TC Euro Cars, the official importer and distributor of Renault cars in Malaysia has introduced the facelifted Renault Megane R.S. 265 Cup into our local market.
Already extremely powerful, the Renault Megane R.S. 265 styling has been updated with the company’s new design identity. The facelifted boot features the enlarged Renault logo, showcased by the gloss black background.
The new headlights stand out with their gloss black “eyelids”. The projector headlamps are fitted with lenses, underscored by a white comma detailing that amplifies the light beam, providing top-quality lighting at night. In a nod to Renault’s Formula 1 success, the front new bumper is fitted with an F1-inspired spoiler design integrated with 6 LED daytime running lights on each side.
A coupe body with flared wheel arches, matte-black 18-inch Tibor alloy wheels, a Renault Sport rear spoiler and single central chrome exhaust complete the Megane R.S. 265 Cup’s sporty look.
Interior styling is equally sporty with red detailing on the dashboard and stitching, red seatbelts and Renault Sport side sill. The facelifted Cup comes standard with Recaro seats sporting dual leather-fabric upholstery and Renault Sport-embroidered headrests.
Upgraded equipment found in the Renault Megane R.S. 265 Cup include a 7-inch full-colour display touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity, keyless entry and engine start/stop with walkaway lock function, four-eye reverse sensor with camera and four speakers with 4 tweeters.
For better overall anti-roll stiffness, Renault designers have stiffened the anti-roll bar by 13%. Additionally, the front axis stiffness has been reduced by a further 35%, while a reduction of 38% has been achieved in the rear.
Other comfort and convenience features include cruise control and speed limiter, dual-zone regulated air conditioning, rain-sensing wipers and automatic dusk sensing headlamps.
Under the hood, the Megane R.S. 265 Cup features Renault’s turbo-charged 2.0T 16V 265 engine, delivering a maximum power of 265hp at 5,500 rpm and peak torque of 360 Nm at 3,000 rpm. Mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, the hot hatch is capable of going from 0 to 100km/h in 6 seconds, with a top speed of 255km/h.
Exceptional road-handling and optimum traction is delivered by equipping the R.S. chassis with Renault’s independent front double-axis strut system – borrowed from racing cars – which helps separate drivetrain and steering constraints for a better transition of power to the road while minimising torque steer.
The strut system combined with limited slip differential further improves the Megane R.S. 265 Cup’s accelerative grip performance while limiting understeer progressively. Four-pot Brembo brake callipers, red instead of the silver found with the Sport variant, ensure consistent braking power with minimal brake fail.
Just like the Sport variant, the R.S. Drive system is another exciting feature available on the Megane R.S. 265 Cup. It provides the drivers with the option of various levels of stability control and engine response. Three modes– Normal, Sport and Race (ESC off) – allow drivers to control the sports handling and traction control systems. In Race mode, the Electronic Stability Control is completely disconnected and the raw power of the Megane R.S. 265 is unleashed.
Additionally,the R-Link integrated multimedia tablet comes standard in the Megane R.S. 265 Cup with Renault’s R.S. Monitor 2.0, compared to the 1.0 version that comes with the Sport variant. The new R.S. Monitor 2.0 includes a set of functions for real-time display and vehicle data acquisition. The system allows drivers to scientifically map the car’s performance and their progress to identify areas of improvement on the track.
This upgraded on-board telemetry system is also fitted with the all-new ‘R.S. Replay’ function, for sharing more motorsport fun with friends. Drivers can save their data on a USB key, “replay” their track performance, displaying the position of their car on the circuit, power, engine revs, steering wheel angle and pedal travel.
As with apps used in motorsport competition, the ‘R.S. Replay’ software can superpose the performance of two drivers and compare them. All these data can be shared with the Renault Sport community via a dedicated website.
In terms of safety, the facelifted Megane R.S. 265 Cup has secured a Euro NCAP 5-star rating after achieving the full score of 37 points. Programmed crumpled zones that minimise impact forces and 6 air-bags (front, side and curtain) provide additional occupant safety. Other standard safety equipment include antilock braking (ABS) with Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Understeer Control (CSV) and Traction Control (ASR).
Priced at RM234,888, on-the-road inclusive of GST, without insurance, buyers can also opt for the signature Sirius Yellow paint job (picture above) for an additional RM7,000. Other choice of colours available include Diamond Black, Glacier White, Oyster Grey and Pearl White.
