RenaultSport Megane R26.R

Renaultsport are no strangers to extreme cars. In fact, of all the mainstream car manufacturers, they are the ones who have consistently churned out machines that excite and delight in equal measure. I’m talking real out there cars like the original R5 Turbo. Let’s face it, any car maker brave enough to stick an engine in the rear (middle) of a humble hatch back should be both applauded and encouraged. But that’s Renaultsport all over enthusiasts at heart. After the Clio V6 appeared, things seemed to go a bit, dare I say, sensible for a few years. But all that changed when the mighty Megane R26.R was unleashed on an unsuspecting world.

The hardcore, stripped out, track focused Megane was built with one thing in mind taking the FWD Production Car lap record of the Nürburgring. And that it duly did, with an (at the time) shockingly fast time of 8min 17sec. Setting a record is always a nice way to generate publicity and Renault received a huge amount of interest. But for me, the best part was that you could actually walk into your local dealer and order your very own Ring record-smashing track weapon complete with semi-slick rubber and roll cage all with a full warranty!

The R26.R may have sold slower than it deserved to, with rumours of cars being left unregistered at the time. But today, you need only look at the performance car classifieds to see these iconic cars commanding strong money. However, with the arrival of the new Megane 250, it looked as if Renault had given up on the dedicated track-car tip. It appeared there would be no hardcore version, which I must admit came as a big disappointment. But then in the spring of 2014, rumours began to spread about a new, hardcore Megane. First teaser images and a video of a car on the dyno were released, along with subtle hints about the intentions of the project #Under8. Hmm, could they be planning another all-out assault on the Ring?

“THE EXTRA SECONDS FOUND ON THE LAP ARE LARGELY DOWN TO UPGRADES TO THE CHASSIS AND GENERAL WEIGHT LOSS”

The question was answered on 15 May 2014 when Renault announced they’d broken, no smashed, the FWD Production Car lap record with a time of 7min 34.36sec. Outstanding stuff. But what was even more exciting, was the fact that the car would be available to buy! That car was the Trophy-R.

The Trophy-R was designed to attack the Nordschleife, so it is dripping with the very best performance upgrades available. The first job was to get the weight down. As we all know, the lighter a car is, the more keenly it’ll accelerate, turn corners and stop. So Renaultsport engineers put it on an extreme fat-loss diet, managing to remove almost 100kg from the car. To do this, the interior had the sound deadening removed, together with the rear seat, and trim. As with the previous R26.R, Renaultsport wanted to prove that the car could achieve great things without a huge increase in power. But in this case, the engine has been tweaked to give more torque at peak power of 5,500rpm. With an extra 10Nm available, peak power increased slightly to 275bhp. This means it’s able to stay on the boil through turns, with more shove when it’s needed most. Although the extra power helps, the extra seconds found on the lap are largely down to upgrades to the chassis and general weight loss. One of the highlights is the awesome sounding Akrapovic titanium exhaust system, which also saves 4kg. But there’s a lot more to the Trophy-R than the sum of its parts. It’s the way everything works together that makes it such an effective track tool.

The suspension is also very specialised. Ohlins make some of the finest dampers in the world and the fully adjustable Road and Track units are outstanding. They boast Dual Flow Valve technology, which adjusts the bump and rebound according to conditions, to keep the tyre on the ground in almost all circumstances. They can also be adjusted in car, with 20 positions at the front and 30 at the rear. The compression of the composite front springs can also be adjusted. It creates a suspension set up that is able to tackle anything the Nordschleife can throw at it, yet also be adjusted for compliancy on
normal roads. On a demanding, 13-mile lap of the Ring, strong, fade-free brakes are essential. So Renault fitted some larger 350mm discs with lighter alloy bells. The extra surface area aids dissipation of heat, allowing the pads to bite hard every time.

At the time of writing there wasn’t a Trophy-R available to drive, so I spoke with another motoring journalist who has been lucky enough to get behind the wheel.

“WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN AND SEE ALL THE HIGH END PARTS USED, IT ALL MAKES SENSE”

“The standard Trophy is a fantastic handling car as it is, so I was concerned that the R wouldn’t live up to the hype. After all, could it be that much better? The answer is, emphatically, yes! Everything about the R, from its purposeful looks, to the sound of that titanium exhaust tells you that it’s something special. But as with all special edition cars, looks and spec sheets can only ever give half the story. There’s only one way to really judge and that’s to drive it. Settling down into the R’s deep bucket seats, you feel like you’re in a race car.

I thought front end grip was good in the stock 275 Trophy, but the R is in another league. The semi-slick Pilot Sport Cup 2s have obscene amounts of grip, and when combined with the Ohlins coilovers and mechanical differential, the front of this car just bites hard and pulls you around turns. I found myself carrying more and more speed into turns, and every time the car just took it all, no drama, no fuss and got us round without even a sniff of understeer. I was trying to recall what it reminded me of, and after going home for a nice cup of tea it hit me the R26.R!”

One thing to get clear about this Megane is that it’s a lot more than an expensive special edition. Sure, there’s no getting away from the fact that with all the options ticked, almost £40k is a lot of money, but when you break it down and see all the high-end parts used, it all makes sense. And don’t forget that anyone lucky enough to buy one of these uber Meganes will find themselves in a very exclusive club of just 30 cars in the UK. Of course, most of us won’t be able to own one of these future classics, but that doesn’t mean we can’t create our own! Many of the parts fitted to the R are available as options on the regular Megane 275 Trophy, so in effect you could end up with a car that’s very close to it. One thing’s for sure, with Honda already dropping hints that the new turbocharged Civic Type R will be aiming to take the Ring record off Renault, there’s a very good chance that future Meganes will also receive the hardcore R treatment. And that’s something every Renaultsport fan should get excited about.

Engine
1998cc four-cyl turbo, Akrapovic titanium exhaust with carbon tailpipe trim, recalibrated ECU to give extra 10Nm torque, lithium-ion battery.
Transmission
6-speed manual, mechanical LSD.
Brakes
350mm front discs (optional)
Suspension
Ohlins Road and Track in-car adjustable dampers with Allevard composite front springs, PerfoHub double axis front suspension.
Wheels & Tyres
19 in Speedline Turini alloys in red with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres.
Interior
Recaro Pole Position fixedback composite buckets seats with Alcantara/leather trim, Alcantara steering wheel, gear and handbrake gaiters, Sabelt 6-point harnesses, rear seats and sound deadening removed, rear strut brace, cargo net, wheel covers.
Exterior
Painted in metallic Arctic White (optional), rear wiper delete, Trophy-R graphics
Performance options
‘Nürburgring’ Pack  lightweight lithium battery, 350mm brakes, Sabelt harnesses, wheel covers £1995

Power: 275bhp
Torque: 266lb/ft
0-62mph: 5.8sec
Top speed: 158mph
Weight: 1297kg
Price: From £36,430