Renault Surprise: FULL DETAILS

[fizzy_drink]

This is what I managed to get from our french couterparts:

Megane Renaultsport 225 Trophy



The Megane Renaultsport 225 Trophy has the following trim differences vs. the Megane Renaultsport 225:

- Includes Climate Control (ilo manual air conditioning)

- Loses 6 disc Multi‑CD (replaced by single CD)

- Loses carpet mats



Given the limited volume, there will only be 2 options available.

- Xenon headlamps

- 4x40w Carbasse multi‑CD



Megane Renaultsport 225 Trophy ‑ Detail of Equipment



Comfort and Driving

- 4 x 15w single CD RDS Radio with 6 speakers and fingertip remote control

‑ Automatic double optic headlamps with "see me home" function and headlamp washers

‑ Automatic Climate Control

‑ Cruise control with speed limiter

- Hands Free Renault Card

- Rake and reach adjustable steering wheel

- Tyre Pressure Monitor

- Chrome double outlet exhaust

- Integrated, Fl‑style fuel filler cap



Interior Trim

- Sports front seats with Part leather upholstery and blue weave cloth

- Blue seatbelts & stitching on gearknob, steering wheel

‑ Carbon‑Fibre centre console and door handle surrounds

‑ Drilled chrome pedals and footrest



Safety and Security

‑ ABS with EBD (Brake Distribution)

‑ Driver and front passenger 2 stage adaptive airbags

- Front lateral airbags & front anti‑submarining airbags

- Front and rear curtain airbags

- Insurance approved (Thatcham cat 1) alarm

- lsofix child seat mountings on front passenger and rear outer seats

- Puncture repair spray ilo spare wheel



"Cup Chassis"



Suspension

- Independent Pivot front suspension

- Uprated front and rear spring rates (20% front, 72% rear)

- Front and rear damper rates re‑tuned



Wheels & Tyres

18" Anthracite Alloy wheels ‑ 1.5 kg each lighter than Megane Renaultsport 225 and 8J (vs. 7.5J ) . Dunlop Sport Maxx 235/4O/R18 ‑ specifically developed for the Megane Renaultsport 225 Trophy and chosen for their exceptional wet traction and grip, excellent dry grip and enhanced steering performance



Brakes

- Drilled front brake discs with Brembo Front Calipers

- Increased brake master cylinder diameter (23,8mm to 25,4mm) and the removal of Brake Assist (deleted to Improve track‑driving potential) for reduced pedal travel and enhanced progressive feel.

‑ De‑connectable ESP above 5Okm/h



Steering

- The intermediate shaft has been changed in design ‑ the rubber coupling has been replaced by a sliding shaft to improve column stiffness and thus phase response.

- The control software has been changed to redefine the self‑centring forces that you feel when youre in a bend. With the new software (called High Frequency Assist Curves), the features "on‑centre feel" and "smoothness in a bend" are not linked, which helps to improve these features performances.

‑ The existing parameters have been tuned to suit the car (i.e. both the steering effort level and the damping levels rise)

Oms.

Update:

Its a £500 option.

That said, if they are truely only 500 being made, that will artificially inflate prices closer to RRP (ie less discount, and I doubt internet brokers will manage to get the price as low as the current model).

 

[Day]

Great stuff

Now find us a price Omar...

 

[blink172]

If the 225 is £20k OTR, and this is essentially a cup shouldnt it be cheaper?

 

[fizzy_drink]

Its not a cup, because it still has all the creature comforts.

Its like the "cup" suspension pack, only £500, and limited in numbers too.

 

[Tom1600]

http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/roadcars/meganetrophy/http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/roadcars/meganetrophy/

Only 500 being made WORLDWIDE

Hardly worth all the hype leading up to it.

I also find it hilarious that it loses the carpet mats...why...

 

[Lee]

You lot created the hype. Renault just said they were announcing a new car on the 1st. lol

 

[_Kenny_]

Omar you gonna swap the 182 for this Meg? Or did your old Meg put you off?!

 

[Pete]

Hardly a surprise.

