Stripped out and tuned up Megane 275 Trophy-R smashes front-wheel drive 'ring record

rjk

rjk

rjk

Caporegime
Joined
8 Aug 2007
Posts
25,380
Stripped out and tuned up Megane 275 Trophy-R smashes front-wheel drive 'ring record ** UPDATE - HONDA CTR... **

Article Here

If you're 'ringed out then apologies. But confirmation that a stripped out version of the new Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy called the Trophy-R has bagged a new front-wheel drive Nordschleife lap record with a time of 7min 54.3sec deserves your attention, whatever your view on the relevance of such manhood measurement contests.

Having slapped existing record holders SEAT across the chops the Renaultsport gauntlet is now thrown to the feet of Honda, whose Civic Type R development team must now be a little thoughtful about the publicly stated goal of it being the fastest front-wheel drive car around the 'ring. Especially when they learn the extent of the modifications required
Click to expand...

Sub 8 mins is very impressive indeed. In my view though, I would have liked to hear about what the standard Megane 275 is capable of as a comparison.

Whilst the addition of race compound tyres, high performance dampers and extensive weight saving measurements are clearly a huge benefit over the standard road car, I cant help but think that perhaps an ultra expensive, ultra limited production run model such as this should be setting the benchmarks.

I think it ultimately makes the concept of Ring laptimes pointless if you arent comparing stock car to stock car. Honda certainly made a rod for their own backs saying that the new CTR would smash the record on the Ring, but given the level of tuning and modification on this Megane, it seems unlikely to me that Honda will be able to get close to this new record without offering a similarly track focussed 'Nurburgring Pack' car that nobody can afford.
 
Last edited:
The Leon that recent did a quick lap was nothing like a car you can buy either, the Megane seems to be constantly overlooked.
 
Lookign forward to the new CTR, this puts a lot of pressure on Honda's shoulders as they want to take the "fastes FWD production car aroudn the 'ring" record.
 
I was far more impressed with the time from the original Megane RS given that it can get round the 'ring in just over 8 minutes yet can still seat four and be decently practical.
 
Not too surprised it went quicker than the Leon, would be interesting to see what a 250/265 could do with the same tyres
 
£36 grand, 2 seats, no climate control and even more money if you want to actually have the car that set that time. Then after all that it's still FWD.

Why not just buy something fast if you want something fast!
 
Sin_Chase said:
£36 grand, 2 seats, no climate control and even more money if you want to actually have the car that set that time. Then after all that it's still FWD.

Why not just buy something fast if you want something fast!
Click to expand...

Why do anything in that case.
Why buy a car, why not just walk, or get a segway.

It was about smashing a lap record, which they did, that was all.
 
Sin_Chase said:
£36 grand, 2 seats, no climate control and even more money if you want to actually have the car that set that time. Then after all that it's still FWD.

Why not just buy something fast if you want something fast!
Click to expand...

It is fast? So what if it's FWD and a hatchback?
 
It is indeed impressive!

But 36k for a French car, that will drop in value like crazy, just look at the R26.R prices how they fell, they have stabilised now but are nowhere near their original cost.

For this money buy a CSL, it laps the ring quicker on the older tyres and on carp brakes, one can only imagine how quick a CSL would now be on new cup 2's and with sorted brakes. Plus the CSL is far nicer insider compared to the Megan and well you probably won't loose a penny, if anything it will appreciate. Oh and lastly it sounds glorious, no carp sounding dull turbo. :)
 
The R26.R was £23-25k new and the cheapest on PH is £16k, hardly catastrophic after 5 years! Someone looking at a new hot hatch isn't going to spend 30k on a 10 year old BMW, sorry but I don't get that comparison at all.
 
Last edited:
Quicker than most supercars around the rind, M3s R8 Ferraris and loads more exotic cars, very impressive a Renault Megane can keep pase, who said FWD cant be quick and go round corners ;)
 
Janesy B said:
The R26.R was £23-25k new and the cheapest on PH is £16k, hardly catastrophic after 5 years!
Click to expand...

I suspect at 36k the new one will crash more, being a much higher starting price, your gonna loose more than 10k on it, its still slower than a CSL which are holding value and in some cases appreciating.

I just know which one I'd prefer to buy. :)
Not taking away its a great achievement of course, but having driven a CSL and Meganes, I know which one was far more fun and every drive a true event.
 
Gibbo said:
I suspect at 36k the new one will crash more, being a much higher starting price, your gonna loose more than 10k on it, its still slower than a CSL which are holding value and in some cases appreciating.
Click to expand...

How did CSLs get brought into this?
 
Last edited:
I think it will be interesting to see what the Civic brings to the table.

the marketing campaign behind the new CTR is pretty decent. I cant remember seeing so much hype over a hot hatch for quite a bit.

I just find it difficult to believe that the showroom car is going to be able to break this record.
 
Vigoro said:
If it does, I can see it being boring to drive on the road
Click to expand...

It may suffer from "GTR-syndrome", not that I've ever driven one.

However I have heard that they are a car you need to drive at 100% to feel like you are going fast, and a GTR driven at 100% will land you in trouble.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom