Renault Megane Trophy

It may look like a standard example of Renault’s flagship hot hatch, but this is no ordinary performance model. What you see here is the fastest road car the French firm has ever built – the Mégane Renaultsport 265 Trophy. 

It has just smashed the lap record for a front-wheel-drive production car around the classic Nordschleife circuit at Germany’s Nürburgring – and we’ve got hold of the first example to hit the UK.

The newcomer is powered by the same 2.0-litre turbocharged unit as the standard RS250, but engineers have increased turbo boost pressure by 0.2 bar, adding an extra 14bhp to the already healthy power output. 

There’s also a 20Nm torque increase, which means the Trophy delivers 261bhp and a mighty 360Nm. To make sure all this is transmitted to the road, UK models get the stiffer Cup chassis, as well as high-performance Bridgestone Potenza tyres. Inside, standard equipment includes Recaro seats, yellow seatbelts and the innovative Renaultsport monitor, which allows you to adjust throttle response and view performance data.  

The Trophy carries a £3,800 price premium over the entry-level Cup model, at £27,820. But exclusivity is guaranteed, with only 500 being produced, and a mere 50 coming here. A small plaque on the transmission tunnel confirms this limited status, although the slightly gaudy red Trophy decals that distinguish the exterior won’t be to all tastes.

The standard 19-inch gloss black alloy wheels and LED running lights will draw plenty of admiring glances. But it’s the driving experience that will raise the biggest smilefor owners of this new car. 

Work the punchy engine hard and you can feel the extra power at the top end of the rev range. The Trophy launches out of corners even more ferociously than the standard car, yet retains the impressive traction and front-end grip that has taken the racy Mégane to the top of the hot hatch class. Renault also claims to have shaved the 0-60mph time by a tenth to six seconds flat, while the top speed has increased by 2mph to 158mph.  

As with all such Renaultsport models, the Trophy’s limits are so high, it’s sometimes difficult to fully appreciate its capabilities on the public road. The good news for buyers in the UK is that all 50 Trophy owners will get free access to Renaultsport’s 2012 track days – an extra worth around £650.

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