The Renault Megane has a rich history and purists love this car for its performance-oriented drivetrain and that it can be chucked around corners with ease. The latest iteration is the Megane R.S. Trophy-R. This little pocket-rocket recently added a badge to its accolades by becoming the fastest ever front-wheel-drive production car to have lapped the Mecca of circuits - the Nurburgring - in 7 minutes and 40.1 seconds. For your information, this is a limited-edition car and only 500 of the same will be produced. Need we say anything more?

Drastic Weight Reduction Techniques Have Aided The Performance Immensely

The Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R's biggest selling point is its drivability. The specs on paper are not exceptional by any means. What makes this hatch special is the way the French automaker has built the car, wherein all the factors work in tandem to make one wholesome package. The most important talking point of the Megane R.S. Trophy-R is the weight reduction over the standard Megane R.S. Trophy. The weight reduction is a culmination of various things, such as leaving out the rear seats, using carbonfiber for the hood cover, replacing stock exhaust with a titanium Akrapovič exhaust, and even installing a smaller touchscreen that helped save 0.5 pounds! Renault has truly lived to the 'tiny drops make a mighty ocean' philosophy here.

However, Renault has dropped the rear steering system on this car. This results in lower stability at high speeds, but improves the driving dynamics at low speeds, especially while cornering. To further accentuate the weight-saving feel on the Megane R.S. Trophy-R, the suspension has been redesigned and now features motorsport-inspired components as well. Ohlins dual-flow valve dampers and lightweight springs make their way to the system. The aerodynamics also seem well-sorted, thanks to the carbon diffuser and the front air splitter. To make things even better, drivers can lower the ride height by 16mm.

Carbon-Ceramic Brakes Are A First-In-The-Segment

Renault has installed Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires on the Megane R.S. Trophy-R, developed by Renault Sport, that are optimized for fast road and track use.The same were used on the car that broke the Nurburgring track record as well. The rest of the cars can be equipped with them as an option. If you want to further reduce the weight on this fast hatch, you can opt for the carbon fiber wheels that shave 4.4 pounds off on each wheel. Renault also offers Sabelt composite front seats with a six-point racing harness as optional.

Engine Specs Are The Same As The Standard Megane Trophy

These specs are the same as the standard Megane Trophy. Since only 500 cars were to be built, it looks like Renault did not want to fiddle around much as that would increase the costs. Renault has worked on making the Megane R.S. Trophy-R one-of-a-kind just by weight-reduction techniques. Just imagine the Nurburgring lap timing had Renault rejigged the power output figures as well. I haven't even gotten to the best part yet.

This engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox! Renault ditched the automatic transmission on the Megane R.S. Trophy-R for it to remain lighter on the toes and to give the driver complete control over this beast. The French automaker has also installed a Torsen limited slip differential for improved traction. With all this equipment in place, the Megane R.S. Trophy-R sprints to 60 mph from a standstill in 5.3 seconds, before topping out at 163 mph.

Final Thoughts

On paper, the Honda Civic Type-R may seem slightly more accomplished. Perhaps, even at higher speeds; but the overall dynamics make the Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R a special car. This model is limited to just 500 examples, 30 of which are right-hand drive models reserved for the U.K. Pricing has not be not revealed officially, but it will start in the ballpark of $62,000. Wealthy interested folks can book the car starting in August and expect delivery by the end of 2019. What are your thoughts on the Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R? Share them with us in the comments section below.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy.

Read our full review on the 2018 Renault Megane R.S.