Neil S

iTrader: (1)

I've never seen one of these before but had a good blast with one today in my cossie - 20+ miles of dual carriageway and moorland b road.

What an impressive car!! My cossie isn't particularly shy but there's no way I was making any ground on him until I got towards the top of 4th

The thing that got me was the corner speed - I was all over like a madman's shite on the bumpy bends, having to constantly work to keep the lines but this thing was flat and composed all the time.

Got chance for a chat as we pulled into a country pub car park, cut slicks, big brakes, cage, lightweight seats, poly windows etc.

Really smart little car - does anyone know much about the suspension and diff etc?

pee vee

they come from Renault like that too Wicked cars!

CaftDunt

Awesome cars. They come with a lsd and slightly lower and stiffer suspension than the normal meg rs.

It's Czech Mate

Great cars if you have £20k to spend on a weekend warrior, bit useless for an everyday motor.

If I had £20k for a weekend car it would be more interestin than a Megane.

Proof of the flawed concept is the fact they cant sell them, still got around 130 left of the UK's allocation of 250 after 18 months or so.

I'd like to borrow one for a few days tho

jammy86

Not true at all. As long as you dont need to put the kids in the back and are willing to buy new tyres every 3000 miles. For use every day I'd buy a set of normal r26 wheels off someone second hand as they have normal tyres, then you can keep your r888s for the track. The lack of a stereo isn't an issue as the wiring for both the head unit and speakers is all in place.

Very very quick cars on the twistys, very flat and controlable. Not very dramatic though, the SREA'd turbo kicks in really early and acceletration is constant, more like a diesel, so its not the most trilling drive, but it is quick! Exhaust isn't quite as raspy/roary as you'd like, but it does make a crazy woooosh sound when you boot it.

JAmes.

T3ORA

iTrader: (1)

one of these

CaftDunt

Looks like the R888s didn't like the road conditions.

Neil S

iTrader: (1)

Nice bit of kit anyway, I expected it to be about the same as the usual fast clios, was expecting to fly past him!!

saph4be

is this the same one they compared a focus rs to on top gear?

uruk hai

Yes, the one with plastic back windows and a stripped out interior

It's Czech Mate

harnesses, no rear seats, no stereo or aircon and Perspex windows. Maybe in your world but not mine for everyday.

Sales figures seem to agree

STUCOS

iTrader: (8)

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1170931.htm

TimC

iTrader: (1)

Dont these have a similar setup to Fords RevoKnuckle?

NEIL A

iTrader: (6)

I love them had a good look around one a few months ago at my local Renault garage, fair play to Renault for having the balls to build something like this as a production car these days

GTi-R23

Yes.

I'm getting an R26 shortly, less hardcore than the 26R, but still has LSD and same engine

Psycho Warren

iTrader: (5)

I do wonder why they went to all the effort of a massive cage like that then didnt bother with a front section or welding it to the turrets. Seems massively over the top as it is for what is just a half cage.

Drunken Master

Suspensions the same as the 225's just different springs and a qualife LSD. The R888's and weight saving help massively although I'm sure it weighs not alot less than a saff. Brakes are only standard on the 225's though with grooved discs instead.

LHD220Turbo

iTrader: (4)

not a bad car at all but, Neil - what's the spec of your cossie?

Neil S

iTrader: (1)

803's, 0.63AR T34, 1.6 bar held.

I know those roads pretty well too

mozzy

they are no competition for the rs, give the r26r the same level of equipment as the 09 rs and then see who is boss, when top gear tested they tested a fast road car against a car that is a road legal track car , simple as that, if it had the same weight as the rs it would not have a chance and we all know it

mozzy

i prefer the rs anyday

LHD220Turbo

iTrader: (4)

get some more boost!

that's a nice fast road turbo - i'm just pleased he didnt beat you

TimC

iTrader: (1)

And then up the power and torque to similar levels as the RS it'll be even stevens. The RS's power is what enabled it to keep up in the TG test imo.

danneth

lets not start the whole FRS vs megane thing again one is a stripped out track car one is a daily driver where you could carry the family about in a fully specced car and on the b roads there would be hardly anything in them

MunkeyboyRS

Id just like to make a point, on the FRS vs R26R. If Ford made a stripped out spec rs on r888, then the R26R would be showned up!
But the R26r is still a nice car and has got some good looks to it!
Even tho if ford did do a simlar spec FRS it would need to be kept locked up, for being a killer!

P412KER

I have had one as a company car and they are awesome things, but stuff like the cage and 888's are all optional.

