Renault Megane Coupe 2.0 TCe 180 (2008) CAR review

By Anthony ffrench-Constant

03 November 2008 14:00

Though the front always struck me as a tad clunky and corporate, I’ve long admired the relentlessly shaken and gently stirring rump of this new Renault Megane’s predecessor. Trouble is, it seems that the majority of Britons, along with all too many Italians, have not…

Why not? What's wrong with the Renault Megane?

Renault makes no bones about the fact that the Megane II simply hasn’t sold in the required volumes in the UK (unless of course, the word Renaultsport appeared somewhere on the bodywork, in which case, it seems, we haven’t been able to get our collective mitts on the thing fast enough) and that its replacement has been deliberately styled in a somewhat more conservative vein.

Not that conservative, however. And, ironically, the Megane hooter has been singled out for tweaks third time around, ushering in a bespoke, brushed metal treatment to ensure Coupe could never be confused with five-door in a head on encounter.

I notice they’ve now dropped the three-door nametag in favour of Coupe…

Indeed, and I’m slightly suspicious of this. Previous three-door models were, naturally, less expensive than siblings boasting extra orifices, but Renault has contrived to make this new three-door some £500 pricier. Justification on the grounds that it comes with alloys thrown in really isn’t going to pull the wool…

Truth is, Renault very badly wants this car to be seen as a direct competitor to VW’s Scirocco, needs to call it a coupe in its own right to effect the requisite kudos, and feels it can get away with upping the price a whisker on the basis that it’s still some £2000 less than the comparable Volkswagen.

So just how different is it from the five-door?

Externally, the changes are robber’s-cosh-on-the-bridge-of-the-nose self-evident. At the front, the simple expedient of introducing a couple of brushed metal Hoola-Hoops has a disproportionately powerful impact. The only downside, perhaps, being an added whiff of verticality to a profile already struggling manfully with bonnet-hefting pedestrian impact legislation.

To the sides, a roofline 48mm lower than the five-door (of which 12mm is down to suspension adjustments) gangs up with a particularly slender glasshouse to elicit a bodywork/glazing proportion increasingly in vogue but which, as with Alfa’s Mito, strikes me as in danger of making the flanks look a little chubby and over-expansive, as if the Coupe is holding its breath until it gets what it wants.

At the back, five-door and Coupe have equally little in common, the latter receiving bespoke treatment to rear glazing, lamp clusters and bumper. From dead astern, allied to a rear track 33mm wider than Megane II and further amplified by a sharply tapering glasshouse which swells those broad hips to beyond matronly, the overall effect is truly gigantic. Perhaps it’s the singed Chris Evans launch colour that the Coupe shares with the first Nissan Murano, but the whole things seems far more massive than required merely to rectify a limited loadspace criticism of Megane II and up the volume to 377 litres.

And the interior?

On board, with the obvious exception of rear seats (unfortunately three, rather than the Scirocco's sensible two) offering just enough room for me to sit behind myself in relative comfort with a decidedly limited view out, five-door and Coupe are identical. It could be argued that a little more effort should have gone into differentiating the Coupe interior from that of its family-friendly sibling in honour of the loss of the three-door tag, but Renault probably reasoned that if the VW Scirocco can get away with an Eos interior, there’s hardly need to break into a sweat over a less expensive car.

All of which would be fine if the Megane dashboard were just better looking. Granted, build quality has improved out all recognition, and the surfaces cannot be faulted for appropriate tactility. An instrument binnacle combining analogue rev counter with digital speedo polarises opinion yet works rather well, but the centre console doesn’t. The smiling, brushed metal lips housing both air-conditioning and stereo controls look a little mean and dated, the buttons are too small, and the stereo panel’s set too low.

I asked Renault design grande frommage of 21 years and best dinner table chat around Patrick le Quement why these control panels did not expand to fill the width of the centre console with obvious, bigger button repercussions. He told me that this was a deliberate device to reduce the apparent mass of the console itself. Which I’m not buying. A centre console’s supposed to be littered, full width, with buttons, and this one would look all the better for it.

How about mechanical changes?

It’s all about suspension. Sharing the five-door’s MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear set-up inherited from Megane II, the Coupe benefits from bespoke settings. Accompanied by revised damper settings, front springs have been stiffened by 19% and rears by 10%, and the whole lowered by 12mm.

Allied to a gentle increase in road noise, the resultant ride is appreciably firmer than that of the more relaxed five-door, yet manages to retain just of enough of Renault’s traditional, and laudible, ride comfort to ensure a long-haul outing doesn’t become wearing.

So, a perceptibly better drive than the five-door?

Hmm, harder to answer than you’d suppose…. Just two variants were available to drive at launch; a five-door powered by a 130bhp 1.9-litre turbodiesel, and the Coupe, armed with a 180bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit, with both powerplants developing a respectable 221lb ft of torque via six-speed manual transmissions.

However, whilst the it 1.9dCi unit proved predictably lusty, entirely adept at accelerating up long motorway gradients in 6th gear and pleasingly quiet in the cruise, it was almost impossible to establish where Renault has hidden the 2.0 litre turbo’s 180bhp. The good news is that there’s no turbo lag. The bad news is that there doesn’t appear to be a turbo at all.

Charged with imbuing the 1320kg Coupe with a performance appropriate to its couture, the engine responds with a good deal of aural fuss and insufficient forward motion. A quoted 0-62mph dash of 7.8 seconds never feels quite on the cards, and by the time the Coupe breaks the 100mph barrier the engine’s booming away like a pub-bore on one too many pints.

