We can’t think of a better pairing of two adrenalin pumping stimulants than Red Bull and the Renault Megane R.S. They’ve come together for a limited edition car called the RB7, and an unmissable photo opportunity with F1 pilots Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.

This latest limited edition RenaultSport joins the Clio and Twingo in getting the Red Bull Racing RB7 treatment. Why RB7 you may ask? Well, the Red Bull F1 team has been using Renault engines since 2007, hence the ‘7’. We are rather besotted with the fast Renault Megane. As you may already know, we used the 265 Trophy to claim a solid second place finish at the 2012 Renault Simola Hillclimb in the media challenge, (bettered only by former multiple national champ Deon Joubert – Ed.)

Perhaps then it is a bit odd that Renault have introduced an engine stop/start system that changes power output rather than simply offer even more performance with the RB7. The RB7 receives the same engine as the Sport or Cup Megane R.S., with 184 kW and 340 Nm when the stop/start system is active.

Then, when you switch the system off, the RB7 goes all ‘Incredible Hulk’ on itself and becomes a 265 Trophy with 195 kW and 360 Nm – the ‘265’ nomenclature is a reference to the car’s horsepower. The rest of the car features Renault’s Cup chassis, a limited-slip differential and red brake callipers, as well as the Renault Sport Monitor.

The visual enhancements for the limited edition R.S. include: Etoilé Black body paint; a checkered flagpattern roof decal;Sirius Yellow detailing on F1-style front blade, door mirror housings and rear diffuser; as well as plenty of Red Bull graphics and a numbered plaque to go with your purchase.

With the introduction of engine stop/start technology, the RB7’s fuel consumption is pegged at a claimed and combined figure of just 7.5 L/100km (down 0.7 L/100km) and CO2 emissions are 174 g/km (down 16 g/km).

The RB7 will be available in 24 countries worldwide, but is unlikely to make the long journey down to South Africa. That’s fine because at R 409 900, the locally available Renault Megane R.S. 265 Trophy is still the high performance bargain of the decade – if you’re thinking about it, don’t, we urge you to go buy one before they are all taken!

French automaker Renault has taken the wraps off its fastest model ever, the new Renault Megane Renaultsport 265 Trophy, which is set to make its official world debut at the World Series by Renault motorsports event at the Nurburgring circuit in Germany next weekend.

The new car is based on the Megane Coupe first revealed back in 2008, but thanks to the hard work of the automaker’s motorsport division, Renaultsport, the car now sports a 195 kW output and a chassis built with technology derived from the Megane Trophy race car (pictured below). With 195 kW, complemented by a healthy 360 N.m of torque, the Renault Megane Renaultsport 265 Trophy will now sprint to 100 km/h from rest in 6.0 seconds flat and reach a top speed of 253 km/h.

The extra performance is courtesy of additional boost pressure from the car’s turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, which remains matched to a six-speed manual gearbox and driving the front wheels. Also intact is Renault’s ‘Cup’ chassis, which features a limited-slip differential as well as separate steering and suspension axes for improved handling and resistance to torque and bump steer. Also standard are a set of Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tyres, which are wrapped around 19-inch glossy black wheels, Brembo brakes, Recaro seats, LED daytime running lights, a display screen for performance tracking and an individually numbered plaque – just 500 will be built.

Following last year’s launch of Renault Sport’s Twingo Gordini RS, Renault South Africa has expanded the Gordini range with the launch of the new Clio Gordini Renault Sport at the 2011 Knysna Hillclimb, sponsored by Renault.

Clio Gordini is to Renault, as John Cooper Works is to Mini and DS3 is to Citroen, that is, a fast hot hatch with an added dash of style and exclusivity. ”The Clio Gordini Renault Sport combines the award-winning credentials of the Clio Renault Sport with the proud heritage of the Gordini name to produce a truly segment-defining hot hatch,” says Xavier Gobille, managing director of Renault South Africa. “Accordingly, it will appeal to a growing number of drivers seeking an exclusive yet affordable performance car with a distinctive character and a race-inspired legacy to match.”

Amédée Gordini established the Gordini company that transformed production cars into racers, modified regular engines for competition in endurance and grand prix racing, and even built specialist racing cars under his own banner. In 1956 Renault approached ‘The Sorcerer’, as he was commonly known, to develop its rear-engined Dauphine sedan into a competitive rally car and the rest, as they say, is history. Eventually the Gordini company was merged into Renault and it became the foundation for Renault Sport Technologies (RS), which has gone on to produce the impressive RS versions of the Clio, Mégane and Twingo over the years. It’s fitting, then, that Renault pays homage to Amédée Gordini and the legendary cars that he spurred the development of.

