RENAULT MEGANE RS TROPHY
ALPS ATTACK
Words by Alessandro Marrone / Photos by Daniél Rikkard
Less time for pleasantries and a right pedal that acts as a link between the focused eyes looking in the center of a viewfinder and the 6,000 rpm of one of the most surprising 4-cylinder ever driven.
It has been a long wait, but just like all the best things, the new Megane RS enhances the wait and is ready to let us taste the new generation of what in all respects has represented the best hot-hatch of the latest years. However, creating riot at the office we’re not talking about a standard Megane RS, but the Trophy, the hardcore version with 20 more horses, Cup chassis and the difficult task of not disappointing the endless expectations growing in the heart of driving obsessed. If years ago, hot-hatches were important and dedicated to entertain, now they’re almost playing the role of a genuine necessity, in a world increasingly turned to alternative propulsion and with an eye towards sustainability, the quintessence of driving pleasure becomes a quality often overshadowed by those who set the rules of a market to say the least gripped also by an incessant crisis brought by taxes, petrol costs and a thousand other thorns in the back for vehicles that first of all want to let their drivers to be happy to drive.
The Megane RS will not certainly be the first car that will come to mind to a traditional motorist, but in case you have enough fire in your heart, know that the French five-door has room for things and people and is available both with manual transmission as well as with the automatic EDC, both gearboxes come as 6-speeds and not at all hostile to a possible cohabitation with your weekly routine. The Trophy is like a cat that stretches its claws and is ready to jump, with its pupils fixed on the road ahead and with the awareness of having to fulfill the important mission that will see it take over the baton from one of the greatest sports car that have ever trod this dear planet. Passing from one generation to another means years of work, mountains of money invested in research and development, endless hours of road and track testing, yet the perception towards the generational leap is consumed in a matter of seconds, the precise moment in which the new one must represent the updated standard to beat and where the previous one – no matters how extraordinary – will be seen as the unit of measurement to be overcome from top to bottom. As the passage of time is inexorable, the severe laws of evolution leave no way out for errors or insecurities, which is why for such a hot-hatch queen we decided that something special would be needed.
The most rational answer took the form of a marathon on an unspecified number of Alpine passes and then also because it was a long time that we wanted to call “Alps Attack” one of our articles. Assured that the practical side of the RS Trophy is still that of any other Megane, with the due proportions related to a much more conspicuous and muscular body – in this case in the beautiful Sirio Yellow of our model – a more rigid frame perfectly acceptable even when the road is not in perfect condition, I believe that for the majority of its customers the ideal setting to follow their desire for exploration and make it coincide with that of sports driving, resides in a place characterized by an infinite series of curves embraced by postcard views. We have thus begun by defining the starting point, absolutely behind the Alpine slope overlooking the border between Italy and France, an ideal topographic connection when you know very well that most of the journey will be tackled with a rather heavy right foot. Within a couple of days, after becoming familiar with the car and testing its capabilities in the most intransigent urban context, we’ll find ourselves in Sauze d’Oulx, a mountain resort able to combine a breathtaking view with the convenience of being just a few kilometers away from places like Bardonecchia and Sestriere. The basic idea of the Alps Attack is to put a healthy breakfast down the stomach and drive from dusk ‘till dawn, avoiding any type of main road (motorway) in favor of the largest number of mountain passes that divide us from the center of Cuneo, in the lower part of the Piedmont region.
Filled up the tank of the RS Trophy and loaded all the photographic equipment useful to our mission, we grind the first kilometers that divide us from the Col du Mont-Cenis, the first mountain pass that unites Italy with France, climbing along a series of very fast bends that represent a real joy for groups of motorcyclists who are certainly not afraid to use their knees to draw lines on the asphalt. We are here to watch and finally we’re ready to take advantage of the RS for what it has been created, so I put in Race mode from the central display, moving the gear lever in sequential and increasing the grip of my hands on the steering, almost as if I were about to launch me into a war against an army of hairpin bends. It only takes a few minutes to realize that the magic of the previous generation of Megane RS has remained intact, with a car that gives even more confidence to the driver than the 280 hp variant, all thanks to 2mm lowered suspension and improved shock absorbers, anti-roll bars as well as stiffer springs, all of those for 25%, 10% and 30% respectively. The rapid succession of corners that leads to the crystalline waters of the Mont-Cenis Lake is the ideal test bench for a car of this kind, both for the great variety of the same and for the road surface that varies kilometer after kilometer, putting the tires and the Torsen mechanical limited slip differential on the front axle under stress.
