It completed the course in 7 minutes 40.1
Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R surpassed the Honda Civic Type R’s record of 7:43.8 front-wheel-drive Nurburgring time, and Renault released a video showing the vehicle covering the Nordschleife in 7;40.1. Renault plans to only offer “a few hundred” of these hot hatchbacks. The cars will be on the roads and circuits of Europe by the end of 2019, but they will make their public debut at Monaco’s Formula One Grand Prix of Monaco in May.
The Megane has been updated:
Renault finally revealed the specifications for the Megane RS Trophy R. The engine is a turbocharged, 1.8-liter gasoline engine that produces 296 horsepower (221 Kilowatts) as well as 295 pound-feet (405 Newton-meters) torque.
The Megane RS Trophy R goes on a strict diet to lose 287 pounds (130 kg) in a short time. Renault has yet to explain how this weight loss occurs. Renault claims that the model has no rear seats, and it comes standard with a rollcage for extra stiffness and safety on the track. Plexiglas windows could also save some pounds. The company promises to offer “reworked aerodynamics” and a more radical development in its drive axles.
Honda will now be under pressure to make the Civic Type R go at least 3.7 seconds faster around the circuit. The spy shots above show that engineers at the Japanese automaker are already working on an upgraded CTR. They also reportedly have a carbon-fiber roof in order to reduce weight. The release date for the new model is unknown at this time.