New Renault Megane RS 280 gets Cup Chassis option

Renault Australia, it seems, has hardened up. Responding to "strong" feedback from customers, dealers and media, the company will now offer the stiffer Cup Chassis upgrade for just under $1500 on its new Renault Megane RS 280 in Australia.

The Cup Chassis upgrade will be available here in the fourth quarter of 2018, around three months after the Renault Megane RS 280 arrives in the third quarter - think July.

The highly-anticipated new French hot hatch is powered by a higher-output 205kW/390Nm version of the 185kW/320Nm 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine seen in the all-new Alpine A110 coupe, which will follow it on sale here by September.

Unlike the Alpine A110 coupe, which will come only with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the new Megane RS (which will be a five-door for the first time) will be available with both six-speed manual and six-speed DCT gearboxes, the latter attracting a $2500 premium.

Originally, Renault Australia said the Cup Chassis -- which comprises stiffer suspension, a Torsen limited-slip differential and dual-compound disc brakes, among other things -- would be limited locally to the more powerful (220kW/400Nm) Megane RS Trophy, which doesn't arrive until 2019 priced around $50,000.

Now, however, after discussions with the factory in France, Australians will be able to option their Renault Megane RS 280 with the Cup Chassis for an extra $1490.

Designed to make the car better on the track, the Cup Chassis includes 10 per cent firmer damper rates, a mechanical Torsen front diff that's designed to reduce understeer and improve power delivery mid-corner, and bi-material aluminium and cast-iron brakes with thermal properties better suited to repeated use. The brakes also reduce weight by 7.2kg, or 1.8kg per corner.

The Renault Megane RS used to be the hot hatch yardstick by which all others were measured. But the advent of the more powerful Honda Civic Type R (228kW/400Nm) and Ford Focus RS (257kW/440Nm), which also adds all-wheel drive, has seen the Megane RS take a back seat.

Although it's now fitted with five doors and available with an automatic transmission, the latest Megane RS doesn't appear to have gone soft. After our first test of the new Renault Megane RS 280 in Spain, we're excited to see how it fares in Australia – and whether it can snatch its title of world's fastest FWD by beating the Honda Civic Type R's record Nurburgring lap time.

The managing director of Renault Australia, Andrew Moore, said the new $1490 Cup Chassis option is a boon for potential customers. "Following the international launch of the all-new Megane RS we received strong feedback from media, customers and dealers that they would like to have the option of a Cup chassis on the entry model Megane RS 280," he said.

"We have listened to this feedback and gone back to the factory to introduce a Cup chassis option at the time of launch. Renault Sport and in particular the Megane RS has a strong history in Australia.

"In fact, Australia was the third highest selling country in the world for the previous generation Megane RS behind France and Germany. "We're thrilled that the factory have supported us in responding to our customers and making this option available to our customers," said Moore.