 

[fizzy_drink]

Tom:

I think its a step in the right direction. The current 225s handling just doesnt match its pace. I was shocked a few times. Im still getting used to my 182s abilities, and re-gaining my confidence in cornering.

The reason they made a fuss was: The current 225 is already old news. If they simply improved the current model, the press wouldnt know, or even care.

This is a very clever move, to get everyone talking, and get the car re-tested in its improved form.

POW:

Im keeping this one until Jan 07. I made the mistake of buying one of the first ten 225s in the UK. By Jan 07, Im very confident that they would have greatly improved the car.

 

[fizzy_drink]

I also find it hilarious that it loses the carpet mats...why...

The current carpet mats have either Grey or Orange detailing, to reflect the colour of the stiching on the seatbelts and seats.

The Trophys seats/belts will have blue detailing. Thus because of the low volume, they simply wont produce mats for it, keeping costs down.

 

[chris172]

Could have made an effort for only 500!!



this would have been worth it

http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/roadcars/meganetrophy/images/gallery12.jpg

http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/roadcars/meganetrophy/images/gallery11.jpghttp://www.renaultsport.co.uk/roadcars/meganetrophy/images/gallery11.jpg

 

[fizzy_drink]

I have the yellow one on order.... I ordered it last night.

I pick it up tonight.

Anyone find that pizzas give you bizzare dreams?

 

[182_blue]

lol, give them a couple of months and the limited 500 number will be 5000

 

[Munson]

Its a bit of a cheap cash-in on the name of the new race car imo,as the race car isnt even remotely related to a megane.

It sounds like it will be what the 225 should already have been though and that should make it a fantastic car. Im looking forward to seeing some road tests!

Renault - you suck and rock in equal measures!

 

[craigy172]

i have a megane 225, would like to drop mine cause it doesnt handle that well but not alot of difference me thinks.

think ktec has dropped there 225 but havent asked how it handles

 

[Munson]

They were only ever going to make 400 Williams.

 

[chris172]

Quote: Originally posted by 182_blue on 01 March 2005

lol, give them a couple of months and the limited 500 number will be 5000

they would need to produce at least that amount to warrant them making a RHD version!!!

im guessing the 500 will all be LHD

 

[Munson]

Quote: Originally posted by craigy172 on 01 March 2005
i have a megane 225, would like to drop mine cause it doesnt handle that well but not alot of difference me thinks.think ktec has dropped there 225 but havent asked how it handles



Im just looking at the 72% spring rate difference on the rear WTF??

 

[Munson]

Quote: Originally posted by chris172 on 01 March 2005
Quote: Originally posted by 182_blue on 01 March 2005lol, give them a couple of months and the limited 500 number will be 5000[/QUOTE]they would need to produce at least that amount to warrant them making a RHD version!!!im guessing the 500 will all be LHD


Why? Its anexisting production car already engineered for left and right hand drive. I guess if it had a totally different steering rack then this could be an issue maybe?? Dont see how otherwise, not from an engineering point of view at least.

 

[fizzy_drink]

Quote: Originally posted by craigy172 on 01 March 2005


i have a megane 225, would like to drop mine cause it doesnt handle that well but not alot of difference me thinks.

think ktec has dropped there 225 but havent asked how it handles

I spoke to David, and went to see his 225.

They had changed the zorst, air filter system. It was lowered. They also had skirts and spoiler on it.

He asked me how the handling was (testing the water). I said it was sh*t, then he said something similar, but was more diplomatic.

Renault will keep tweeking, dont you worry!

 

[Munson]

I cant see them pulling another Williams again, and making a Trophy 2 or 3. Hmmm...I reckon a mid-ships V6 might not be as far fetched as some might think.

 

[182_blue]

no but i bet you will be able to get trophy options on your old meggy soon tho

 

[dudelove]

what is the "see me home" function on the lights?

 

[Tom1600]

Quote: Originally posted by omar on 01 March 2005

I also find it hilarious that it loses the carpet mats...why...

The current carpet mats have either Grey or Orange detailing, to reflect the colour of the stiching on the seatbelts and seats.

