Very sexy, very sporty Megane

The Megane RS Cup... very quick, very nippy, very nice.

Specially developed for serious fun en drooling street cred these new Renaults are sexy enough to replace teenage boys' centrefold wall posters and even the more risqué topless beauties who decorate the insides of metal lockers in the changing rooms of motor industry workers.

Moreover, I am willing to bet that it won't take long for race track pictures of a yellow Megane RS Cup, sporting menacing black alloys, to pop up as screen-savers on the laptops of many a young designer-stubble metro-male.

In fact, even a high-mileage petrol-head like me is considering replacing my Audi R8 5.2 Quattro screensaver with a montage of the new little French scorchers which I drove during the recent Knysna Hill Climb.

Fun through the turns

And Renault could not have chosen a better venue to introduce their range of hot new head-turners to the South African motoring media as well as the thousands of spectators who flocked to the historic event which attracted some of the finest hot wheels in the country.

I had the opportunity to drive the new RS cars on lovely stretches of fast and quiet roads and mountain passes (the exact location which is probably best kept secret) as well as during a special media run at the actual Hill Climb meeting.

What most fellow motorists will see of the Megane RS Cup.

Moreover, as much fun as the long straight public roads and mountain passes provided, the ultimate thrill was to slip on a helmet and race against the clock on the special high-speed, twisty run up at the Simola Hotel and Country Club Hill Climb course.

To say that the new range of sporty RS Renaults are impressive and fun to drive would be the under-statement of the year. I could happily spend the rest of my life whizzing around in one of the new RS Megane Cup beauties, especially one of the far from subtle, bright yellow jobs with racing black matt alloys.

It is oh so easy to get all frothy about the new Renaults, so I will try to keep it down to starter portion size descriptions, rather than serve up the entire seven course meal and a different wine with each course.

Besides, my introductory aperitif should be more than enough to get your taste buds and hormones jumping...

Just my Cup of tea

So let's start off with the heart and soul of my personal pick of the RS crop, the Megane RS Sport and the RS CUP, with a peep under the bonnet, the working space of a 2,0l turbocharged powerplant which is an extensively jazzed-up version of the previous Mégane F1 Team R26 16-valve engine.

Thanks to a new twin-scroll turbo-charger this chunk of high-tech metal now blasts out 184kW and 340Nm, much of which is on tap from as low down as about 2000rpm.

For my timed run up the hill I bolted off at 3000rpm, quick changed to second at about 5500rpm to the tune of squealing tyre rubber and had the full benefit of so much power that I actually had to tap off slightly by the time the first corner came up.

The engine's lightning quick response has much to do with clever fuel injection mapping and continuously variable valve timing, and the throttle responses are lightning fast.

The body-hugging Recaro racing seat ensures you go where the car goes - useful in a tight turn.

What adds to the fun is a quick-flick, precision shift, six-speed manual box with taller ratios than the standard Megane which gives the engine and rev counter maximum exercise.

In top performance mode the Megane RS will squirt from zero to 100km/h in about six seconds, do the stand to 1km run in just over 25 seconds and touch 250km/h before the electronic nanny pulls the plug on the fun.

When you drive this sort of car, fun struts through the front door of your brain and conscience waves good-bye although you can exercise a little conscience massaging by driving like a Sunday school teacher to bring fuel consumption down to about 8,4l/100km while gently burping out only about 195g/km. But really, this is not easily achieved in cars designed mainly for naughtiness.

The bark is as good as its bite

Although the RS models have what Renault calls Power Start ("a system designed to optimise standing start performance") rapid take off without screaming rubber is still virtually impossible.

And besides that, idling away from a start will deprive the driver of the goose-flesh exhaust bark that adds so much fun to the drive.

To match the street cred of the RS (besides the fact that it was developed by Renault Sport Technologies, the brand's respected performance division), is its sleek, head-turning, crouching coupé looks.

Broad-shouldered wheel arches, sporty 18-inch alloys (19-inchers on the even racier CUP model), gaping air intake, black front bumper, slit-eyed daytime running lights, central bazooka exhaust tailpipe, diffuser and lip spoiler all shout 'don't mess with me".

Strap your self into the body-hugging Recaro racing seat and you are immediately in a high-octane environment: sinister dark carbon trim, yellow-backed rev counter, stitched leather steering wheel, drilled metal pedals, stubby gear lever, and lots of Renault Sport badges on the door sills, headrests, rev counter and dashboard.