In the case of the new Renault Clio Gordini Renault Sport, the hatch retains all the virtues that make it our favorite hot hatch of the moment, but adds the eye-catching and unique Gordini styling. Easliy identifiable from the standard or Clio RS ’20th’ Special Edition models, the Clio Gordini wears exclusive Malta Blue paint, together with twin white stripes that extend from the bonnet, over the roof to the tailgate – paying tribute to the racing Gordinis of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Further styling enhancements include white exterior mirror housings and F1-style aerodynamic front splitter, diamond-effect 12-spoke aluminium alloy wheels, as well as ‘Gordini Series’ badges on each flank.

The Gordini spirit continues in the cabin too, with Gordini-badged Renault Sport seats, trimmed in black leather with blue accents along the lower and upper side bolsters. The top section of the leather-trimmed three-spoke sports steering wheel is finished in blue leather, with two white stripes to indicate the straight-ahead position. Similarly, the gear lever features a blue leather gaiter and a metallic Gordini-branded gear knob, bolstered by a numbered Gordini plaque on the gearlever console, carpet mats with blue edging and Gordini branding.

The instrumentation echoes this performance hatchback’s racing disposition, including a rev counter dial with white background, as well as the on-board Renault Sport Telemetry Display that made its debut on the Mégane RS Cup. The system provides the driver with real-time performance and vehicle data, as well as several options to tailor the throttle and engine response.

As mentioned, the Renault Clio Gordini RS retains the virtues of the standard Clio RS, meaning a superb chassis and suspension system, matched to a potent, high-revving naturally aspirated engine. The Clio Gordini RS features the sportier Cup chassis as standard, which offers a firmer and more focused set-up, providing an even more exhilarating driving experience than the standard car. An independent steering axis front suspension ensures precise steering and together with low-profile 215/45 R17 tyres, endows the hatch with serious levels of grip. Stopping power comes courtesy of Brembo four-piston callipers that bite into ventilated 312 mm front discs and 300 mm solid discs at the rear. ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution is standard. The Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) can be turned off for spirited driving, such as at the Knysna Hillclimb where media raced the cars up the 1.9 kilometer course.

At the heart of the Clio Renault Sport is a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine that develops 147.5 kW, or a class-leading 75 kW per litre. The engine pulls strongly all the way to the 7 500 r/min redline, although peak power is achieved at 7 100 r/min. Torque of 215 Nm is available at 5 400 r/min, but as media found out after the first few smokey starts at the Knysna Hillclimb, the Clio Gordini is plenty quick off the mark without the tacho needle pointing skywards. Once on the move, the slick-shifting six-speed manual gearbox is one of the most satisfying to use and plays an important role in the Clio’s 0 – 100 km/h sprint of 6.9 seconds.

As the range-topping variant in the Clio Renault Sport range, the Gordini boasts a premium level of standard features, including a rain sensor and automatic headlight activation, dedicated cornering lights and electrically folding exterior mirrors. Other convenience features include cruise control with speed limiter, Renault’s hands-free key and ignition card, automatic climate control and dark-tinted rear windows. On the audio front, the Gordini Renault Sport is equipped with an 80-watt CD receiver with MP3 playback, a separate dashboard-mounted display and steering wheel controls, as well as Bluetooth and multimedia connectivity with USB and iPod connections.

Whether you have penchant for hot hatches, historic racing heritage and stand-out styling, or even if you don’t, the new Renault Clio Gordini Renault Sport is a car that will never fail to involve its driver from the moment the brilliant, naturally aspirated, 2.0-litre engine fires into life. In fact, we feel like getting our hands on a set of keys and driving one right now!

The Renault Clio Gordini Renault Sport is priced at R279 900 and includes a 5-year/150 000 km warranty and 3-year/60 000 km service plan.

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.

Renault South Africa chose to launch their new flagship Renault Mégane RS at the 2nd annual Knysna Hill Climb, staged in the heart of the country’s picturesque Garden Route.

Local media were introduced to the latest high performance Renault with an undulating and enticing test route between George and Knysna, before strapping themselves in once more to battle each other for the fastest time up the Hill Climb course over the 3-day event.

