It's no secret that we're big fans of Renault Sport's hot hatches on PH: they're great to drive, they're excellent value and they make for brilliant track and motorsport projects. While perhaps the focus has changed a bit in recent years, it's fair to say that the decade and a bit from the Clio 172 Cup (2002) to the Megane 275 Cup S of 2015 was a real purple patch for Renault Sport.
This week's pick from the Readers' Cars forum is a perfect exponent of what we're on about. PHer 'Blanchimont' - a great username, might we add, but also known as Jake - is now on this third Renault Sport Megane, the previous two having lasted less than a year. This particular one looks like staying, however, which must be good news.
A very rare (one of 18 in the UK) Extreme Blue RS250 Cup with just a few options, it didn't take long before Jake was prepping the Megane for track use. Over the past decade a wealth of parts and knowledge has built up around these cars, helped by the fact that the engine was carried over from the second-gen R.S., meaning that tweaking a Megane to exactly your tastes and requirements is very easily done.
Jake's work with the car looks brilliant. First tidied up cosmetically, then treated to an induction kit, uprated pads, lines and fluid, OZ Superleggera wheels, Cup 2 Michelins and BC Racing coilovers, the Megane now makes an ideal hot hatch for track and road alike. Apparently the car was "incredible" at its first track day, and a sprint at Curborough soon followed. Then it was time for a circuit event at Castle Combe, but we'll let Jake explain more about that one...
Despite looking pretty spot on as is, Jake does have future plans for the Megane, so it's well worth getting the thread bookmarked. And don't worry if it has you pondering your own Megane track project, either - it's the same for us!