggled with a few hot laps. And the Megane certainly did not disgrace itself; however, and quite crucially, it never felt inspirational, either.


Let's deal with the good, first. Even on a pretty senior track like Oulton, it always felt quick, nudging 110mph before braking for Lodge and reaching even higher speeds than that on the run out of Cascades. While typically unnoticed, I think the engine deserves some recognition for its performance and response, especially given the capacity deficit to the rest of the sector. Using the gearbox in a more committed fashion makes it feel less awkward, too.

Speaking of awkward, the four-wheel steer - especially in Race mode, with the rear wheels going the other way to the fronts up to 62mph - really helped it to scoot through the slower bends; the car felt nimble and neutral, and able to make use of its strong traction almost immediately after turning in. It made more sense there than in any road situation, I'd say.

Furthermore, in the faster corners - Old Hall, Cascades, Druids - the Trophy felt secure and confidence inspiring; where older Meganes traded on flighty agility, which was great once you got the hang of it, this one feels more immediately accessible, the chassis super composed without falling into safety understeer.


It was proving entertaining company. The problem was the fun simply didn't last long enough. The brake pedal went long and grumbly sooner than expected, the front Potenzas lost bite sooner than expected, the whole car felt to have lost that Renault Sport resilience and stamina... well, sooner than expected. I reckon a tyre change (the Trophy-R uses a different compound of Potenza, for example) and upgraded fluid would work wonders, but that sort of modifying shouldn't have to be done on a Megane Trophy that's £35k. There's clearly potential in there, potential that's certainly realised in the Trophy-R, but I didn't come away from the track experience any more enamoured with the car than before.

Despite a less than glowing track outing, though, the Megane redeemed itself in an impressive group test showing. It's easy when using a car regularly to lose sight of what it does well, and there's nothing better for showing that off (or exposing any problems) than a comparison with rivals. So while it couldn't match the Focus's incredible performance in wet weather, the Megane countered by just being so exciting in the right moment. That it looked and sounded the best of the group meant the Megane justified its second place. Renault best hope the i30 N doesn't improve much with its facelift, though, because it was close.

Finally, that i30 N provided an interesting lesson in how to better offer dynamic configurability. Because, while it does have a tonne of settings, there's a tangible difference between them and they're easily set into an 'N' favourite mode. The Renault's 'Perso' setting is not only fiddlier, but has a baffling array of parameters: the driver can choose to set Dynamic driving system, Powertrain, Throttle pedal and Exhaust sound just for starters. Which kind of all sound like much the same thing. Don't forget, either, that this is a car without any adjustability in the suspension, usually exactly when these modes come into their own. I'll stick with Sport for road and Race for track - the latter next time hopefully with some better tyres...


FACT SHEET
Car:
2019 Renault Sport Megane 300 Trophy
Run by: Matt
On fleet since: June 2019
Mileage: 8,220
List price new: £31,835 (price as standard; as tested £36,085 comprised of Liquid Yellow paint for £1,300, Bose Pack (Bose sound system with seven speakers, digital amp and sub, plus 8.7-inch touchscreen with R-Link 2), for £800, Front parking sensors and rear parking camera for £400, Visio system (Lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition and auto high beam) for £250 and Recaro Sports Pack (Renault Sport Recaro seats with red stitching and Alcantara) for £1,500)
Last month at a glance: Nearly tremendous on track, nearly group test glory

Previous reports:

Another Trophy triumph?
Brilliant, baffling, bemusing - what next?
The beauty is more than skin deep. Mostly








Author
Discussion

nickfrog

Original Poster:

20,873 posts

216 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
They need AD08Rs, RBF600 and a slightly more aggressive pad like a PFC Z rated. All very cheap mods and to be expected as the road consumables are aimed at... road use, much like the Mk3.

The only issue with the Trophy, unlike the 280 Cup, is that you can't specify 18 wheels which restricts tyre choice.

Glad to hear it's so good on track and that the 4ws works there too, it's a brilliant addition at that price point despite the added weight.