Not stopping to admire the landscape would have been an unforgivable sin, yet while the photographer carries out his duties, I take the opportunity to observe how the RS ribs positively affect the look of a car that does not go unnoticed even in front of the more distracted passer-by. The wheel arches are even more pronounced and the 19 inch Jerez triton wheels contribute to accentuate a side-to-side view that leaves no room for doubt – this is a pretty serious piece of kit. Fortunately to characterize the Trophy we also have a vitaminized exhaust system, equipped with a new manifold and a valve that increases the sound depending on the driving mode you choose (Comfort, Neutral, Sport, Race and Personal). It must be said that the EDC does a great job in any scenario, preferring high gears in Comfort and taking advantage of the whole torque curve in Race, the mode I obviously prefer for a day like this where the only password is “Flat out or die”. The RS Trophy, like the standard RS, is equipped with the 4control rear axle system, or rather the ability to steer the rear wheels up to 2.7° in counter-phase with respect to the front ones, so as to accentuate the handling under 100 kph, while at higher speeds make it easier to enter corners up to 1°, virtually shortening the car’s wheelbase.
If you ever had any doubt, the mechanical package of the new generation Megane RS will surely have cleared your mind, since today’s Trophy does everything in an even more acute way than before, with the ability to jump between the curves as you would with a fully grown-up go-kart. Similarly, descending from the northern slope of the Mont-Cenis – towards Lanslebourg – the pace becomes more frenetic and we exploit the perfect weight balance also thanks to the extraordinary Brembo braking system, apparently tireless despite the high temperatures and stresses to which it was subjected throughout our Alpine assault. During the journey that separates us from the following peak, we also appreciate the ergonomic side of the RS Trophy, hardcore in the soul but still civilized and therefore equipped with air conditioning, satellite navigation and a powerful audio system (which today will remain inexorably off), everything within easy reach of the 8.4-inch vertical display in the middle of the dash. Removed this obvious reference to contemporary trends, one of the aspects that I appreciate most about this Megane is the desire to keep alive that analogical essence that renounces to excessive frills in favor of a cockpit dedicated to repaying properly the deepest desire for fun on wheels. The paddles behind the steering wheel lack a couple of centimeters in length, but in return they have the right weight and drag you with precision while climbing up to sixth gear, with a 1.8 four-cylinder grounding its 300 horsepower (+20 compared to the standard Megane RS) that with the automatic gearbox exploit 420 Nm of torque, instead of 400.
Climbing the Col du Télégraphe and then the more scenic Col du Galibier takes this particular day to the office on a much more serious level. Less time for pleasantries and a right pedal that acts as a link between the focused eyes looking in the center of a viewfinder and the 6,000 rpm of one of the most surprising 4-cylinder ever driven. The Frenchie frowns and chews miles of asphalt with a disarming confidence and while the exhaust in the middle of the bumper puffs and spits out air with the decibels you would expect from similar performance, I realize how incredible the dialogue between the steering wheel and the road is. The Megane RS Trophy is one of the most analogical sports cars of this era, annoyingly falling in a Matrix that has spent too many hours playing at Forza Motorsport. Every little feedback is sent from the wheels to the spine without apparent filters and although there is still a lot of electronics to limit unnecessary power losses due to the fact that you have traction only on the front axle, each curve is faced with a knife between the teeth and an emotional detonator ready to shatter the world around. All in the name of driving pleasure.
Col du Lautaret and then the enchanting Col d’Izoard with its rocks that force you to take a few extra stop, where for the first time you find yourself turning your back to the yellow fireball. Just enough time to let the concert-like ticking of the hot mechanical parts to cease and we resume our frantic asphalt binge pointing for the Col de Vars and then Col de Larche, penultimate stage before coming back to that world that requires us to loosen the bridle to our furious steed, not at all satiated after an alpine ride that surprised me in every possible way. Before embarking for this adventure, the level of expectation was equal only to that of fear of having to deal with a domesticated sports car only reminiscent of the model it replaces. Not even a hundred kilometers later and I’ve been able to understand that Renault has managed to evolve its performance side without losing that sincere dialogue with the mechanical soul of the RS Trophy. It is a similar car that differs substantially from that feeling of having amore grippy vehicle (above all at the back) and that to some it might instead be less lively. The Trophy is as fast as a snake that launches its lethal attack and awakens in us that desire to drive for the purest pleasure of drawing a smile on our face, without necessarily distorting the soul of the car according to the pressed buttons.
There is no doubt that the racing spirit of the yellow transalpine is better exploited in Race and that in Comfort you can lead a peaceful coexistence from home to work or for the grocery, but you know better than me that if you spend more than 42 thousand Euro for a hot-hatch, you do that in the name of days like these. It does not matter if they are 600 km, 2,000 or even a dozen, those single meters of road eaten like a lunatic will be worth every moment lived by winking at a tachometer that once you pass 4,000 revs throws you into the arms of a special stage as intense as we would have never hoped. The fear of being disappointed is only a memory, passion can sleep peacefully once again.
RENAULT MEGANE RS TROPHY
Layout – front-engined, front wheel drive
Engine – 4 cylinder 1.798cc – turbo
Transmission – 6-speed automatic gearbox
Power – 300 hp @ 6.000 rpm
420 Nm @ 3.200 rpm
Weight – 1.419 kg
Acceleration – 5,7 sec.
Top Speed – 260 kph
Price – from € 42.250 (as tested € 49.700)