Renault Megane RS 275 Trophy 2014 Review - International

Renault Megane RS 275 Trophy

They call it the Green Hell, but I think I'm in heaven.

Arguably the world's most potent hot hatch, the Renault Megane RS 275 Trophy is one of those rare cars whose latent abilities become astonishingly clear on a challenging road circuit like the Nurburgring.

The new Megane RS 275 Trophy is not exactly a paradigm shift for the Megane, the major mechanical changes being an ECU tweak to hike power by 6kW to 201kW, a lighter and louder Akrapovic titanium exhaust system, stiffer springs and Ohlins dampers, and ultra-grippy Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres.

Yet on the track the car feels much faster and more measured than the RS 265, Renault's current hero car. The RS 275 Trophy's steering is precise and direct, as is the power delivery. The fast Frenchie is well balanced too, allowing the driver explore its cornering threshold with confidence.

It flits through the 'Ring's demanding chicanes with deft ease, changing direction with precious little body roll and inviting the driver to keep working the fast pedal.

The RS 275 Trophy's road-legal racecar cousin, the RS 275 Trophy-R, has just reclaimed the mantle of world's fastest front-drive production car around the Nurburgring.

And though the 'regular' RS 275 Trophy tested here is not quite as hard-core (and probably not likely to break the eight-minute lap barrier), I'm left wondering if the bigger brakes and the 101kg weight reduction are necessary as the car almost becomes airborne over one of many high-speed crests, the seatbelt digging into my torso, followed by momentary tyre squirm as the car's 1381kg mass gives in to gravity and resettles on the road.

It's a surreal experience spanking the Megane RS 275 at full-bore around the Nurburgring's 73 sinuous, undulating and often high-speed corners, the car feeling resolute and in control on what is a brutal and unforgiving course.

Having only ever tasted the Nurburgring's north loop (Nordschliefe) in the digital world via the PlayStation video game Gran Turismo, I'm given a baptism of fire but one that ends harmoniously thanks to the Megane RS 275 Trophy's impressive at-the-limit control.

Cut a long story short, the new Megane generates prodigious grip. Dual flow valve, aka DFV, Ohlins dampers front and rear are paired with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, forming a chassis that delivers the kind of mid-corner confidence that lets good drivers sets new lap records.

The Ohlins shock absorbers are more advanced versions of the units developed for the Volvo S60 Polestar, and are fully adjustable without the need for special tools. Just reach up behind the wheels, then twist and go – 20 clicks at the front, 30 at the rear.

Push the car deep into a corner, then push some more, and it still sticks to the road doggedly, sliding its nose wide only when pushed to the extreme and inertia gets the better of it, and when it gets light over crests. And when it does break traction it’s quite manageable.

If you overcook a corner, the beefy 340mm front disc brakes and Brembo calipers are well positioned to quell overzealous approaches.

The steering is likewise predictable and communicative, and the Alcantara-covered steering wheel adds to the tactile experience.

Other interior upgrades include body-hugging Recaro bucket seats, which along with the handbrake is also swathed in the suede-like sweat-absorbing material.

Red stitching abounds and red seatbelts help add a little more drama to the interior, while the spherical gear knob is made from a special Zamac alloy and feels a bit special.

Cog-swapping via the six-speed manual happens easily and although the test cars had less than 1000km on their clocks, the clutch was well-weighted with an intuitive friction point. I missed a couple of shifts here and there, making the redline gearchange alarm chime away in agitation, but that was perhaps due to the significance of my surroundings rather than any issues with gate spacing.

The gearbox helps transfer the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine's power to the front wheels in a vociferous fashion, and the 6kW power boost feels like more like 20kW of extra mumbo. The extra herbs are liberated via ECU/fuel-injection mapping and although Renault says the exhaust doesn't affect power, Akrapovic technicians told us it improves power delivery, while the gravelly exhaust note and crackle between shifts add attitude.

Renault's claims of a six-second 0-100km/h dash and a top speed of 255km/h are easy to swallow too, after seeing 235km/h arrive without too much effort.

With its sharper chassis and tweaked powertrain, Renault's latest hero car drives out of corners with such vehemence it's hard to think it can be topped, the Michelin tyres often chirping like a sparrow but rarely breaking contact with the road.

After a fast blast on the Nurburgring, where the surface is often uneven and bumpy, the new RS 275 Trophy is hard to fault. It's a malleable machine that's equal parts involving and rapid, and the extra bark from the exhaust adds a compelling new element to the drive.

It could be argued the car's torsion-beam rear-end is easily unsettled under hard braking, and two of the cars on test both experienced momentary engine issues, reducing power output.

Other issues for the car will be its high asking price, which at under $60,000 will see it cross-shopped against the Volkswagen Golf R and Subaru WRX STI.

That said, with just 100 Megane RS 275 Trophys coming to Australia out of a global production run of 1200 – and a handful already spoken for – Renault should have no problem finding buyers for the rare hot hatch when it arrives in September.

Ultimately, this pumped-up Megane is far more rapid than its predecessor and the sum of its parts.

F1 legend Jackie Stewart dubbed the 20.8km Nurburgring road-circuit the Green Hell and, after navigating its twisting and sometimes bumpy corners at white-knuckle speeds in the Megane, I'm inclined to agree.

There's no run-off, so one wrong split-second decision spells crunch time, which in fact happened to one of Renault's safety cars piloted by a professional driver. It was towed away.

Despite the terrifying prospect of facing the Nurburgring for the first time with no sighting laps and only PlayStation experience, Renault's latest weapon made what could have been a harrowing experience into one of the most edifying experiences of my career.

2014 Renault Megane RS 275 Trophy pricing and specifications:
Price: $55,000 approx (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 201kW/360Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 7.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 174g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star Euro NCAP

Note: Renault explained the engine issue thus: About the limp home mode, the crankshaft position sensor lost the signal during one moment. During this moment we have detected a violent peak on acceleration sensors during our sessions (probably due to passing on a kerbing). These procedures allow to protect the engine. A new start of the engine allows to control that everything was okay on the engine, and to restart normally. The generated vibration did not damage the car.