Although it doesn't benefit from the same recognition surrounding the Ferrari->ke252 brand, Renault->ke72 is a big name in the world of motorsports. The French have been involved in top-tier racing for decades and, more recently, their World Series championships have helped numerous talented youngsters grow into professional racers. For 2015, Renault and its Sport Technologies arm have developed yet another racing division, one that comes with its own, exclusive race car.

Make no mistake though, this new racer is not another beefed-up Megane RS->ke1227. The French have taken things up a notch with a vehicle that's faster than the entire bunch of race-ready Megane->ke1227 RS and Clio->ke1021 RS hatches. Making things even more interesting is the fact that Renault's new race car features a unique design, highlighted by a coupe-like shape with a fixed wing on the rear.

Updated 10/22/2014: The new Renaultsport R.S. 01 took its first public laps on October 18th at the Jerez track in Spain, for the last leg of the World Series By Renault. Behind the wheel was Alain Prost who apparently was very impressed by the car: "The Renault Sport R.S. 01 is magnificent, and that's important in terms of image. This is a new step forward for Renault, since it is launching what is actually a typical Endurance car. It’s a real race car, while being closely linked to the product since its design was largely inspired by the new production models." The car will make its racing debut in mid-2015.

Click past the jump to read more about the Renault Sport Trophy.

Update History

Updated 07/30/2014: Renault unveiled the official name of its new sports car and a new teaser image for the Renaultsport R.S. 01, which will be unveiled on August 27th, 2014.

Updated 8/27/2014: Renault has revealed the new Renaultsport R.S. 01

Teaser Images

Exterior

The French promised the R.S. 01 will boast a spectacular design inspired by the world of concept cars, and they weren't kidding. The race car is by far the most aggressive and sleek vehicle Renault has ever built, and its design is indeed worthy of a concept car. The styling is beautiful, aerodynamic and unique, but, at the same time, it incorporates some of the key features of the current Renault lineup. The front end, for instance, is adorned by a prominent emblem and subtle cues that remind me of the Megane. Everything else is unique to the R.S. 01 though. The front fascia is dominated by a large, center-mounted air dam, a carbon-fiber piece holding the Renault logo and the slim headlamps, and a carbon-fiber splitter. Making the front end even more spectacular are the U-shaped LED daytime running lights positioned along the brake cooling inlets. The scenario is rounded off by muscular front fenders, the vented hood and the aerodynamic fins mounted on each side of the bumper.

The rear end is equally impressive. A large, fixed wing sits atop the rear section, just behind the bonnet, while a huge, carbon-fiber diffuser makes up the entire lower section of the bumper. Between the two lies a pair of ultra-thin, LED taillights and a couple of exhaust pipes. Remove the badge off this sexy rear end and you could easily mistake the R.S. 01 for a GT3 racer.

The new Renault Trophy machine becomes even more aggressive when viewed from the side. The profile is sleek and low, with beefed-up wheel arches and huge side scoops to drool at. Overall, the R.S. 01 looks like the love child of an Audi R8 and a Porsche Cayman, and that's a good thing. The wheels are downright fancy for a race car, featuring a five-spoke arrangement with red accents.

Bolted on a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis built by Dallara, the R.S. 01 tips the scales at less than 2,425 pounds. So it's not just about the looks, this race car is light and fast too.

Interior

Renault didn't release photos or actual details about the race car's interior, but it mentions the R.S. 01 benefits from FIA LMP1 safety standards. A steel roll cage protects the driver in the event of a crash, while a Sabelt bucket seat with a six-point harness provides a comfortable ride and extra safety on the track. The vehicle is also fitted with a collapsible steering column.

Drivetrain

Motivating the R.S. 01 is a Nismo-prepped, 3.8-liter, V-6 engine. That's right, folks, this racer will sweep the tracks with the same twin-turbo powerplant available in the mighty Nissan GT-R under its hood. Tuned to deliver more than 500 horsepower and over 443 pound-feet of torque, the unit is mostly similar to the production mill fitted in the GT-R. The main change is a dry-sump system mounted to prevent oil surges during long corners.

The engine acts as a semi-stressed part, as it is bolted to the carbon-fiber monocoque on the distribution side and to the roll cage at the top. Clever!

Power travels to the rear wheels through a seven-speed sequential gearbox supplied by Sadev The sequential control system is managed by an XAP electromagnetic actuator, while the clutch is provided by ZF Race Engineering. Specifically developed for the R.S. 01, the clutch comes with an anti-stall function and increased durability for endurance racing.

As with most race cars, performance numbers haven't been released, but, given its reduced weight and powerful engine, we figure 0-to-60 sprints should be achieved in less than 3.5 seconds, while top speed should be reached beyond the 186-mph mark.

Suspension and Brakes

Keeping the R.S. 01 on its best behavior on the track is a race-spec, double wishbone and pushrod suspension with two-way, adjustable Ohlins dampers. Stopping this beast before cornering are PFC, 380-mm (15-inch) carbon discs and six-piston calipers at all corners. The lightweight, Braid wheels are wrapped in Michelin tires, while the ABS carries a Bosch tag.

Pricing

There's no pricing information as of August 2014, but we'll be right back with an update as soon as we have it.

Renaultsport Trophy

The R.S. 01 will compete in a brand-new event for the 2015 season. The series will gather Pro-Am teams and the events will include sprinting and endurance events as well. The first season is open to 20 teams classified according to the rules of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), with track time estimated at more than four hours per car and per driver, over a three-day weekend.

Alongside the regular prize money, championship rewards will also include development programs for the winner of the Pro and Am category. The former will have the change to take a rookie test with the official Nismo team for the Super GT in Japan, while the latter will take part in the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans race in an LMP2 prototype.

Competitors

2014 Volkswagen GTI Roadster Concept

I know, this concept car is more of a virtual racer than an actual vehicle and the Renault Sport Trophy won't race any other cars on the track, but the two have a lot in common. Both vehicles were built with lightness in mind, both use forced induction, and both deliver in excess of 500 horsepower. Granted, the Renault->ke72 doesn't benefit from such a futuristic design, but the French race car sports a similarly sleek and aerodynamic body.

Inspired by the Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Roadster Concept takes on the virtual tracks of Gran Turismo with 503 horsepower and 491 pound-feet of torque at the push of a button. The power reaches the wheels through a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission and pushes the 3,133-pound vehicle from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Judging by the power-to-weight ratio, the Renault is a bit faster. And as far as cool factor goes, the Trophy wins by a long shot -- I like my race cars real!

Conclusion

Renault may be an automaker known for building affordable and fuel-efficient road cars, but the French are among the top manufacturers when it comes to racing machines. The new R.S. 01 showcases it's better than anything else and proves Renault is aiming to expand its motorsport efforts into new categories. It's somewhat disappointing that the R.S. 01 will only compete in a one-make series, but my fingers are crossed that this race car becomes more than just a Renaultsport Trophy machine in the near future. Maybe Renault is even considering a road-going sports car based on it, so here's to hoping!