With the unveiling of the new generation Megane RS last year, Renault was expected to reclaim the Nurburgring crown for FWD production cars from the Honda Civic Type R.
Fast forward to the present day and we have an even more track-focused version of the hot hatch, the Renault Megane RS Trophy.
But the French automaker still hasn’t provided enthusiasts with a timed lap of the Nurburgring. And this brings us to the following video, and the inevitable question: could it be that Renaultsport is finally getting ready for an official run? If so, then the target to beat is 7:43.8, a time set by the Honda Civic Type R in April 2017.
Also Watch: Honda Civic Type R vs Hyundai i30N vs Renault Megane RS Cup: Place Your Bets
At a first glance, the new Renault Megane RS Trophy has the credentials to do it, with its turbo’d 1.8-liter four-pot rated at 300 PS (296 hp / 221 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of peak torque. That’s 20 PS (20 hp / 15 kW) shy of the Civic Type R’s 2.0-liter VTEC unit, but the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint time is identical in both rides: 5.7 seconds.
Based on the Cup chassis version of the car, the Renault Megane RS Trophy benefits from a few technical upgrades compared to the non-Trophy models, such as the stiffer suspension. A Torsen limited-slip differential and 4Control four-wheel steering are also part of the package.