Renault Mégane

The Renault Mégane has leaked again! These grainy black and white images found their way onto the Internet today via the European patents office, giving us a complete look at the production-ready three-door hatchback.

Borrowing heavily from the Mégane Coupé concept, the three-door Mégane is set apart from the five-door with a steeply raked roofline, stronger shoulders above the rear wheelarches, and distinct taillights and headlamps.

The front bumper in particular separates the sporty three-door from the more family-oriented five-door version, with a pair of silver inserts following the flow of the headlamps over the grille, making the car appear lower and wider.

The bold, squared tailgate of the current Mégane has been ditched, in favour of a more curved look, with a shallow glass screen and high shoulder line.

Official images of the five-door Mégane’s cabin have already been unveiled, but whether the three-door’s interior will follow the blueprint of the exterior and feature unique architecture is unknown. Trim combinations distinct to the three-door, featuring aluminium effect inserts and darker colours, are the least that can be expected.

Due to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October, these leaked images are the latest twist in the Mégane tale, after French motor magazine Auto Plus was raided by police following publication of leaked pictures of the Mégane last year. Renault filed a complaint citing breach of intellectual property, claiming it aimed only to root out the spy who leaked the pictures to the magazine in the first place.

But with the car so close to production now, these latest spies are unlikely to ruffle Renault’s feathers in the same way.

The new car sits on a revised version of the current Mégane’s platform, with an engine line-up similarly modified. The diesel crop will comprise six dCi engines, three of which will emit less than 120g/km of CO2, with power outputs ranging between 84bhp and 160bhp. Petrol power will start with a 99bhp 1.6-litre unit, peaking with 1.4-litre turbo TCe generating 178bhp. Of course, flagship Renaultsport versions will appear too, powered by both petrol and diesel.

With the newcomer’s Paris debut looming, it won’t be long before Renault unveils official pictures and specs, so keep coming back to Auto Express online for all the latest on this French stunner.