Tom
ClioSport Club Member
EV (s)
MEGANE RENAULTSPORT 225 BLASTS ONTO UK ROADS
You might think that in a world where the Gatso, traffic warden and congestion charge rule, that all the fun had been taken out of driving – well, thankfully, no-one has told the people at Renaultsport. There is a new addition to the range of high performance Renaults, this time based on Europe’s best-selling car last year – the Mégane.
First deliveries of the exclusive New Mégane Renaultsport 225 will be on 1 May 2004 and orders can be placed at any Renault dealer now to be at the front of the queue. And a queue there is likely to be if sales of the recently introduced Mégane Coupe-Cabriolet are anything to go by, which currently has a six month waiting list with new orders now being quoted September delivery.
Available as either a three door Sport Hatch for £19,500 or five door Hatch for £20,000 on-the-road, the Mégane joins its two stablemates, the new Clio Renaultsport 182 and Clio Renaultsport V6 255, both of which are also fresh in the showrooms in the last few months. The UK is the largest market in the world for Renaultsport products with over 2,500 Clios sold in 2003.
Renowned for providing the ultimate in high performance driving pleasure, the Renaultsport badge on the back of a car means you can expect class-topping levels of performance and excitement. The Mégane 225 fits between the two Clios offering top-notch performance in a refined car that can be enjoyed every day of the year no matter what the roads or conditions, not just on the occasional visit to a racing track.
With a new 2-litre turbocharged four cylinder engine developing 225hp at 5,500rpm and 300Nm of torque providing horizon-shrinking power at only 3,000rpm, the Mégane 225 has a top speed of 147mph and 0-62mph is dispatched in just 6.5 seconds. This compares to 7.1 seconds and 139mph for the Clio 182 and 5.8 seconds and 153mph for the hard-core two-seater Clio V6 255. Proving the efficiency of this Renaultsport developed turbo-charged engine are fuel consumption figures that are the best in class – Urban driving 24.6mpg, Extra urban 40.4mpg and Combined cycle of 32.1mpg.
The UK Lower medium sports sector has grown significantly over the last six years from 5,000 in 1998 to over 25,000 in 2003 with cars like the Honda Civic Type-R, Audi A3 quattro / S3, Alfa 147 GTA, Subaru Impreza WRX and two models now discontinued, the Ford Focus RS and VW Golf R32.
Equipment levels are also class-leading so that when you’re not attacking the twisty backroads, you can revel in the comfort and refinement provided by the air-conditioning, cruise control with speed-limiter (could be very useful!), six-disc CD multi-changer and part leather upholstery.
UK exterior colours are Inferno, Steel Grey, Arctic Blue, Moonlight Blue and Black Gold. There are four interior treatments available. As standard is part leather, part charcoal cloth upholstery with silver grey detailing. A no-cost option is orange detailing which comprises orange stitching on the steering wheel, gearknob and gaiter surround, handbrake, door panels and seats and orange seatbelts.
As a £600 option, full leather charcoal upholstery is available with either silver grey or orange detailing.
http://www.press.renault.co.uk/image_gallery/Megane_Renaultsport/R_1877-.jpgPic one (its the only new pic the others included are old photos)