The quick-flick, precision shift coupled to a six-speed manual box with taller ratios add to the fun.

click to enlarge

With plenty of power underfoot, race-car looks and vroom-vroom exhaust tones it goes without saying that the souped up Megane clings to the road like a wet T-shirt to a swimsuit model.

Much thanks for this goes to high-tech suspension and chassis tweaks, too technical to talk about in detail here. Suffice to say that the road-friendly RS and its race track-loving CUP sibling make even ordinary drivers look and feel good.

Rigid, direct, free of torque-wrestle, well-balanced... The RS deserves all the cling compliments you can throw its way.

By Cup runneth over

Which brings us to an important point and that is that the Megane RS offers a choice of two chassis configurations - the normal Sport version and a stepped-up CUP specification for true sports car enthusiasts and race track days.

The Sport chassis delivers a driveable balance between sports performance and everyday driving comfort while the CUP is much more hardcore with its limited-slip differential, anti-roll stiffness which is increased by 13% at the front and 7% at the rear. The dampers are specific to the CUP too, and overall anti-roll stiffness is upped by 15% over the Sport chassis.

Further bolstering the car's competition-type performance is a limited slip differential to provide optimum traction at all times. The combination of the LSD and the independent steering axis front suspension minimises torque steer, while enabling the driver to profit fully from the extra traction and greater stability under braking.

The RS from the front... don't mess with it.

And whereas the Sport version rides on 18-inch wheels and 235/40 R18 tyres, the CUP is armed with stunning 19-inch Speedline flow-formed rims wrapped in 235/35 R19 rubber.

Braking performance is similarly exceptional on both models, courtesy of four-pot Brembo callipers combined with 340 mm ventilated discs in front - the largest available in the hot hatch segment.

The rear brakes are 290mm discs and the CUP's discs are grooved and the callipers painted blood red.

The electric power steering system on both models has also been considerably sharpened to deliver quicker, more precise feedback.

This is a nice bit of kit...

An important new feature is a Sport Dynamic Management three-mode ESP system, which allows the driver to choose the degree of electronic aid required in different situations, in three stages - the default 'On' mode, 'Sport' for less intrusive ESP action, and 'Off' for ultimate "up to you mate" driver control.

Track fans are also going to love the new Renault Sport Monitor, a super bit of kit fitted as standard to CUP version. This can be set to display a basket of data, such as power, torque and turbo pressure, transverse and longitudinal acceleration and it even has a stopwatch with a lap timer and the ability to record performance data such as 0-100km/h, 400m and 1km standing start times.

Sleek, crouching coupé looks are bound to turn heads.

The RS Monitor also enables the driver to modify the accelerator pedal mapping. A choice of five settings is available with the 'Sport' mode selected: "linear", "normal", "snow", "sport" and balls to the wall "extreme".

However, although the car is essentially born for vroom-vroom, it does have lots of bragging kit as standard, including a TomTom navigation system, a flashy Arkamys 3D Sound audio system which is MP3-compatible and also provides Bluetooth audio streaming and cellphone integration.

(There are differences in standard kit between the "normal" Megane RS and the CUP, so do compare before you order!).

Lots of good news, some bad news

However, both models have climate control, LED daytime running lights, as well as the Renault Keyless Card and there are also a number of optional, (and costly!) additional styling, trim and functional choices.

The RS seat... spot the difference...

Unfortunately, like the annual Budget presented to Parliament, there is good news and bad news about this highly desirable twosome.

The good news is that both models are unusually well priced at R349 900 for the Mégane RS Sport and R399 900 for the Mégane RS CUP and that these prices include a five-year/100 000km service plan and a five-year/150 000km warranty.

But now it is time to haul out the hankies, hit a hole in the door with your fist or throw the TV through the lounge window because the first consignment of both models are sold out.

Renault SA is optimistic that they will get further allocations in the not too distant future so I would seriously suggest that you get your tail down to the nearest Renault dealer and put your name on the waiting list.

The RS living quarters. Say no more.

click to enlarge

And though I am vehemently opposed to paying any form of bribe I would happily place a case of my finest red wine on any Renault dealer principal's desk in exchange for a promise that one of the new consignment CUP models will have my name on it. Preferably a bright yellow one with black matt alloys.

Footnote: Renault SA have also introduced a new Clio RS 20th Special Edition, a pretty new Megane Coupé Cabriolet and a Twingo RS Gordini, the latter in striking traditional blue with double white racing stripes, but more about those new models at a later stage.

Megane RS specifications.

Doing the Nürburgring with a Renault Mégane RS 2010

2010 Renault Megane RS

Fifth Gear Web TV - Megane Renaultsport 250 Cup