Turbojuice

598 posts

88 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
Really appreciate your write-ups on the car Matt. Good to see on an everyday basis the car is starting to click with you. However i've got to say this comment baffles me:

Matt said:
The brake pedal went long and grumbly sooner than expected, the front Potenzas lost bite sooner than expected, the whole car felt to have lost that Renault Sport resilience and stamina... well, sooner than expected... I reckon a tyre change and upgraded fluid would work wonders, but that sort of modifying shouldn't have to be done on a Megane Trophy that's £35k.
Not sure what you expected to be honest? It's a road car, first and foremost, so it has hard wearing tyres and everyday brake pads and fluid to make it easy to live with on a day to day basis. It's no different to any other renaultsport that has preceded it. If you want to track it often it's pretty standard, as the previous comment said, to get decent tyres, brake pads and brake fluid and then you can blast around a track all day. Not just renaultsports, this is the same for many high end sports cars and in fact those would probably fare much worse than the RS crop.

Itsallicanafford

2,759 posts

158 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
As a standard 275 Cup-s owner, i find it baffling that the Mk4 should not be able to pound around the track lap after lap without the brakes fading.

I was at Donnington on Wednesday this week and the car fine on its brakes (standard discs, Pagid racing pads). Doing sets of 7-8 laps at a time and not a hint of pedal going long...

the Tyre choice are of course not the car's fault but the Mk3 felt secure on a set of new PS4's with little degradation after 2x7 lap sessions. A switch to a well worn set of 888's and everything went up a level (apart from punting it off on the first bend when they were stone cold). The car really comes alive with a bit of a stiffer sidewall and the rear end becomes very mobile.

The real limiting factor was the fuel it was drinking, it averages 9 Mpg on track...





Butter Face

30,192 posts

159 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
You had the display in the wrong mode, that's your issue there hehe

Mike1990

962 posts

130 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
Like the picture with the 275 Trophy.

I think the current 300 Trophy could have done with some decals like the previous one.

nickfrog

Original Poster:

20,873 posts

216 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
Itsallicanafford said:
As a standard 275 Cup-s owner, i find it baffling that the Mk4 should not be able to pound around the track lap after lap without the brakes fading.

I was at Donnington on Wednesday this week and the car fine on its brakes (standard discs, Pagid racing pads). Doing sets of 7-8 laps at a time and not a hint of pedal going long...
(...)
The real limiting factor was the fuel it was drinking, it averages 9 Mpg on track...
I don't think there will be any difference in braking endurance between Mk3 and Mk4. The system is the same and the modest weight increase is offset by the modest disc diameter increase. You have upgraded your pads which is probably why can do longer stints.
9mpg is not too bad actually, I got worse wink

Itsallicanafford

2,759 posts

158 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
nickfrog said:
Itsallicanafford said:
As a standard 275 Cup-s owner, i find it baffling that the Mk4 should not be able to pound around the track lap after lap without the brakes fading.

I was at Donnington on Wednesday this week and the car fine on its brakes (standard discs, Pagid racing pads). Doing sets of 7-8 laps at a time and not a hint of pedal going long...
(...)
The real limiting factor was the fuel it was drinking, it averages 9 Mpg on track...
I don't think there will be any difference in braking endurance between Mk3 and Mk4. The system is the same and the modest weight increase is offset by the modest disc diameter increase. You have upgraded your pads which is probably why can do longer stints.
9mpg is not too bad actually, I got worse wink
Ha! Must try harder! The fuel it uses on track is pretty comical...



nickfrog

Original Poster:

20,873 posts

216 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
Yes it's pretty shocking but we're doing OK. I understand that a GTR can't do more than 2 hot laps at the Ring on a tank as it will run out of fuel in the 3rd lap.

CedricN

819 posts

144 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
ive tried a standrd 265 megane on track, and those front tyres had a pretty hard time after a couple of laps. Almost every modern car need a more suitable pad and tyre to work well on track.

Gandahar

9,600 posts

127 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
"Super composed"

It's not an american car, should either be "very composed" or " tres composed" wink


Throttlebody

2,348 posts

53 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
Renault missed the opportunity to make the 300 Trophy a bit special as a driver and distance it from the regular 280 Cup.

Unfortunately just dropping an extra 20 bhp in doesn’t really do the Trophy badge justice imho.

