Renault has lifted the wraps off its most powerful production iteration of the Mégane so far. With 195 kW on board, the Mégane RS Trophy will top the company’s RS line-up in the performance stakes while a production run of just 500 units should ensure a degree of exclusivity.
Renault’s engineers have made a number of revisions to the turbocharged 2,0-litre petrol engine currently doing service in the Mégane RS and Cup variants. The maximum turbo pressure has been raised by 0,2 bar to 1,5 bar while the intake design has also been modified to feed the blower and keep the temperature in check.
The result is a hike in power from 184 kW to 195 kW with torque raised from 340 N.m to 360 N.m – the maximum power is on offer from a particularly wide rev-band, between 3 000 to 5 000 r/min. These increases shave 0,1 seconds from the RS Cup’s 0-100 km/h time (from 6,1 to 6,0 seconds) and stretches the top speed out from 250 km/h to 254 km/h.
Even with these performance increases, Renault claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 8,2 litres/100 km while CO2 emissions stand at 190 g/km.
The Trophy is underpinned by Renault’s Cup chassis and limited-slip differential and also features Formula 1-inspired Bridgestone Potenza RE050 tyres with an asymmetric, directional tread pattern that Renault claims will offer enhanced levels of both grip and acoustic refinement.
Visually, the Mégane RS Trophy features a black roof, model-specific decals, a new rear lip spoiler, 19-inch Gloss Black STEEV wheels with red piping and RS valve caps and numbered plaque. This model will also see LED daytime running lights fitted as standard. The pictured model sports a new Sirius Yellow finish that reflects the liveries associated with the company’s track-going models. Buyers can, however, also specify their cars in Glacier White, Etoilé Black or Cassiopée Grey.
The stand-put interior features include Recaro bucket seats and a central display which shows the data provided by the RS Monitor – a data-logging system records performance and displays a range of mechanical parameters in real-time.
The Mégane RS Trophy will be on show at the Renault Sport Day, which forms part of the Renault Sport Enthusiasts Day programme at the Nürburgring, Germany, on June 17, 2011. Order books for this model open to the European markets on June 20 – Renault South Africa has placed a request for the Mégane RS Trophy to be included in our local line-up. Here’s hoping…