Meet Renault’s Agent Orange

By: CAR magazine

The Mégane Renault Sport is here. With 165 kW and 300 N.m on tap, the hot hatch is a fire-breathing version of the Régie’s acclaimed subcompact, but despite its promise of pyrotechnics, the hot hatch delivers its punch in a disarmingly serene fashion…

The Mégane Renault Sport is here. With 165 kW and 300 N.m on tap, the hot hatch t is a fire-breathing version of the Régie’s acclaimed subcompact. But despite its promise of pyrotechnics, the hot hatch delivers its punch in a disarmingly serene fashion…


Finished in a brilliant Bright Orange, the truncated Mégane Renault Sport arguably beats its five-door siblings in the looks department. Kitted out with 18-inch alloy wheels (fitted with 225/40 Continental SportContact2 tyres), a wide front airdam and protruding fog lamps at the front, deep rear spoiler and double centre exhaust pipes, the Mégane Renault Sport looks very racy!


The Renault’s turbocharged two-litre four cylinder develops its peak power at 5500 r/min and maximum torque at 3 000 r/min… Its free-revving engine’s power delivery is smooth, with no hint of turbo lag. The engineers made changes to the pistons, crankshaft and the twin-scroll turbocharger to extract the extra output.


The hot hatch brigade might be a little underwhelmed by the vocal-if-not-exuberant exhaust note, but given performance claims for the car (a zero to 100km/h time of 6,5 seconds and a top speed of 236km/h), some buyers may view the refinement as a bonus instead of an impediment.


In terms of handling, the Mégane Renault Sport has firmer damper and spring settings than its siblings and enhanced geometry on the front suspension. The end result is a car that is superbly damped and has sharper steering than previously seen on a Mégane. The steering still lacked a feedback to some extent, but without the ferocious torque steer found in other powerful front-wheel drive cars.


In addition, the car’s braking system consists of Brembo four-piston front callipers clamping 312 mm ventilated discs at the front, and single piston callipers and 300 mm solid discs at the rear.


Inside, the Renault Sport has leather seats with orange stitching and seat belts, a sporty three-spoke steering wheel, drilled aluminium pedals, and black “piano-finish” trim around the instruments and gear lever.


Automatic climate control, rain sensitive automatic windscreen wipers, an auto-dipping rearview mirror, one-touch electric windows, glovebox with cooling facility, front underfloor storage, front- and rear armrests with storage compartments, time delay courtesy lighting, automatic double-optic headlights, cruise control with speed limiter, heat reflective windscreen, headlight washer system and a multi-function trip computer with warning system and exterior temperature display are all standard.


Standard safety systems on the Mégane Renault Sport include: electronic brake distribution and brake assist, ESP, front airbags for driver and passenger, side bags for driver, front passenger and rear occupants and curtain bags deploying from the sides of the roof lining above both front and rear compartments.


Mégane Renault Sport costs R265 000, which includes an Advanced-Driving Skills course.

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