The Trophys seats/belts will have blue detailing. Thus because of the low volume, they simply wont produce mats for it, keeping costs down.

Heh, thats actually a reason I cant argue with.

 

[fizzy_drink]

Guys, think about it:

You can actually switch traction control off on this thing!

Thats at least one good reason to pay an extra £500!

 

[craigy172]

see me home is you can have the lights on for about 30 seconds for eg opening the garage to put ya car away summit like that.

yes ive ordered a sideskirts and a rear skirt for it, archs to get done at a later time deffo get mine lowered and get zorst and filter bump the bhp up a bit

 

[182_blue]

Quote: Originally posted by omar on 01 March 2005


Guys, think about it:

You can actually switch traction control off on this thing!

Thats at least one good reason to pay an extra £500!

lol £500 for a switch







ps only joking

 

[fizzy_drink]

PMSL at 182_blue..

Craigy:
For some reason, altough you might improve things slightly with another Zorst and filter, you wont get much more noise. The standard bore is HUGE!

K-tecs zorst made no difference to noise in the car, but made it better when I was stood behind it, at 5k revs plus.

The Turbo takes up all of the sound, so a de-cat would be good for a bit more noise...

As for performance: a chip would be the best VFM in my opinion - but do you think will the car be driveable with much more torque?

 

[craigy172]

yes got a point, have not heard davids exhaust yet he was still playing with it ill have to pop down and see his, its got plenty of power as it is anyway just me being greedy, but it likes petrol too ya put foot down it guzzles it had a race with the tt well sort of till he bottled it.

thought his exhaust would sound fairly loud, maybe he working on de-cat

its a new car with parts comming out all the time mainly from david at k-tec

 

[fizzy_drink]

I would have a look at his coilovers... that could be your answer to handling?

PS Ricardo Engineering were involved in the development in the original test car.

A source there told me that the engine is sort of tuned to its limit as it is. I woulndt play with it, as youll risk blowing it (according to him).

 

[cabbagekitten]

surely the concept megane v6 out guns a clio v6 and prolly some v12 ferraris?

 

[dk]

Did anyone notice how it was carefully worded on the renaultsport site

Unashamedly sporting, and indisputedly rare, since only 500 are currently planned worldwide.

I think it will be so sucessful that it will carry on, although it may end being the same car with the options but not limited edition.

I think I heard there are 180 due for the UK.

[Edited by dave182 on 3/1/2005 8:02:32 PM]

 

[fizzy_drink]

As soon as the first one arrives in my showroom, Ill do a little road test for you guys, to tell you what its really like.

Wont be for a few months.

 

[SimonV6]

Quote: Originally posted by cabbagekitten on 01 March 2005

surely the concept megane v6 out guns a clio v6 and prolly some v12 ferraris?




The concept megane V6 is NOT a concept, its a FULL blown Racing car with light stripped out body and 320bhp V6 engine.

The Clio V6 on the othet hand is a FULL blown ROAD car with heavy body and 255bhp V6 engine........ so yes, the Megane V6 out guns the Clio V6 on a race track....but as they dont make a Megane V6 for the road, the Clio V6 out guns it on the ROAD....lol

Shame they didnt bring out a road going version of the Megane V6 racer.....

http://www.x-plane.org/home/shmall719/Racing/gallery12.jpg

Love that car........for racing

Simon.

 

[fizzy_drink]

Simon, does the V6 have anything in common with the Clio apart from a few body panels and seats/dash? (ie why is it called a clio V6?).

The reason I ask is, the V6 trophy only looks like a megane, but has nothing in common with it at all... apart from a few borrowed body panels etc...

My guess is they could have made it look like any car in the renault range, but chose the Megane to improve its image, and give the 225 more credibility?

 

[SimonV6]

Yeah I see what youre saying, the Clio V6 does share alot with the Clio though, it is, afterall, built from the std clio, where as the Megane V6 trophy is a racing car, built to look like a Megane to improve its image.....still, it does look nice, apart the rear end of course....lol



Simon