MummyDust

68 posts

55 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
That’s a really pretty car, I love the front fog lights. I wouldn’t be concerned about the criticisms. As others have said, there are few cars that wouldn’t suffer from the same issues on track straight out of the box.

TameRacingDriver

18,048 posts

271 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
Itsallicanafford said:
Ha! Must try harder! The fuel it uses on track is pretty comical...
That makes the 16 MPG I used to get out of my FN2 on the lanes seem pretty economical really smile

CraigV6

348 posts

130 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
Throttlebody said:
Renault missed the opportunity to make the 300 Trophy a bit special as a driver and distance it from the regular 280 Cup.

Unfortunately just dropping an extra 20 bhp in doesn’t really do the Trophy badge justice imho.
Go for the Trophy R then?

Brian Fallon

40 posts

70 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
An interesting car but I'd choose the current Civic Type R instead. The handling is supposedly better, it's more powerful and the look is more distinctive. OK, the Honda's look divides opinion but the Renault is a plain Jane.

Butter Face

30,192 posts

159 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
Brian Fallon said:
. OK, the Honda's look divides opinion but the Renault is a plain Jane.
In the 'flesh' it's really not. It's low, wide and looks 'right'

I also love the CTR for it's out-there looks so both do different things.

Butter Face

30,192 posts

159 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
TameRacingDriver said:
Itsallicanafford said:
Ha! Must try harder! The fuel it uses on track is pretty comical...
That makes the 16 MPG I used to get out of my FN2 on the lanes seem pretty economical really smile
Pah! My EP3 averages 19mpg hehe

Drekly

749 posts

57 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
Butter Face said:
In the 'flesh' it's really not. It's low, wide and looks 'right'

I also love the CTR for it's out-there looks so both do different things.
As an ex-owner of a yellow 275 it has taken me a while to warm to the new Megane but now I love them and agree they look great in the flesh, the pumped up arches, stance and front end. It makes the Golf look like a pram/white goods in comparison, and yet is less OTT than the Civic.
I had a quick poke around one in Volcano Orange and it would have to be either that or Liquid Yellow again.

The latest Evo actually had the 280 (non-Cup Chassis I think?) pipping the 300 Trophy as a road car, which is food for thought considering it is cheaper.
My old 275 was pretty firm, but was great straight out of the box on track, so do wonder how the new cars compare.
I'm never buying a new Renault again though. Give it a couple of years.

culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Friday 25th October 2019
quotequote all
Throttlebody said:
Renault missed the opportunity to make the 300 Trophy a bit special as a driver and distance it from the regular 280 Cup.

Unfortunately just dropping an extra 20 bhp in doesn’t really do the Trophy badge justice imho.
Apparently, the standard 280, Cup or Sport chassis, now gets the same updated turbocharger from this Trophy version. Obviously, It doesn’t get the extra power hike and the other bits and bobs, but it should make it more responsive.

I’ll be honest, the main thing I’d appreciate on the Trophy would be the exhaust. The standard 280 sounds really good anyway but the 300 sounds even better. Honestly though, the 280 is more than up to the job for road and track work. I’d probably just save the cash.

Jon_S_Rally

3,385 posts

87 months

Monday 28th October 2019
quotequote all
I'm not sure the comment on tyres and brakes is entirely fair. My 172 Cup needed a brake fluid upgrade for track use. My friend's 197 has had a fluid and pad upgrade and most people i know that have Meganes also end up making upgrades. You will find the limit of the fluid, pads and tyres of most road cars if you use them hard on track, so I'm not sure the comments are entirely fair.

I must say, I'd really love to see Renault launch a Megane without the RWS, or maybe make it an option for those who are looking for a more hardcore version without the budget for the Trophy-R. A "track pack" option for this Trophy with the Trophy-R suspension settings and 18" wheels would be awesome.

Throttlebody said:
Renault missed the opportunity to make the 300 Trophy a bit special as a driver and distance it from the regular 280 Cup.

Unfortunately just dropping an extra 20 bhp in doesn’t really do the Trophy badge justice imho.
It's a good job that they didn't just drop in an extra 20bhp then...