Road Test: Renault Mégane RS Cup

The Renault Mégane RS and Mégane RS Cup were launched together with a number of new models at the Knysna Hill Climb last year. The roughly 120 kilometers I traveled in each version of the Mégane RS on the launch route provided a good first impression, however, plenty of hype around this new hot hatch meant I was always looking forward to more one-on-one time with it. So, which version did I decide to test? The hottest of the two of course, the Mégane RS Cup. After all, having experienced the headline-grabbing Ford Focus RS recently, I had to find out Renault’s response.

As a refresher, both Renault Mégane RS models are powered by the same 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and both have the same power outputs and performance figures. The major differences between the two cars are largely hidden beneath the sheet metal, in the form of mechanical tweaks for the RS Cup. These include a limited-slip differential (LSD); 19-inch wheels; grooved Brembo 340 mm front brake discs; a 13 percent stiffer anti-roll bar in front and 7 percent stiffer at the rear; as well as 15 percent stiffer suspension damping over the standard RS. Renault’s decision to offer both a mild and hot version of the Mégane is unique in the market segment, giving buyers the choice of the Sport chassis for everyday driving, or the Cup chassis that is targeted at the sports car enthusiast.

It was with this in mind that I took delivery of an ‘Extreme Blue’ Mégane RS Cup one Monday afternoon. Parked inside its garage, the bright afternoon sun shone through the open door to light up the curves and creases of the Mégane’s rear end as I approached, impressing upon me how much better I like the new car’s styling over that of the previous generation’s wedge-shaped boot. The car’s more aggressive stance is immediately evident too, with the combination of a low roofline, wider shoulders, flared wheel arches and wide 235/35 profile rubber. The centrally mounted trapezoidal tailpipe doesn’t go un-noticed either. Stepping along side the flagship Mégane, the French flair continues, with sideskirts that look like small wings linking the wheel arches. The front track is 48 mm wider than the standard Mégane Coupe and is emphasised by the bold wheel arches. In front, LED day-time running lights are integrated into a F1-inspired wing that is finished in gloss black. In short, the new RS looks brawny and athletic – the Jean-Claude Van Damme of hatchbacks.

Keen to beat the afternoon traffic and hit the highway to my elusive destination beyond Cape Town’s surrounding mountains, I threw my bags into the 344-litre boot and strapped myself into the form-hugging Recaro driver’s seat. Adjustable for height and reach, I quickly manoeuvred the seat into a comfortable driving position, but found the steering wheel lacking a few millimeters of reach for my liking. Plug-in the Renault key-card, depress the aluminium-faced clutch pedal, give the engine start/stop button a poke and all four cylinders fire into life. Rolling backwards out of the garage, the narrow view past the rear headrests and through the back window is evident, but the addition of park-distance control as standard serves to prevent any unwelcome surprises.

I join the main flow of traffic exiting suburbia with little subtlety. Oncoming traffic picks up on the bright-white LED’s and homes-in on my Extreme Blue thoroughbred, while those in adjacent lanes are equally entertained by the car’s sleek and aggressive appearance. The sedate pace of the afternoon traffic would seem an appropriate opportunity to link my phone via the bluetooth connection, setup the radio station presets, my preferences for the sound system, etc. However, the narrow display mounted on top of the dash, together with the heavily populated satellite control cluster being searched by my right hand behind the steering wheel, suggest I wait until I can safely dedicate more attention. Something that is requiring my attention in the first few kilometers is the clutch. It feels unnecessarily over weighted and I find myself fussing over smooth pull-aways as the short pedal travel and lively response of the accelerator require some practice to balance.

As traffic begins to thin out on the freeway, I set the cruise control to our national speed limit and change the trip computer display to keep an eye on the average fuel consumption. The relatively smooth tarmac passes beneath the car with a muted roar, while wind noise is acceptable considering the moderate south easterly wind buffeting the RS from the side. With the car and myself in partial-auto-pilot, I take time to appreciate the Mégane’s interior. The build quality is solid and the Mégane’s leather trimmed steering wheel, gear stick and handbrake lever exude quality. A number of small details separate the RS from the standard Mégane adding to its sporty character. These include carbon fibre inserts on the dashboard; aluminium door handles; yellow stitching on the gear stick and steering wheel that match the background of the rev-counter; as well as chrome highlights surrounding the instrument dials. I coast left off the freeway into an empty parking spot at an Engen One-Stop. The average fuel consumption reads 9.1 L/100km – not bad for a steady 120 km/h, fighting a south easter and climbing up hill out of Cape Town – but for the next 150 kilometers I plan to put the RS through its paces and expect that’ll be the last I see of single digit consumption figures. To make sure I’m up to the task, I put an end to the distraction of my rumbling stomach with a Steri Stumpie and packet of biltong.

