Renaultsport Megane 225 Trophy

Early impressions of the Astra have been extremely favourable, and if Vauxhall keeps the price tag in line with our estimate, it will be a tempting proposition. The VXR goes on sale in August.

For all our traffic jams and congested roads, sometimes living in the UK can be a bonus. As the world's largest marketplace for hot hatches, we often get the biggest allocation of cars. And with company bosses limiting numbers for the new Renaultsport Megane 225 Trophy to only 500 worldwide, this is no bad thing.

Hang on, though. Surely a Renaultsport Megane was launched last year? That's true - but most experts have been left underwhelmed by it, so the French maker has set about improving the handling. The result is the limited-edition Trophy, which is equipped with a series of chassis modifications.

When we drove it for the first time, the change of feel on the steering struck us immediately. The standard Megane 225 lacks the precision of even non-sporting versions of the Ford Focus and VW Golf. To address this, Renault has replaced a rubber bush that connected two sections of the steering column with a metal design. This improves precision, yet takes out the slack.

The initial turn-in to a bend is now much sharper, and the car is more fun to drive. Other changes contribute to this - stiffer springs have been fitted at the front and rear, which helps the Trophy corner more steadily than the conventional Renaultsport machine. Combine this with the all-new 18-inch Dunlop tyres and improved Brembo brakes, and the Trophy emerges as an entirely different beast.

Unfortunately, the stiffer suspension has made the ride a lot harsher. The company has added a smaller anti-roll bar to try to counter this, but it fails to prevent the Megane skipping too much over smaller bumps in the surface.

The Trophy still lacks the fun factor of its rivals, and it is not as easy to drive swiftly. This is despite the fact that Renault has dispensed with the annoying Electronic Brake Assist system, and that owners can now turn off the ESP completely above 35mph. Elsewhere, the changes from the standard version are largely cosmetic. The Trophy gets dark grey metallic paint, while inside there are carbon fibre inserts, natty blue seatbelts and a numbered plaque. These lift the interior slightly, but it is not the most sporty environment. At least the seats offer plenty of side support.

While the handling of the existing hot Megane needed improving, there was absolutely nothing wrong with its 225bhp engine - and Renault has had the sense to leave this alone. The standard car will continue to be sold, but as the limited-edition Trophy costs only £500 more, it makes a lot of sense.