Renault has revealed this tarmac rally version of the Renaultsport Mégane, which hints at a harder version of the road car that’s tentatively pencilled in for a 2011 launch.
The Renault Mégane RS N4 is built to Group N specification. It is powered by the road car's turbocharged 2.0-litre engine but is given a power hike from 247bhp to 266bhp, while torque is given a considerable boost from 251lb ft to 347lb ft.
See the official pics of the Renault Mégane RS N4
Other N4 upgrades include the road car’s Cup suspension and racing seats and harnesses. Larger brake discs are also fitted and a limited-slip differential is standard. Weight is also down, but Renault hasn’t quoted an official figure.
The harder version of the road car was scooped testing at the Nürburgring in the summer. Features of the rally car – more power, larger brakes and a stripped-out interior – are all likely to feature on the road car, in the mould of the R26R.Read more on the hotter Renaultsport Mégane
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Re: Mégane racer hints at hotter RS
That would be a hell of a lot of torque to bung through the front wheels.
Re: Mégane racer hints at hotter RS
I've driven that yellow Megane RS in the Renault press fleet - there's no way it's got less than Evo say. It's very fast - as is the Red one they have. Both felt much faster than the Focus RS (And VW R' cars) to me... I think may be that all the RS Meganes are quite a bit over 250bhp. A friend has one and that feels 270bhp quick as well.
Re: Mégane racer hints at hotter RS
"...Powered by the road car's turbocharged 2.0-litre engine but is given a power hike from 247bhp to 266bhp..."
Interesting figures, because when Evo recently did a group hot hatch test - Focus RS Mk2; LCR Mk2; Golf GTI Mk6; Megane RS Mk2 - it dyno'd the cars and all, apart from the Focus (279bhp), had more bhp than their 'official' claimed outputs.
Evo's dyno session revealed that the Mégane had 268bhp, 2bhp more than the RS N4's proposed output. Of course, it would be unkind to suggest that the Méganes on Renault's UK press fleet have had a remap...