The secret of the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy R is not directly related to the considerable engine power of 300 bhp. The improvement Renault Sport has been able to make, compared to the already existing Trophy, is found mainly in the meticulous reduction of the car's weight.
It can easily be regarded as a a tradition that the most extreme versions of the Renault Mégane R.S. will continue to set new records over and over again on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife as the fastest front wheel-drive car. This started in 2008 with the Mégane II R.S. R26R when Vincent Bayle set the time at 8:17"54. Three years later, the Mégane III R.S. 265 Trophy was launched, which allowed Laurent Hurgon to reduce the time by about ten seconds. In 2014 the Mégane III R.S. 275 Trophy-R became the first front wheel drive car to record under 8 minutes (7:54"36) and that record was broken by this new Mégane IV R.S. Trophy-R last year (7:40"10), as well as topping the table at Spa and Suzuka.
The new Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R is the superlative version over which Renault Sport has waved its magic wand.
The magic formula is weight reduction and the team has managed to do just that as no less than 130 kg has disappeared, so the whole car now weighs 1,306 kg. Down to the smallest details, things have been left out such as the rear seat and the parcel shelf plus the fitting of thinner windows. The car doesn't have the large 8.7 inch screen on the centre console but instead, the 7 inch version which saves 250 grams. After opening the front doors, the eye is drawn to two Sabelt race seats which weigh 7 kg less than the the normal R.S. seats. The rear doors can be opened, but the windows are fixed which saves two electric motors and their controls. When opening the tailgate, the absence of a wiper is noticeable and on the boot floor is a plastic plate with a large R which attracts one’s attention. A Sabelt divider net is hung on a red crossbar to separate the luggage from the interior.
The most beautiful work of art is the bonnet which is made entirely of carbon composite with three air vents and it only weighs half the weight of a traditional bonnet. This car is mounted on red 19 inch wheels that come standard with the Mégane Trophy-R but as an option you can choose carbon fibre wheels that weigh 2 kg less each. Another option is a special battery which saves up to 4.5 kg.
The carbon fibre diffuser under the rear bumper is also lightweight and not only has an advantageous effect on the weight but also on optimal air guidance. A titanium exhaust produced by specialist Akrapovic comes as standard on the car and sounds light and impressive.
Of course, Renault Sport has paid a lot of attention to the suspension tuning as this is where the extra fun has to come from and this version doesn't have a 4Control as that saves 38 kg in weight. However, adjustable Öhlins shock absorbers are fitted and specialists have given the car more negative camber at the front. The red calipers are of course from Brembo which squeeze the normal brake discs but carbon-ceramic discs are also available.
There are quite a few modifications but the 300 bhp 1.8 litre turbo engine remains untouched and it might seem a lot of effort for a modest result. In this specification, the car accelerates to 100 kph in 5.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 262 kph which is exactly 0.3 seconds less and 2 kph more. By the way, it is also important to mention that the Trophy-R is only available with a six-speed manual gearbox. The real gain is in the look and feel of the car as more than the Megane R.S. and R.S. Trophy, this top version gives the driver the feeling of being on a circuit right from the start of the engine. When you drive away, it briefly seems as if the tailgate isn’t closed but that's mainly the effect of the lack of a back seat.
The steering is very tight and the seats are mounted quite low but broader people will have some problems with their shoulders which are extra well supported and even pushed forward a bit. The Megane Trophy-R fits like a close fitting glove and at the same time the car doesn't look too spartan. At legal speeds the engine certainly doesn't produce too many decibels and can easily cover long distances. Over speed bumps the speed really doesn't have to be reduced to zero as the car has enough ground clearance plus the suspension tuning provides some ride smoothness.
When the accelerator pedal is floored, the Trophy-R comes into its own and when the road surface is slightly wet, the front wheels start frantically searching for grip. Every time it accelerates it is an experience that truly excites all the senses but that is the only legal fun that can be experienced in normal traffic. Buyers are advised to take their Trophy-R out on the track once in a while.
There are now 500 examples of this fastest Mégane ever built. Only a few are still available.