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

Sin_Chase · 16 Jun 2014 at 14:35

Janesy B said:
It is fast? So what if it's FWD and a hatchback?

You missed the point.

If you want to buy a car to smash the ring in, you don't buy a stripped out, very expensive 2 seat hatchback.

It's a somewhat pointless halo product. It will be bought by people who want to talk about how quick it laps the ring and will likely never, ever go there.

I just do not see the market it is aiming at, which is likely why it is a limited run - Not for exclusivity, just for the fact there is zero market for 40 grand small hatchbacks which compromise for weight savings.

MassiveJim said:
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.

No debating the lap record. But it's a pointless consumer car. ANYONE can throw enough money at anything and make it break records, does not mean it all of a sudden becomes relevant.

NathWraith · 16 Jun 2014 at 14:52

Sin_Chase said:
No debating the lap record. But it's a pointless consumer car. ANYONE can throw enough money at anything and make it break records, does not mean it all of a sudden becomes relevant.

- Is it FWD? YES
- Is it a production car? YES
- Did it break the laptime around the 'ring? YES

/thread

Sin_Chase · 16 Jun 2014 at 14:55

NathWraith said:
- Is it FWD? YES
- Is it a production car? YES
- Did it break the laptime around the 'ring? YES

/thread

Your point?

Unless your point is "Discussion about anything but the fact it made a lap time record is irrelevant" you do not appear to have one?

The opening post questions the 'legitimacy' of said record. I merely echo my previous comments and would argue that it's not a 'production' (in the ordinary sense) car at all. Does a limited run car with a plethora of exotic options that cost £££££££ make it a production vehicle? To satisfy the rules of Ring Record setting, perhaps. But that's about it.

spaz · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:02

Sin_Chase said:
You missed the point.

If you want to buy a car to smash the ring in, you don't buy a stripped out, very expensive 2 seat hatchback.

It's a somewhat pointless halo product. It will be bought by people who want to talk about how quick it laps the ring and will likely never, ever go there.

I just do not see the market it is aiming at, which is likely why it is a limited run - Not for exclusivity, just for the fact there is zero market for 40 grand small hatchbacks which compromise for weight savings.

You've obviously never been there to see the amount of meganes (and other hot hatches of this ilk) to do exactly that.

It's more relevant than most specials that are produced

pepsilol · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:06

£36k for something made in France? I lol'd.

rjk · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:09

Sin_Chase said:
"Discussion about anything but the fact it made a lap time record is irrelevant"

what perhaps is more fitting is the following question:

"has this car made the record itself irrelevant?"

Janesy B · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:10

It's just a halo car that gives a bit more exposure to the brand, it's good press.

NathWraith · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:12

Sin_Chase said:
Your point?

Unless your point is "Discussion about anything but the fact it made a lap time record is irrelevant" you do not appear to have one?

The opening post questions the 'legitimacy' of said record. I merely echo my previous comments and would argue that it's not a 'production' (in the ordinary sense) car at all. Does a limited run car with a plethora of exotic options that cost £££££££ make it a production vehicle? To satisfy the rules of Ring Record setting, perhaps. But that's about it.

I'm just not sure what your beef is. Yes, it's expensive but that's the point, nothing else in the world in this catergory has managed to do what it has done. To some people that's important and a USP (unique selling point). And precisely the USP that Honda is gunning for with it's new Type R.

For me, I couldn't care less if it made a record, as it doesn't really amount o much on my my commute on the M6 in the morning, so I am unlikely to buy one, as are you.

Sin_Chase · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:14

rjkoneill said:
what perhaps is more fitting is the following question:

"has this car made the record itself irrelevant?"

Depends on your point of view I guess.

Not that Ring Lap Times are worth anything in my opinion. But you certainly screw it up as a meaningful measurement when you effectively use an exotic example of the cars that would normally compete for said record.

What if Honda release the new CTR with £10,000 worth of available options, that if you put them all on beat the Renault record? Is that a production vehicle? It's pretty much what Renault have just done.

rjk · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:27

Sin_Chase · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:33

That sounds so damn strange!

Clarkey · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:38

Angry hoover sound has been the norm for these even the old model. Sounds awful from the outside too.

Gibbo · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:57

Clarkey said:
Angry hoover sound has been the norm for these even the old model. Sounds awful from the outside too.

Just a more powerful hoover this time round, worse sounding Akropovic exhaust I ever heard.

Kudos to Renault how easy it is to drive so quick, but at the same time I go bored and switched the video of after two minutes, just seemed boring and very easy to drive.

rjk · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:58

Gibbo said:
just seemed boring and very easy to drive.

not like a CSL eh mate

NathWraith · 16 Jun 2014 at 15:59

rjkoneill said:
not like a CSL eh mate

or an Ariel atom?

Vigoro · 16 Jun 2014 at 16:01

Meganes do sound pretty bad, one of the things I didn't like about mine

Gibbo · 16 Jun 2014 at 16:03

rjkoneill said:
not like a CSL eh mate

Certainly not, but as I say kudos to them that the car is that quick and seems relatively easy to pedal along at such speeds. I would say its maybe as its FWD as they are a lot easier to drive quick, but in fairness a DC2 or DC5 Integra is not that easy, but FWD is a big aspect of it of course.

The Renault is quick and its easy to access its performance, but it does absolutely zero for me, I'd be bored within a week of owning it am sorry to say.

The RWD cars are a lot more rewarding to drive, if harder to pedal faster I think you'd agree now you've owned your S2k a while?

Janesy B · 16 Jun 2014 at 16:05

OcUK Motors, where discussion goes to crawl up in a ball and die.

ITS FRENCH ITS FWD LOL.

NathWraith · 16 Jun 2014 at 16:06

Certain RWD drives cars are harder than others.

Not every RWD car is some challenging ownership prospect, where the owner is awarded a golden medal for excellent roadcraftmanship for not dying en route to work every morning

Janesy B · 16 Jun 2014 at 16:10

I drove an MX-5 once now so I'm well on my way to becoming an ARDS instructor.