Renault has announced the special edition Megane Coupe-Cabriolet Floride, a model that was inspired by the classic 1960’s version. Just like that model the new Floride edition will be offered in France only with classic Floride Ivory livery, while for the rest of Europe the company will also offer a red exterior paint.
The Floride Ivory paint is combined with a high-gloss, piano black panoramic roof and standard-equipment 17-inch Sari aluminium alloy diamond-effect wheels also finished in ivory. The car’s name casted in a chromed 3D font typical of the era is also visible on the lower bodyside just ahead of the rear wheel arches.
The beauty of the exterior is combined with the elegance of the interior. The car gets seats fully upholstered in red leather, with the side bolsters picked out in ivory, the steering wheel is wrapped in two-tone red/ivory leather, while the dashboard is finished in red with an ivory trim strip.
Renault unveiled the third generation Megane in 2008 and, although experiencing some great sales, is now up for a little refreshing. Renault isn’t planning anything big, but the Megane will receive just enough changes to keep the vehicle current and relevant in the market. The first prototypes for this refresher - a five-door hatchback and the Gran Tour - were recently caught doing some hot weather testing in Southern Europe.
Despite the heavy camouflage, the facelift Megane can be seen with a bigger lift that will incorporate the new Renault family look, a slightly modified bumper, and new graphics on the rear lights. These will more than likely be the only changes the hatchback will see. The engine lineup will stay the same, meaning customers can choose between the usual petrol and diesel engines. That being said, rumors are suggesting that the Megane will also be getting a new 1.5 liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with an output of about 110 HP.
Renault’s resident hot hatch, the Megane RS 250, has been the subject of numerous special edition models in the past. Now you can add one more. The French automaker has officially released details of the latest limited run Megane RS 250, the Monaco Grand Prix Limited Edition.
Each model comes with plenty of aesthetic upgrades, justifying its label as a true special edition model. The Pearlescent White paint finish strikingly complements the piano black trim on the car’s side mirrors, rear diffuser, and fog-lamp surrounds. The special edition model also features a panoramic roof, bi-xenon directional headlights, and a set of 19" alloy wheels with matching Brembro brakes and red calipers.
Inside, the additional styling cues include a black-and-white leather trim with white accents on the center console, dash-strip, and door handles. Finally, both the sports seats and floor mats received a special stitching bearing the name ’Monaco GP’.
Despite the extensive work done on the car’s exterior and interior, Renault left the powertrain unchanged, which means that you’ll still be receiving the same R26-sourced 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with an output of 250 horsepower and 251 lb/ft of torque.
Only 50 models will be made of the Renault Megane RS 250 Monaco Grand Prix Limited Edition, so if you’re interested, you might want to grab a piece before the well dries completely.
It’s only been a short time since the Renault Megane RS 265 Trophy’s official launch and it has already added a very impressive achievement to its record; it established an amazing Nurburgring lap record for a front-wheel drive vehicle with a time of 8 minutes 7.97 seconds. The previous record was held by the Megane Renaultsport R26.R which completed the lap in 8 minutes and 17 seconds on June 23, 2008.
The time posted at the Nürburgring puts the Mégane Renaultsport 265 Trophy on a completely new level of performance that allows the vehicle to be put alongside supercars with power outputs at or greater than 500 HP. This was done with an extra 14.7 HP (11kW) on tap, careful set-up work, and specific Bridgestone RE 050A (235/35 R19) tyres chosen by RenaultSport engineers. These things, plus the vehicle’s "carefully-tuned Cup chassis, the dampers, the fade-resistant brakes, the Recaro seats, the power of the 265hp engine, the ready availability of torque between 2,500 and 5,000rpm" is what development driver, Laurent Hurgon says helped achieve the new record.
In Hurgon’s words: "The Nordschleife is a legendary course. Its length and layout, which is very different to that of a conventional circuit, make it a unique and technically demanding challenge. Its difficulties are extremely varied, ranging from fast and even very fast in places to much twistier and slower portions. Turns like ‘Karusell’ and ‘Pflanzgarten’, for example, make huge demands of the car and driver alike, yet Megane Renaultsport Trophy is very much in its element here and feels particularly reassuring despite the uncompromising nature of the terrain."
Renault has unveiled the Megane Renaultsport (RS) 265 Trophy - the company’s fastest ever road going model. The special Megane will make its world debut at the World Series by Renault at the Nurburgring next weekend and will be limited to only 500 units. It will only be sold in specific countries in Europe and will be priced from €35,500 (or about $52,000 at the current exchange rates).
Compared to the Mégane Renaultsport 250 model, the new RS 265 Trophy model delivers an extra 15 HP, will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 6 seconds, and will be capable of a top speed of 158 mph. It will feature some very impressive equipment including a Cup chassis, Recaro seats with yellow seat belts and detailing, 19" Speedline alloys in gloss black with red rim, standard Liquid Yellow i.d. metallic paint, ’Trophy’ red decals on F1-style front blade and doors, LED daytime running lights, and Renaultsport Monitor on-board performance tracking.
UPDATE 06/17/2011: It’s only been a short time since the Renault Megane RS 265 Trophy’s official launch and it has already added a very impressive achievement to its record; it established an amazing Nurburgring lap record for a front-wheel drive vehicle with a time of 8 minutes 7.97 seconds. The previous record was held by the Megane Renaultsport R26.R which completed the lap in 8 minutes and 17 seconds on June 23, 2008.
Hit the jump to read more about the Renault Megane RS 265 Trophy.
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