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2018 Renault Megane RS Is The Best Hot Hatchback At IAA 2017

The wait is finally over! After numerous spy photos, leaks, and a preview at the 2017 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, the all-new Megane RS goes official at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Up close and personal, it ticks all the right hot hatchback boxes, and then some.
2018 Renault Megane RS live photo at 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show 54 photos
Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
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From the trademark Renault Sport fog lights to the R.S. badge under the front grille ornament and the flared wheel arches, everything oozes go-faster prowess. And as it happens, the 2018 Renault Megane RS is far more capable than the previous model, despite the fact it comes exclusively with five doors.

The engine is an all-new design, the 1.8 TCe that made its debut in the mid-engine Alpine A110 sports car. In the case of the Sport chassis, you’re looking at 280 PS (205 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 390 Nm (288 pound-feet) of torque from 2,400 to 5,000 rpm. Stepping up to the Cup version cranks things up from the driver’s point of view, but not performance. For the latter, the Trophy fits the bill with 300 PS (221 kW) and 400 Nm (295 pound-feet).

While the Sport is more oriented toward comfort, the Cup adds more aggressive wheels, a limited-slip differential, and specific settings for the springs, dampers, bump stops, and anti-roll bar stiffness. The Trophy is the real star here, with Renault expected to challenge the front-wheel-drive Nurburgring lap record of the 2017 Honda Civic Type R (7m 3.8s).

Unique in the segment, the 2018 Renault Megane RS comes with 4Control four-wheel steering. Featured as standard are 355-millimeter front brake discs with Brembo calipers. Optionally available are bi-material cast iron and aluminum discs, which improve the compact hot hatchback’s stopping power.

Not willing to run with the pack, Renault engineered the all-new Megane RS with two choices of transmission. The short-throw six-speed manual is one-upped by the EDC automatic box, which also has six forward ratios.

Wanna have a guess how much high-octane jungle juice the Megane RS drinks up? According to the New European Driving Cycle, the 1.8-liter four-pot turbo emits 155 grams of CO2 per kilometers, translating to 6.9 liters per 100 kilometers. That, in turn, equates to an improvement of 11 percent.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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