Porkie

iTrader: (1)

I hired this one from RSR at the Ring. Really impressive cars. The suspension is amazing. So composed. Exhaust note is shite though. Something to do with the titanium it's made of or something I think

Drunken Master

What was there instruction like?

mozzy

my point exactly i actually got angry when hammond tried saying the r26r is a much better car. strip the rs to the same weight ast the megane and there will be no competition. FRS ALL THE WAY

Steven_RW

If U still drive it like u used to when I was last out in it - you would have been fair peddling matey, so well played to anyone trying to keep up!

Just wish I had been in the pax seat or in another car ghosting it all

YUS!

RW

Mike1

Is your suspension pretty standard Neil?

Neil S

iTrader: (1)

Aw shucks stevie! You'd have been a long way in front though!

Just the usual really Mike, poly bushes, konis and chassis dynamics springs. It's too low IMO, handling was better on the old STD height springs, better turn in, seemed to bump steer less too!

Mike1

Oooh, exactly same as mine used to have. Konis and Chassis Dynamics as I couldn't get AB ones originally. You're right about the ride height though. Are you still on std size Michelins?


Mind you, those R26Rs are extremely fast point to point for a showroom car. 5.8 to 60 and 15 to a 100 but the really good bit is the Evo X FQ300 beating time at Bedford

jammy86

Did you read my post? It has got air con.... I dont see how the widows make it not useable......or harnesses.....

Im not a fanboi of them, but I'll give it its dues. Depending on your lifestyle (i'm a low 20's male with no kids) it can fit in fine, not ideal, but its no worse that my RS Ka that uses twice as much fuel and can't put people in the rear because of the suspension. (ford racing so not some stupid -80mm drop)..... has no air con, power steering.... but is about 18k cheaper

Renault were the first production car (I think..) with the suspension system 5+ years ago. The newer Clios have it too IIRC. The car really isn't an awful lot different from the R26, which itself isn't an awful lot different from the 225. They all have the same general layout/systems, power, gear box, Brembos (not sure if the 225 has them actually). The R doesn't have tire pressure indicators rear seats... blaah blahh. The bonnet is proper top notch, its a thing of beauty. In all hounesty I dont think Renault made it quite hardcore enough, too much of it is carry over from the 225, but its a brand builder and needs to be cost effective so I see why they have done it all.

I know if I'd been sitting with allthe cash in my hand and it was the megan or the RS i'd have the megan because I think it does what its set out to do, and all that cheap s**t plastic all over the RS would make me proper upset when the Frenchy went faster than me round the track.

JAmes.

ps. watch out for conrods coming out the side of the block on the Megan... known issue by Renault with that engine at 160hp :s

Mike1

I thought the Focus had the Quaife diff and the Renault diff was just a similar design but made by someone else, also had different settings?

According to some of the specs the Megane weighs in at 1230kg - don't know how accurate that is but it's roughly similar to a std 2wd Sapphire

Mike1

It says in today's Autocar that Renault sold 159 in the UK so far and there are still about half a dozen or so available to buy.

Certainly raised some press interest as a halo car though

gingeRS

so theres the R26, and an R26R (which i'm guessing is the hardcore one)

good looking cars, i work next to renault london west and have always fancied a black 225.....i've just never been impresed by frech build quality or material choices

It's Czech Mate

Uk allocation of 250, and it's been on sale 18 months, sold 159.....piss poor i'd say

No doubting its a great car, and the press love it, but for the actual cash spending public its not a practical everyday car with semi slicks, perspex, no stereo and harnesses (if you dont spec them then why have the car? might as well have a regular 225)

The Focus had 1200 PRE-ORDERS! and is virtually unobtainable, even in the worst recession in living memory.....because it offers 99% of the Meganes performance in a useable day to day package.

The Megane is the better weekend warrior tho, but if I had £22k to throw at a weekend car i'd get something really fast/special that was a much better 'toy' car than a souped up hatch.

Seriously I cant see why people are arguing its a great day to day car when it hasnt fucking sold and its segment competitors ( astra vxr/frs/r32 golf/golf gti ) have sold tons. Utterly barmy.

Porkie

iTrader: (1)

Hired another couple of R26R's at the Ring last week... they really are VERY good cars...




weirdly though I prefered the Clio Cup that I also hired. Slower.... but just as much fun, and much more predictable and alot less skitish. The Meganes rear end is properly lively when you are really pushing on and its a bit frightening to be honest at the Ring!

The Clio was cooooool and soooo forgiving.



The interior on the Megane is just disgrace for what it costs! I know thats missing the point... but the plastics are horrible. Lack of a radio is annoying as well. Yes its a track car... but its not meant to be trailored there! and it has aircon still!

I hired this as well

ScORTED

aircon and no radio, pure genius c'est la vie