the Bucket: 4CONTROL

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Bucket Seat: Renault Megane RS 300 Trophy

It's been exactly two years since I was behind the wheel of Renault's hot hatch, the Megane RS and while that car was everything I expected and more, there was also a hotter version in the pipeline and this year I got to sample that beauty, it's the Renault Megane RS 300 Trophy. Only seven units of this French stunner has been brought into the country so to say I am fortunate to drive one is putting it mildly. Renault's status in the local market is a tough one to judge, while they offer a wide variety of cars, its their budget vehicles which are the popular ones. Not that it is a bad thing, I just feel that it's not fair that the more upmarket luxury models don't get the fair share of recognition. Yes, there is still this stigma about French cars and reliability but if this was such a major issue, why are the budget ones doing so well with so little issues? Surely it can't be limited to just certain models? Oh well, I guess this is my job to try and convince you otherwise and hence I got to drive this stupidly fast ultra-hot hatch for a week.

DESIGN

Let me start off by saying that this is the best looking hot hatch on the market, I don't care who you are, what fan boy of a certain German brand, there's nothing that looks as striking, as appealing as this RS 300 Trophy. I mean the normal RS itself was a looker but with subtle differences this one just pips that top spot. Renault's new design language flows so well with the Megane, I think they actually started off with this and then translated it into the other models, the flow and symmetry of the lines and details can have you looking at it all day and you won't get bored. From the checkered flag styled LED fog lamps to the L shaped day-time running lights, it just makes the front so attractive, but that is not all. The front splitter is greyed out with the word "Trophy" prominent, signifying their presence in Formula One. The tri-tone 19" rims are a stand out, with bright red inners and the Brembo caliper visible through the spokes also in red. The car has a molded wide body kit with lots of folds and ducts to give it that aggressive look. The rear diffuser is also quite a focal point in the design with ribs designed to let airflow up to keep the car grounded. The massive single exhaust sits dead center, in line with the Renault symbol above which serves as the start point for the large rear lights. The car is adorned with Trophy 300 stickers, just so no one can mistaken it for a normal RS. Overall, stunning car, I can't stop looking at the pictures of it.

PERFORMANCE

Unsurprisingly Renault opted to use the same engine as the RS but obviously with a bit more oomph, the car features the 1.8-litre 4-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. The car was available in both a 6-speed manual and a dual clutch EDC automatic with me having the latter on test. While I did want to see how the manual faired, the auto was lots of fun as well. The motor produces 221kW and 420Nm of torque, a bit more torque on the the auto gear box with the manual getting 20 less. The Renault Megane RS 300 Trophy also comes with 4Control 4-wheel steering, with rear wheel steering that assists at lower speeds and accelerating out of corners with more speed. It works like a charm and if you download the RS Link app, you can view exactly how it works. The launch control on the auto takes some time to figure out, but once you do, you won't stop launching it! It has a claimed 0-100kph time of 5.7 seconds and I got quite close to that on a few occasions, granted there were small mistakes in my launches but that is pretty rad. On the road performance, the car can be a demon when you want it to but also a chilled hatch as well. The various driving modes let you dictate the level of noise the coming from the dual sound exhaust valve system. This is not only for sound but the valve system maximizers engine performance as well. Lets just say in Sport mode with the feedback you get from those dual-pipes, its very entertaining and ranks very high on the "Vrrpha" list.

COMFORT

Now being a hot-hatch, comfort is not the first thing that comes to mind. The front seats are proper Recaro sport-bucket seats in alcantara, they are even fitting 20 mm lower in the cabin to improve the centre of gravity. It is adjustable to get you in the perfect driving position, now while being racing seats, its pretty comfortable and keeps you in your position while thrashing the car around. The cabin comes kitted out with pretty much all your creature comforts, the stand out feature on the dash is the 8.7"-inch infotainment screen which practically controls everything. It has onboard navigation as well as Buetooth connectivity. I don't think there is Apple Car Play and Android Auto connectivity but there is an apps section in the home menu, so not sure if you can download them at a later stage. There is dual climate control air-conditioning for the front and a single zoned controlled by the passenger temp for the back passengers. There's lots of sports detailing in the cabin as well as ambient lighting which changes colour dependent on the driving mode you're in. Practicality wise, the boot is still a good size which can fit a set of clubs so that says enough about the space there. While the ride quality might be a bit stiff and bumpy, its expected in a car that is meant to be thrown around on a track.

VERDICT

I love this car, I loved the normal RS but I love this even more, I mean the presence it has and the power to back it up is something else. From the bright colours its available in, its hard not to notice this car and with only 7 being brought into the country, there will be a lot of hardcore Renault fans vying for their allocation. While the car won't garner much respect from the GTI boys, they should be wary that this thing holds it own on the road and on the track. Renault have spent a lot of time fine tuning this product and while they do introduce F1 technology in this car, it does a lot of things right for me. It's still hands down my favourite hot hatch on the market, lots of fun to drive, effortless power when you put the foot down, the digital speedometer just jumps on the speeds it reaches. It's crazy how much power this 4-cylinder motor produces. The Renault Megane RS 300 Trophy really is one for the collectors, a bit pricey but when compared to some others on the market it is not bad in the greater scheme of things.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.8-litre, 4-cylinder turbo-petrol
Gear Box	Dual clutch EDC
Torque	420Nm
Power	221kW
Economy	8.2L/100km
Price	R799,900