As fun and competent as the Mégane RS was to race up the 1.9 km hill to the Simola Golf Estate, the car’s true character and talents shone out in the real world of the Western Cape’s back roads and mountain passes.

The previous generation, Mégane II RS, was arguably the performance leader of the hot hatch pack thanks to its blend of power and handling. There is no doubt the concept of what put the ‘hot’ into the term ‘hot hatch’ has stepped up a notch. Today’s power figures push the limits of what was considered possible in a front wheel drive hatchback just a few years ago, along with technology that was previously associated with more exotic machinery.

Knowing all this, it is expected that Renault Sport Technologies, the company’s specialist high performance division, would deliver a car that continues the recipe for success of the previous Mégane RS, while meeting the ideals and demands of modern hot hatch appeal. And they’ve done just that, bringing to market one of the most capable and convincing packages yet.

Renault SA managing director, Xavier Gobille says, “The exciting new Mégane RS is the flag bearer of the Renault Sport range, and represents the pinnacle of the brand’s sporting identity. It combines the latest in design and technology…and also offers the unique proposition of the Sport chassis for everyday driving, or the exceptional Cup chassis, which is targeted at the true sports car enthusiast.”

Based on the already eye-catching and sleek Mégane Coupé, the RS’s sweeping lines are blended with focused, performance-oriented styling revisions, including extended wheel arches to accommodate the lightweight 18-inch alloy wheels, or 19-inch Speedline wheels in the case of the Cup version. The muscular stance is further accentuated by the broad, aggressive air intake and familiar RS gloss black finish of the front bumper, complemented by a Formula 1-style aerodynamic blade, along with bright white LED daytime running lights on the outer edges. The coupé’s sporting intent is given further credit at the rear, where a central exhaust tailpipe, diffuser and lip spoiler take pride of place, leaving no doubts as to the Mégane’s sporting credentials.

Inside, the sportiness continues with a dark carbon trim across the dash that compliments the yellow background of the rev counter and the stitching on the leather-trimmed steering wheel. The all-round focus of the Mégane RS Sport model is made clear by the Renault Sport leather seats, while the more focused Mégane RS Cup gains a set of superbly supportive leather-trimmed Recaro seats – complete with integral side airbags and competition harness slots. Aluminium-faced footrest and pedals, along with Renault Sport badging on the door sills, headrests, rev counter and dashboard trim round off a functional, comfortable and premium interior.

Incidentally, if you’ve felt like the Mégane RS has taken a while to arrive locally, you’d be correct. Initially expected in June, it’s been those Recaros that have caused a delay. Renault SA demanded further technical development of the integral airbag system, as well as durability testing of the leather, whereas other world markets make do with cloth trim.

Let’s get down to business then. The most evolved edition of the 2nd generation Mégane, the Mégane F1 Team R26, produced 169 kW and 310 Nm of torque, enough punch to make it one of the more powerful contenders in its class. Using its 16-valve engine as a base, Renault has developed a new generation, Euro 5-compliant 2,0-litre turbocharged derivative.

The key differences include the use of a twin-scroll turbocharger for enhanced response at low revs, together with the application of continuously variable valve timing and revised fuel injection mapping. Additionally, more than 25 percent of the engine components are new.

The result is an exhilarating 184 kW of maximum power at 5 500 r/min, matched to 340 Nm of torque at 3 000 r/min. Notably, a full 80 percent of peak torque is available from as low as 1 900 r/min, providing smooth acceleration and greater responsiveness.

The new engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, equipped with taller ratios, increased shift precision and a sportier feel. The Mégane RS Sport has a lighter clutch action than the more focused Cup chassis version, which demands more attention adding to the Cup’s more involving drive.

When it all comes together, the Mégane RS leaps off the line and reaches 100 km/h in 6,1 seconds, while the standing 1 000 m start is covered in a snappy 25,7 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h.

Ever increasing environmental awareness means that Renault engineers have ensured the new Mégane RS returns class-leading fuel economy for its level of power. The combined fuel consumption figure is just 8,4 l/100 km, with an equivalent CO2 exhaust emissions rating of 195 g/km.

The acoustic character of the 2,0-lite turbocharged engine has also been tuned to produce a telltale sporty pitch, audible inside the cabin under acceleration. Surprisingly, we found the ‘relaxed’ Sport chassis model to be more vocal than the more aggressive Mégane RS Cup.

To cope with the sky rocketing performance figures making their way into modern hot hatches, engineers are being forced to evolve traditional suspension layouts and components in an effort to achieve an uncompromised driving experience.

