So there I was, happily cruising down a nice straight road in the Megane Sport when the dealer leaned over and said “Put your foot flat down”. I obliged and the car didnt do anything. Weird. All I heard was a muttering of “turbo lag” from next to me but then slowly and surely the rev counter started to climb. Suddenly the turbo reached full boost at 3000rpm and all hell broke loose. I was slammed into my seat and before I knew it, I had hit 150km/h. Now thats turbo power for you!
The Renault Megane RS has a 2 litre engine with a twin scroll turbo charger resulting in a power output of 165kw and 300Nm of torque. This car is seriously quick on the road and will easily hit 100km/h in about 6.5 seconds. The Megane therefore is one of the more quicker hot hatches and has few rivals in terms of value for money and performance. Rivals like the Ford Focus ST and Opel Astra OPC are the only real opposition in a straight line. The incredibly good Golf Gti gets left behind in the Renault’s dust but should be on par when it comes to handling. Renault is famed for its safety features and the Megane is well equipped with a 5 Star Euro NCAP rating. The car also has traction control and ABS as well as EBD. The only problem is that the traction control cannot be switched off entirely. I turned it off for a quick pulloff only to find that it re-engages a few seconds later. Maybe this is a good thing….
When the car is being driven sensibly, it is really comfortable and smooth. The bucket seats are supportive and hold the driver in place. The sunroof is an awesome addition, the only problem is the wind noise at high speed. The car has a good audio system with a front loader and radio controls on the steering wheel. On the outside it has awesome looking black alloy wheels, aggressive front bumper and centred twin exhausts giving it a demonic appearance. The Renault F1 stickers on the bumpers were a nice touch. The car retails for R265 000.
I really liked this car and would happily swop my current ride for it anyday. The on/off nature of the turbo is something I could live with despite turbo lag being slated by almost every car enthusiast. I once heard “If you complain about the lag, then you havent experienced the boost”
DavidT
