misty

Megane Renaultsport 225
[March 12 2004]


http://www.topgear.com/


In the past, talk of a Renault hot hatch 'shaking that ***' would have been followed by sad sobs of how the poor thing then had to be dragged rather unceremoniously out of a ditch/hedge/field (delete as appropriate).

Remember the Turbo I and II - the motorised equivalent of Russian roulette? Or the more mass market, but just as twitchy in the wrong hands, 5 GT Turbo...

These days, the tail of Renault's latest hot hatch is the topic of conversation for decidedly different reasons. If the Megane's voluptuous rear is booty-liscious, then RenaultSport's 225 firecracker is J-Lo in a thong with, well, precious little else to guard against the elements.

No doubt about it, the Renaultsport sorts have transformed the mainstream hatch with a modernist twist into something that appeals to man's (and boy racer's) more primeval instinct. The meatier look gives the feeling that this is a hatch you could really sink your teeth into - rather like J-Lo's aforementioned derriere.

It's knowing that there's the hardware beneath to back up the surface visuals, though, that's the really good bit. We're talking the sort of figures that'll send a shiver down the spine of any Focus RS driver: 225bhp and 221 Ib/ft, with 90 per cent of the latter ready to thump you in the back from just 2,000rpm. The secret to this is a development of Renault's 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine, complete with some reworking of the internals and a new twin-scroll turbo charger - which virtually eliminates the dreaded lag.

Now, normally, presenting engineers with such a head-scratcher would end with the sort of bang we can only imagine Beagle II experienced. But in this case, substantial reworking of the front suspension and steering, wider tracks, plus damn clever traction control and stability control systems, means the RenaultSport 225 goes just as well around corners as it does in a straight line.

For outright speed, the thing is pretty much untouchable. Certainly, it's faster than the Focus RS. (Find our how we know in the June edition of TG mag...) But not just with your foot to the floor. With six tightly spaced ratios, there's effortless overtaking power on tap from just 2,000rpm. But scream it to the red line and the special twin-outlet exhaust system sounds the part.

Truth be told though, the 225 isn't much of a screamer. So those after the ultimate adrenalin rush had better look elsewhere. The engine's as refined and smooth as it is responsive, the ride comfort has that wonderfully relaxed French, fluid feel, with great bump absorption, and the body rolls a touch more than you'd expect. What's more, the speed-sensitive power steering could do with a faster-acting ratio for the rack.

Still, it'll cover ground staggeringly quickly, and it's great to see that efforts to tune the ESP system to stay out of the picture for as long as possible have resulted in interference-free cornering, and that the uprated Brembo-sourced brakes are up to the job, even if the pedal feels over-servoed. Push hard and the 225 displays a pleasing degree of passive rear steer effect, helping keep everything nice and neutral, eventually pushing into a four-wheel drift.

All the while you'll be sat comfortably, and safely, onboard. Great part-leather seats, spruced up dials, aluminium pedals and - thank you Renault - an aluminium footrest and the no-cost option of Terry's Chocolate Orange-colour stitching make it one of the best equipped, best interiors around. Regardless of whether it's a three or five-door.

OK, so it's no Focus RS, but it was never supposed to be in the first place. Its provocative rump might shake the RenaultSport logo at all who follow, but the 225 hangs on to the principles that made the existing Megane such a fine family car in the first place.

There's less of the ########, more of the hardware. Think of it as the first five-star NCAP, ISOFIX-friendly super fast hatch which all the family can enjoy and you'll be on the right track. It's a hot hatch, but not as we know it.

James Mills

TECH - Megane RenaultSport 225
# On sale now
# Sport Hatch £19,500
# Hatch £20,000
# Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged, 225bhp and 221Ib ft
# 0-62mph: 6.5 seconds
# Top Speed: 147mph
# Economy: 32.1mpg
# CO2: 209g/km
Sounds quite tasty!!!
dave