Pics by @YuviK - Photography and @DBN_Spotter

Friday, January 18, 2019

Bucket Seat: Renault Megane RS Lux

Kicking off this years motoring reviews with something spicy with a French flair to it, late last year I got to spend time with Renault's feisty hot hatch, the Megane RS, my only complaint about it, is that the time I had with it went by too fast...in more than one way. The hot hatch has always been a firm favourite with the boy racers locally and abroad but in terms of market share locally, there was always that one which stood miles ahead of any in terms of sales and with good reason. the Golf GTI has written itself into SA folklore when it comes to this segment of the market and with the more powerful Golf R available, the VW brand is stronger than ever. So how does Renault's competition match up to the Golf? Can it unsettle the VW fanboys and more importantly, earn some street cred on the local car scene?

DESIGN

The Megane has always been a relatively stylish car which have always been amplified in the RS models but the new blood line in the Renault design is spectacular to say the least, they've taken the term "French flair" and upped it a few notches. The RS benefits from the great looks of the standard Megane but beefed up to make the looks match the performance that is under the hood. Flared wheel arches, a wide booty, air intakes and sculptured extractors make the the RS look intimidating and are functional, as they optimise airflow through the wheel arches. The front splitter reminiscent of an F1 cars front wing pays homage to their F1 heritage and the checkered flag styled fog lights add more dimension to an already stylish front, the 3D honeycomb pattern grill mesh has been reinterpreted by Renault Sport and looks ace. The Megane RS comes fitted with massive 19" Interlagos rims with low profile tyres and visible Brembo brake discs with coloured calipers. In my opinion, this is the hottest looking hot hatch in the market, the Sirius yellow which I had it is the perfect colour for it as well even though many would opt for the Tonic Orange.

PERFORMANCE

Lets cut to the chase, this is the thing that everyone wants to know, whats the engine like. Well to put it mildly, its brutal. Renault have done wonders with this 1.8L Turbo engine, as it derives 205kw and 390Nm of torque, much of this has been inspired by their F1 technology and it shows. As much as the engine is a beaut, the overall package that Renault have put together is stunning and how everything works in harmony is what a driver dreams of having in a car. I had the LUX variant of the RS which came with the EDC 6 speed Automatic Double Clutch gearbox, while purist might prefer the stick shift, I really didn't mind the auto, depending on the mode, the gear changes were on point and not drawn out. The RS comes with a limited slip diff fitted in the Cup (manual) version and has 4CONTROL on both, what is four control you might ask? Well in laymen terms, its rear steering, its the first time I've driven a car with it and all I can say is wow, with the beautiful notes the exhaust spits out when driving, I've never taken corners and bends more confidently in my life! And they've even fitting an RS Monitor data display to show you when the rear wheels are turning, along with many other applications loaded, such as tracking lap times, real time telemetry display of your driving and other features too.

COMFORT

Lets be honest here, no one is going to buy this car for comfort, the interior continues with the sport theme as it has a mixture of good quality plastic, carbon grey and accents of red. The LED mood lighting is impressive and similar to those of higher end German sedans, which change colour depending on the driving mode. The Alcantara sports seats are designed for maximum support with a snug fit and was pretty comfy, even for a big guy like me. The cockpit is very driver focused and the large display screen was easy enough to use. I did experience a lag with it every now and then but the driving dynamics of this car, its easily forgiven. The RS comes with dual zone climate control aircon so you can keep cool while tearing around the corners. The rear passengers have a decent amount of room and even have Alcantara bucket type seats. The overall ride quality is a bit hard and bumpy but with the hydraulic compression stops, the shocks absorbs the bad bumps better.

TECHNOLOGY

I go write an entire page about the technology used in the engine as I'm still left surprised by it's performance but lets touch on the other elements that help make this car so advanced in tech. 4CONTROL is mind bender when you first hear about it. The tech contributes to incisive steering and optimised road holding, making your cornering more precise, at lower speeds the system turns the rear wheel steering on which turn the wheels in the opposite direction of the front wheels, when you flick the car into Race model, all four wheels turn in the same direction in speeds over 60kph. The Renault RS app is the perfect instrument to see how the car is performing but also gives you real time analysis on your driving so you know when to switch things up. Renault says your driving talents deserve to be recognised, stored and analysed hence the on board telemetry system can give your stats and store them for you.

VERDICT

It's hard to fault this car and when you take everything into consideration, this is the best rand for rand hot hatch on the market. It's cheaper than a GTI, has performance figures that match the Golf R and is cheaper than both of them! The best part about it, is that there's still a Trophy version to come! There's a stigma in the local market when it comes to Renault's that need to be broken but with the success their other models have been experiencing in the market, it wont be long since this one would be recognised too. The biggest challenge Renault SA face is trying to convince those who are contemplating getting a hot hatch, to take a look at theirs instead of following the sheep. I guess that's also my job as well, so if you are in the market for something sporty with an oomph of flair, this is your car. Take it for a test drive and you'll see why I'm raving about this car, it's leagues ahead of its competition and deserves the recognition and street cred it's due.