A few kilometers down the road the Du Toit’s Kloof pass looms large. The RS Cup is equipped with the Renault Sport Monitor and in preparation of the entertainment ahead I begin pressing buttons on the satellite control cluster to call up the details on the dash-mounted display. Alas, in the end I do the unthinkable. I pull off the road and read the manual. 10 Minutes later, after scrutinising the index, I eventually phone a friend who advises the correct combination of buttons to activate the system. Thankfully though, I now have access to: change the throttle map between one of five levels of sensitivity; real-time performance data such as power, torque, turbo pressure, lateral and longitudinal G-forces; a built-in lap timer; 0 – 100 km/h sprint times and more.

With the throttle response set to ‘Extreme’ and the ESP system set to ‘Sport’, I crawl back onto the tarmac, point the nose towards the mountain and burry the accelerator pedal. My heavy grip on the steering wheel proves unecessary, as the Cup’s ‘PerfoHub’ independent front suspension staves off the anticipated torque steer. I snatch second gear and a few moments later the rev indicator beeps to tell me to grab third. The process repeats itself and by the time I’m in fifth, the speedo is way into the triple digits. The first few corners of this pass are high-speed and have some potentially unsettling mid-turn bumps. As I pass over them, however, the Mégane tracks well and holds its line, imparting confidence. The first ‘real’ corner approaches quickly and I brake harder than necessary to discover the extent to which the car moves around under braking. There’s a hint of tramlining as expected from the less than perfect tarmac that’s been scared by heavy freight vehicles, but otherwise the RS Cup feels planted. The relatively slow entry speed allows the opportunity to accelerate hard out of the corner and test the traction provided by the LSD – plenty of grip is the feedback I receive, with little tendency for understeer at my pace.

As the altitude climbs, so do the revs. The RS pulls strongly all the way to the redline with no hint of being out of breath. The 2.0-litre engine is based on that of the previous Mégane F1 Team R26, but changes include a new twin-scroll turbocharger for enhanced response at low revs, together with continuously variable valve timing and revised fuel injection mapping. Despite the new twin-scroll turbo setup, the Mégane RS does take a moment to wind itself up from the lower rev-range, but builds power as the revs rise. As I continue over the pass it becomes clear that the 184 kW and 340 Nm of torque are an excellent match with the chassis. I quickly find a rhythm through the turns. Turn-in is sharp, followed by limited bodyroll, with good feel through the steering and chassis. The car feels flat through fast changes of direction and the Brembo brakes are commanding in their action. The clutch I was at odds with around town, now makes sense as I’m able to execute shifts in what seems like milliseconds.

With the mountain behind me, I slot the car into sixth gear and set a more sedate pace on the cruise control. In my mind I’m smiling because the Mégane RS Cup has just delivered a cracking drive – one that many promise, but which Renault manage to deliver throughout their RS range. I can’t help but compare it with the front-wheel drive Ford Focus RS, with its more powerful 2.5-litre turbocharged engine and extrovert styling. In short, my money is on the RS Cup as the better all-rounder. It isn’t as quick as the Focus, but it feels more agile, more communicative and easier to get the best from, making it more fun, more of the time.

For the next 100 kilometers across the dry open landscape I let the Cup loose. With a claimed top speed of 250 km/h the RS isn’t slow, but on the odd occasion I did find myself wondering how much road it would need to test that claim. More importantly though, it dawned on me that the Cup chassis isn’t as ‘hardcore’ as I’d expected. The seats are comfortable and the ride is firm and controlled, but not uncompromising. In fact I’d say the regular Mégane RS is the compromise – all the performance, but without the means to use it in the way the Cup-spec version does. The regular RS comes with a built-in TomTom GPS whereas the Cup doesn’t, but I still managed to find my elusive destination in McGregor (called ‘The G-Spot‘, I kid you not) just fine without it. Besides, with the way the Mégane RS Cup entertains, I’m not sure I’d want to follow a GPS direct to my destination and would be quite happy tearing through the countryside completely lost.

What we like…

• Balanced, communicative chassis, excellent handling and help from the LSD.
• Racey looks without being as lairy as the Focus RS or Subaru WRX STI.

We would like…

• A slightly bigger screen for the Sport Monitor display.
• Slightly larger range of adjustment on the steering wheel.
• A more direct feel from the gear lever, with a little more hydraulic assistance on the clutch.

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