The Megane Renault Sport 250 Cup Car Clips It Right
Introduced in December 2010 to the Malaysian market, this car is provoking the various Japanese and European performance cars out there. Being a status symbol on the roads, the Megane 250 Cup car is one of the best examples of making a track car, a daily driver.
The Megane Renault Sport is powered by a new-generation 2-litre 16-valve turbocharged petrol engine which boasts maximum power of 250hp (184kW) at 5,500rpm and peak torque of 340Nm from 3,000rpm. It all translates to one mean machine with great torque and maximum acceleration that has comes with a shifter light to tell you to upshift the gears when you hit the rev limiter.
The car has a pronounced styling with bulging frontal ends, and a sloping rear. Sounding like the likes of feminine origin, visually it is the very aggressive styling that makes this car very mouth watering. The car has a sleek rear that will constantly keep you looking at it twice over. Moving the car around, it attracts attention. Defining the car next to a Subaru Impreza Version 9, it is larger in totality despite being only a 2 door car. Competitors to this car are the Ford RS, Golf R, and Scirocco R. However, Malaysia does not necessarily have those cars readily available for test drives or for purchase yet.
Driving the Renault Sport 250 Cup, the car will awe you in its ease of driving at all speeds. It is not a badge on the Megane Sport 250 as their Formula 1 experience and technology is evidently translated onto this car. The car has a R.S Monitor ( Onboard Telemetry ) that gives you real time data on your acceleration from 0-100kmph, G-Meter, Lap Times, Boost Pressure, Oil Pressure, Water Temps, and various others. It even tells you what gears to use, should you be downshifting too early with the wrong gears. Once inside you will feel the ergonomics that went into designing the feel of an actual racing car cockpit. Big on the inside, the interior cabin is not your average family car and it will tuck you in instantly. One will know it is a driver’s car when you are able to reach the pedals firmly, and the seating position is just right. The position of the gearshift is at the right axis with nothing obscuring your left elbow. The gear throw position to the top gears of 1, 3, & 6 are perfectly positioned in alignment to the steering wheel. It has the right height for fast shifting to hand positioning in relation to the wheel. Having raced many cars before, this car took only seconds to feel as one inside the car.
Taking the car to the streets, the car will drive like any other normal car. However we must remember that it is rare to find a traditional manual car in the market lately. The Megane only comes with a 6-speed manual transmission box. The gearing is smooth, and clutching in is very easy, feels like any other average car. If there was traffic, you need not be hesitant to drive it as the only thing that may boggle you is the fact that you may not be able to put the power down during jams!
The Recaro bucket seats are standard in the R250 Cup with the airbags on the side. A yellow rev counter is on the cluster panel, and the entire interior is lined up with yellow livery. The Megane R250 Cup has a Cup Chassis, Limited Slip Differential, G-Force Meter, Pre-Set Pedal Maps, Recaro Seats, and huge Brembo Brakes. The only reason there is a 250 numerical distinction on its nameplate is only due to it large horsepower of 250Bhp at 5,500rpm on a Front Wheel Drive hot hatch. Delivering all this power in the Megane is handled by a 6 speed Manual transmission gearbox.
The car has loads of torque at 340Nm at 3,000rpm. It is also the only car in its class to feature a full Onboard Telemetry, LSD, Cup Suspension and Four-pot Brembo front calipers. Driving this car, it comes alive after 5,000rpm when the sound changes immensely as the twin scroll turbine kicks in. The car launches as you kick the pedal to the floor with the revs climbing really fast as you up the gears. The gearing does not give you the empty feeling of the usual European cars, this one goes in quickly and with the short shifter feel.
Clipping the corners with the Megane R250 Cup, the car has a firm footing on the roads. No side stepping when you take hard bends, makes you feel as though it is a 4WD, but it is not. The LSD works well during the corners, as you are able to input the throttle gradually to feel every degree of turn angle. The steering is really positive, with the ability to tell you where the front wheels are exactly. In the video of the Renault Megane R250 in SIC by DrivingMotion.com, you can see the clipping points of the front tires go exactly to the point of desired direction. It is a neutral balanced car with really planted footing.
This car just wants to go, and I found the car to be really exciting to drive. The Push-Start button gives it a real race car feel with the bucket seat hugging your body. The frontal end of this car seems to be running non-metal fenders, as I have been accessing the car thoroughly. Possibly lighten materials or reinforced plastic which I cannot confirm the name as it was not stated on the product brief. One thing for sure is that this car is your everyday track toy on the road! The new Megane Cup car, has a 3 year warranty on it with a 100,000km limited mileage or whichever comes first. Making it available only in 3 color choices here ; Yellow, White and Grey, this car is the ideal track weapon at a price tag of RM229,800 on the road excluding insurance. For more details of this fast track and road car, log onto www.renault.com.my.
