Renault Megane RS 265 Test Drive Review

Renault Megane RS 265 Test Drive Review

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Unlike most other markets, Renault does not enjoy sufficient volumes in Malaysia to play its usual role as a mass market brand. Unable to price its mainstream models competitively, local distributors TC Euro Cars resolved to focus its attention on niche models instead, particularly those of the Renault Sport (RS) variety to tingle the senses of the enthusiast market.

Renault’s current line-up in Malaysia consists of only the Clio RS 200, the Koleos, and the subject of our review today, the Megane RS 265, which succeeds the highly popular Megane RS 250. The RS 265 was introduced worldwide as part of a mild facelift of the Megane range in 2012 and it duly arrived in Malaysia earlier this year in January.

Renault classifies this silhouette as a coupe. The Megane hatch is actually a five-door model.


Price & Specs

At RM240,888 with insurance, the new Megane RS 265 costs just RM5,000 extra over the outgoing RS 250 which it replaces. Working the math out, your extra RM5,000 outlay buys you an increase in 15hp and 20Nm of outputs. Aftermarket tuners may or may not be able to sell you such increases, but going to them also has the unfortunate effect of voiding your factory warranty. With the Megane RS 265, you’re getting 265 factory-backed horses and 360Nm of torque.

To achieve the added outputs, Renault upped boost levels of the 2.0-litre F4R engine’s turbocharger and reworked the engine’s piping to enhance its acoustics along with it. Drive goes to the front via a good old-fashioned 6-speed manual transmission. Renault Sport engineers were not keen to entertain requests for two-pedaled alternatives, but with the next Clio RS already set to receive a dual-clutch ‘box, there is a likelihood that the next Megane RS will follow suit.

Smoked headlamps and daytime running lights.


Two chassis setups are available worldwide for the Megane RS, and the folks at TC Euro have opted to pick the more aggressive Cup chassis setup as standard specification for Malaysia. In other parts of the world, you can differentiate this from units with the milder Sport chassis by examining the 290mm rear disc brakes – they are slotted in units with the Cup chassis.

Buyers with some extra money to spend in the name of exclusivity can have a look at the Trophy Edition priced at a RM10k premium over the regular model. Sporting Renault Sport’s distinctive Sirius Yellow Metallic paint job, the RS 265 Trophy wears exclusive 19-inch alloy wheels with Bridgestone Potenza RE050 tyres all-round (standard model use 18″ Michelins) and each unit is stamped with a numbered plaque.

Rear is virtually identical to the 250.


Exterior

Are you the kind of person who regularly forget to lock your cars? If yes, the Megane RS has a nifty little feature that will have you sorted out. Renault’s smart key system not only facilitates keyless access, it automatically locks your car once you take the key fob more than a couple of meters away from the car’s position – provided the engine is switched off, of course. Having said that, those with more than one car at home should take extra care not to become too reliant on this particular convenience.

It takes more than a sharp eye to differentiate the RS 265 from its 250 predecessor. I certainly wouldn’t presume to do so at a glance. The differentiating details are subtle; pay attention to the rims, door handles, headlights, and daytime running lights. Whilst still measuring 18 inches and painted dark, the rims now sport a new design. Headlights are now smoked and the row of daytime running lights has been stretched from just three LEDs each side to a longer six-LED layout. The outer door handles have dropped their previous matte silver colour for a dark finish.

Renault only subtly enhanced the 265’s front fascia over the 250’s.


Interior

The Megane’s cabin sports a cleanly designed fascia that pleasingly does away with fussy details. More Japanese than French, its layout is straight forward and unintimidating, although this is not to say it is free from typical French quirks. The steering-mounted buttons, for example, operate only cruise control, which you have to activate via a centre console-mounted switch. Remote audio buttons are placed on a separate stalk behind the steering wheel. Its overall ergonomics are still not as intuitive as a Japanese vehicle’s.

Available storage space for small items is decent, with just about enough cubby holes to swallow my handphone and keys. Not as plentiful as a Honda or Toyota cabin, but not too inconvenient to live with. A complement of four average-sized adults can just about fit inside the cabin’s modest accommodations with the caveat that the front seats are not pushed far back. There is a decent amount of head and leg room, but we suspect that might not be the case in a non-RS Megane with thicker regular front seats.

The Recaro front seats are pleasingly comfortable and provide excellent lateral support. I have very accurate means of judging this subject matter – my stiff back does not react well to poorly-designed front pews after spirited trunk road runs; I took the 265 up Bukit Tinggi and then to Genting Highlands on separate days, both occasions emerging none the worse for wear – the hour-long jam along Jalan Kuching coming back into town proved more tiresome.

Rear seats are actually decent, but small windows give claustrophobic feel.


Driving Experience

Friends of mine who advocate that the torsion beam is an adequate alternative to independent rear suspension often quote the Megane RS as an example to support their argument. Strong and convincing evidence to be sure, although that does not take into the account the considerable expertise of Renault Sport’s brilliant chassis engineers. Overseas reviews of the regular Megane are typically less effusive about its dynamics.

The Megane RS’ brilliant handling is achieved in spite of and not because of its torsion beam rear suspension, and it is testimony of Renault Sport’s talents that many of the torsion beam’s usual vices – bump steer and a twitchy rear chief amongst them – are rendered inert in the RS’ bespoke chassis. What’s perhaps even more impressive is how a car that sends 265hp and 360Nm to the front wheels is surprisingly devoid of torque steer. You can thank the genius who thought of separating its front suspension and steering axis for that.

Renault Sport’s most crucial accomplishment with the Megane RS is arguably how its sharp dynamics came at a minimal expense to day-to-day usability. Primary ride quality is exemplary – bumps and potholes are absorbed with great authority – although secondary ride seems to have deteriorated a little with ripples and painted strips felt rather more keenly than I recalled of the RS 250. It’s not the most comfortable ride around, but for a car engineered to blaze Sepang in 2:41 and head home on its own after that, the breadth of its dynamic repertoire is astonishing.

Steering buttons operate cruise control. Audio is controlled on a separate stalk.


The impressive duality of the Megane RS’ character is also greatly facilitated by a highly flexible engine. I took it on a test run to Genting Highlands via the old Jalan Gombak road, and using a relaxed approach, the RS 265 was actually able to negotiate almost the entire route in third gear, with only the sharpest of bends requiring a drop to second. The six-speed manual shifter slots with reasonable slickness, but I personally found downshifting from 3rd to 2nd particularly difficult to pull off smoothly.

For reasons of safety, I am typically dis-inclined to fiddle with the ESPs of test cars on public roads these days. I decided to make an exception with the 265 as my understanding is that in the ESP’s normal mode, the engine defaults to a lower 250hp state of tune. Accessing the engine’s full compliment of 265hp requires switching ESP to ‘Sport’ mode, and the difference is quite noticeable – throttle response is crisper whilst still being highly manageable. The car feels sharper and more alive without being brutally wild.

Manual shifter’s transition from 3rd to 2nd was not easy to master. Decent distribution of storage.


Verdict

Like the RS 250 before it, the Megane RS 265 is a highly accomplished machine that boasts an impressively wide breadth of abilities. Its performance is accessible over an impossibly wide range of conditions – you can essentially drive this car to Sepang, hammer a few laps around the SIC, and subsequently drive it back yourself, and at a relatively brisk pace too.

For what it is, a highly focused performance vehicle, the Megane RS is competently practical, providing decent amounts of space for four passengers and a healthy amount of luggage to boot. There are some compromises for sure, but not nearly as much as one would expect of such a car. There is still no such thing as having the best of everything, but the Megane RS gets as close to that as one could hope for.



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