To this end, the Renault Mégane RS has been equipped with the Renault Sport Performance Hub, or’ PerfoHub’ for short. Like the Ford Focus RS we drove recently, the Mégane RS has an independent steering axis front suspension. This arrangement ensures the stability of the front suspension under hard acceleration or when applying a significant amount of steering lock, thus countering torque steer. The front suspension is attached to a so-called ‘horned’ subframe, which ensures three times the level of resistance to transverse forces than that of the Mégane II RS. Additionally, compared to the standard Mégane Coupé, the damper housing and shaft diameters have been uprated, doubling the stiffness of the strut and maintaining the wheel geometry under load.

In response to customer demand, the new Mégane RS is available with a choice of two chassis configurations. The Sport chassis is designed to deliver an ideal balance between sports performance and everyday driving comfort. With the suspension lowered by 10 mm, while employing uprated damper and spring ratings, its anti-roll performance is improved by 12,5 percent over the standard Mégane Coupé.

However, the Cup chassis, with its limited-slip differential raises the bar to new heights, and is aimed at enthusiasts who enjoy distinctly sporty driving, as well as those that participate in track days. Compared to the Sport chassis, the anti-roll stiffness is increased by a further 13 percent, thanks to a thicker anti-roll bar in front, matched to a 7 percent stiffer set-up at the rear. The dampers are specific to the Cup too, and overall anti-roll stiffness increases by 15 percent over the Sport chassis.

Further bolstering the car’s competition-type performance is the fitment of a limited slip differential (LSD). The combination of the LSD and the independent steering axis front suspension minimises torque steer, while enabling the driver to profit fully from the extra traction and greater stability under braking.

At a glance, the two models are distinguishable by their wheel and tyre combinations – the Sport chassis features 18-inch wheels and 235/40 R18 tyres, while the Cup is available exclusively with 19-inch rims, matched to 235/35 R19 tyres. Both models use 340 mm and 290 mm sized brake discs at the front and rear respectively, gripped by Brembo brake callipers. The Cup model features grooved discs with red callipers.

Fitted as standard on the Cup version is the Renault Sport Monitor, a dash-mounted display that shows real-time performance data such as power, torque, turbo pressure, lateral and longitudinal G-forces, as well as a built in lap timer, 0 – 100 km/h sprint times and more. The system also enables the driver to choose from one of five throttle response settings, ranging from the most subdued ‘snow’, to the hairline trigger-like ‘extreme’.

With high levels of technology, it’s no surprise that the interior is sophisticated and refined to match. Standard equipment on the Sport version includes a Carminat TomTom navigation system and Arkamys 3D Sound audio system – which meets the latest standards in terms of MP3-compatibility, Bluetooth audio streaming and cellphone integration.

The Cup version is designed for enthusiast drivers, and boasts a more performance-oriented configuration. Along with the Cup chassis, limited-slip differential, Recaro leather seats and 19-inch alloy wheels, it gains the innovative Renault Sports Monitor, and uses a more conventional Radio/CD-player with Bluetooth and MP3 connection. Both models are equipped with full climate control, LED daytime running lights, as well as the Renault Keyless Card.

Driving the two car’s back-to-back, the different chassis setups were clearly recognisable. Where the Cup was dedicated to providing more feedback and connection with the road surface, the Sport was happy to cover ground at a rapid pace with a solid blend of comfort and composure. Like a teenager, the Cup is keen to get stuck in, while the Sport, like an experienced parent, is beyond the need to prove itself, is confident in its abilities, still knows a few tricks and is still capable of surprising the ‘youngster’.

Prices include a 5-year/100 000 km service plan and 5-year/150 000 km warranty. Service intervals are every 10 000 km.

The French police has announced it has ordered 70 Renault Mégane RS Cup hot hatches to be included as apart of the highway patrol fleet. The new cars are expected to begin services in France by the year’s end.

The Renault Sport Mégane Cup was on show at the 2010 Knysna Hill Climb this past weekend, showing off its 184 kW and 340 Nm, 2.0-litre turbocharged engine on the 1.9 km route.

The car is already capable of sprinting from 0-100km/h in just 6.0 seconds and has a top speed of 250 km/h, but French police authorities have ordered the car to come with specially-tuned suspension and limited-slip differential. French police claim this car will help them catch offenders more easily and more effectively.

Having been launched at the Knysna Hill Climb this past weekend, you can read our first impressions of the new Mégane.