Seat didn’t get to enjoy the lap record for front-wheel drive production cars set in March by the Leon Cupra 280 on the Nürburgring Nordschleife for long, as Renault has reclaimed the title with the new Mégane RS 275 Trophy-R.

You may notice that there’s an extra “R” in the name of car compared to the special edition model released last month. That’s because this model is a more radical interpretation that doesn’t have rear seats and will be produced in just 250 units available in 15 countries.

The Renault Mégane RS 275 Trophy-R lapped the Nürburgring in 7m54.36s, 4 seconds quicker than the Seat Leon Cupra 280. It helped that the car is almost 100 kg (220 lbs) lighter than the Mégane RS 275 Trophy and comes as standard with the Cup chassis (complete with limited-slip differential), the 2.0-liter petrol engine boosted to 275hp, a titanium Akrapovic exhaust system, ‘Öhlins Road&Track’ one-way adjustable dampers with composite springs and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres specifically-adapted to the car.

While there are no rear seats, the driver and front passenger sit on Recaro Pole Position polycarbonate monocoque seats, which help save 42 kg (92.6 lbs) of the car’s weight. The seats are fitted with a three-point seat belt, while a six-point harness with aviation-style buckle is available as an option.

Renault Sport’s weight-saving obsession goes beyond ditching the rear seats and adding light front seats: the lithium-ion battery shaves another 16 kg (35 lbs) of the car’s weight, while the special braking kit with 350/28-diameter steel and aluminum discs bring the car’s weight down by a further 3 kg (6.6 lbs).

Styling-wise, the Mégane RS 275 Trophy-R features a new two-tone color scheme, with an Etoilé Black roof mated with an optional Pearlescent White finish. The Trophy-R branded F1-type front blade, chequered flag graphic at the bottom of the doors and graphics on the side of the car are all in Vif Red, while the 19-inch Speedline alloy wheels are offered in black or red.

Order books for the Renault Mégane R.S. 275 Trophy-R will open soon in France. Scroll down to watch the full onboard lap.

By Dan Mihalascu

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