Renault Megane R.S. Trophy- The First Stage Of Performance Upgrades

The Renault Megane R.S. model needs no introduction. While we await the local introduction of the all-new hot hatchback in the form of the R.S. 280, Renault has released information on the factory performance upgrades that will come on the next car to bear the R.S. Trophy name.

Instantly recognizable will be its new exterior colour of Liquid Yellow. The front bumper will also adorn a TROPHY stripe on the front blade that has taken inspiration from front wings of Formula One racers.

The 19-inch wheels are now in the ‘Jerez’ design that features a diamond-cut finish with red highlights. Renault says the design was inspired by the Renault Sport R.S. 01 concept car and the name was where the racer made its first public outing.

Renault is already planning ahead for an even higher performance threshold next year, as they will offer customers the option to the set of lighter ‘Fuji’ wheels, claimed to be 2 kilograms lighter (a piece) than the ‘Jerez’ wheels.

The tyres wrapping the lighter wheels will also change- the ‘Jerez’ wheels are paired with Bridgestone Potenza S001 tyres, while the lighter ‘Fuji’ wheels are paired with specifically developed Potenza S007 tyres in 245/35R19 size.     

More power has been extracted out of the all-new 1.8-litre turbocharged engine. Thanks to a new turbocharger that uses a ceramic ball bearing system in its turbine, the engine now develops 300 hp, up from 280 hp. Maximum torque values vary with the two 6-speed transmission choices- the twin-clutch transmission system (EDC) will have access to 420 Nm, while the three-pedal manual transmission is ‘limited’ to 400 Nm of torque. 

When fitted with the EDC transmission, the additional engine firepower will accelerate the Megane R.S. Trophy from rest to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, an improvement of 0.1 seconds versus the R.S. 280.

The rear silencer is also fitted with a mechanical valve that operates according to the selected drive mode. More noise when driven hard, quieter and low-drone when on the highway.

No changes have been made to the chassis setup, as the Megane R.S. Trophy will be equipped with the ‘Cup chassis’ package as standard. The ‘Cup chassis’ is serious handling and braking stuff, as it includes a Torsen mechanical limited slip differential (LSD) together with much harder shock absorbers, coil springs, and anti-roll bars. 

The base suspension hardware continues with the ‘4Control’ rear-wheel steering that improves agility and stability.

Meanwhile, the brakes differ from a standard R.S. 280 with the inclusion of a special bi-material aluminium/cast iron brake disc that not only delivers greater heat dissipation but also reduces unsprung mass by 1.8 kilograms per wheel. The Brembo brake calipers are also painted in red as opposed to silver.

The Megane R.S. Trophy also allows buyers to include a pair of Recaro front seats wrapped in Alcantara, that are up to 20 mm lower than the Renault-designed seats.

Could our local Renault dealer, TC Euro Cars, introduce this Trophy version here in Malaysia and skip the ‘regular’ R.S. 280 to better compete with the likes of the Golf R and Civic Type R? Let’s hope so!