Renault has long been one of leaders in the world of high-performance, front-wheel drive hatches and the new Megane R.S. Trophy-R is its latest, fastest, and most expensive offering ever.
Top Gear Magazine recently gathered together some of the planets most remarkable performance cars for its annual Car of the Year shoot and this short video showcases the Megane R.S. Trophy-R in all its glory. In the UK, it is priced from £72,000 ($88,480) which is only a few thousand less than a Porsche Cayman GT4 (£75,348). Surely it can’t be worth that much?
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Powering the car is a turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that is also used by the Alpine A110. This powertrain delivers an impressive 296 hp just like the ‘standard’ Trophy model. What makes the Trophy-R really stand out from its counterparts is the fact that it is a significant 130 kg (286 lbs) lighter than the Trophy with much of this weight saving coming from the carbon fiber wheels. That’s not all as the hot hatch also produces more than double the downforce of the Trophy. There’s even carbon ceramic brakes.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the Trophy-R’s design is the presence of a massive NACA duct on the hood. Rather than sending air into the engine bay, this duct actually sends air down the firewall and across the vehicle’s underbody to ensure the carbon fiber diffuser is as effective as possible. Renault has also fitted adjustable Ohlins dampers which were inevitably quite expensive and play some role in the car’s astronomical price tag.