Despite relentless rain of biblical proportions, the Coupe remained respectably sure-footed, new electric power steering rewarding with sufficient weight and accuracy to suggest that, in non-Renaultsport guise, this is one of the company’s better helms to date. Body roll through corners is well contained and the Coupe respectably composed, whilst the somewhat early onset of predictable understeer must be attributed to the relentlessly soggy conditions.

Verdict

Erm, trouble is, I drove the five-door in drier conditions, and must confess to having enjoyed it more. There’s no doubt the pleasing diesel is partially responsible. But the ride’s far more comfortable and, whilst body roll is more noticeable, it’s never excessive, merely communicating rather more smoothly the extent to which you’re loading the suspension, the Coupe evincing the suspicions of a tendency to lurch, rather than flow, from strut to strut up front.

Ultimately, then, a Coupe armed with the 1.9 dCi unit might well prove to be the optimum combination. As to whether large numbers of you will opt for it in response to a two grand saving over the Scirocco…

Statistics

How much?	£18,145
On sale in the UK:	January 2009
Engine:	1998cc turbocharged 4-cyl, 180bhp @ 5500rpm, 221lb ft @ 2250rpm
Transmission:	Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Performance:	7.8sec 0-62mph, 142mph, 37.2mpg, 178g/km CO2
How heavy / made of?	1320kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm)?	4295/2037/1423

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Renaultsport Megane R26R (2008) CAR review and video

By Chris Chilton

27 October 2008 11:00

Dreaming of a Porsche 911 GT3 RS but living with a hot hatch budget? Renault’s stripped-to-the-bones Megane R26R is the answer. Based on the acclaimed R26, the R version is the most extreme factory hatch since Renault’s own Clio V6. But instead of adding a big engine and more kilos, Renault has left the engine alone and cut out the flab to create the ultimate track-day hatch.

So what do you get over the regular Renaultsport Megane R26?

It’s more like what you don’t get. There are no back seats, no front foglights, no rear wash wipe, radio or much soundproofing. Even the headlamp washers and heated rear window element have been left in the parts stores.

What you do get is a carbonfibre bonnet, competition-style bucket seats, plastic rear side windows and the option of a titanium exhaust (for £2250). You can even have a full harness, the R26R being the first road car to be homologated with racing belts. All told, a serious 123kg has been culled from the R26: at just 1230kg, the R is barely heavier than a Clio.

Brisk, is it?

Although the engine is no more powerful, the diet process improves the power-to-weight ratio from 168bhp to 185bhp-per-tonne. And with the optional sticky track day rubber and standard-fit diff biting into the tarmac, it’s no surprise that the R hits 62mph in just six seconds, a half second improvement over its more docile R26 sibling.

It feels rapid enough and emits a jet-style hrrrrrrrrshhhhhhhhh when you’re giving it death and rushing the light and quick, but knuckly gearchange home. Because there’s no turbo lunge, it doesn’t feel massively faster than a Focus ST or any other mainstream hot hatch. But some of that is down to the chassis, which is so good that you know it could handle a whole lot more power.

How good is this R26R?

Brilliant. The original Megane RS was a mushy dud, the tauter Cup and Trophy transformed and, with the addition of a limited slip differential, the R26 was on a different planet altogether. But now the R moves the game on again. You might have noticed the 8:17 logo in the rear quarter windows, a reference to the Megane’s time around the Nordschleife. If we told you that a Porsche Cayman is barely quicker there, you’ll probably get an idea of how sorted this thing is.

Because while you might expect the R26R to be a rock solid circuit car that was too stiff to be any good on the road, it is in fact incredibly compliant – and this makes it eye-poppingly quick on real roads. The steering is quick, light, accurate and utterly devoid of the rubberiness of the early Megane RS’s helm while the optional Toyos work miracles on the car’s outright grip levels and ability to change direction.

Those tyres, together with the limited slip diff, allow you to just keep pushing on and on through corners that should be spitting you into the scenery. And incredibly there is no torque steer at all. Renault claims the tyres alone are worth ten seconds of that ‘Ring time.

I’ll bet it’s unusable day to day...

Well clearly it’s not going to be winning any What Car? Awards for practicality. It’s a two-seater with a compromised boot space and (if you specify the optional Toyos), less than ideal wet-weather performance. And the racing harnesses are a pain in the bum (and the groin) in daily use.

However, the R26R is also surprisingly civilised. Though Renault claims to have removed lots of soundproofing, it appears to be little noisier than the standard car and because it still has carpets and door cards, the panels don’t resonate like an old washing machine on full spin. If you didn’t look behind, you’d never know the madness going on in the rear.

Verdict

We can’t remember the last time we had so much fun in a hot hatch. And it’s remarkable to think how far the hot Megane has come from an inauspicious start. Such is Britain’s love for hot Renaults that 230 of the 400 run are UK-bound. If you love track days, you’ll love the R26R.

Our only concern is that robbed of the practical element that is at the cornerstone of the hot hatch concept, the R26R moves into very competitive territory. For us the prospect of a six-month old Lotus Elise or 18 month-old Exige for the same money would be too difficult to ignore.

Statistics

How much?	£22,990
On sale in the UK:	Now
Engine:	1998cc 16v turbocharged 4-cyl, 227bhp @ 5500rpm, 228lb ft @ 3000rpm
Transmission:	Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Performance:	6.0sec 0-62mph, 148mph, 33.2mpg, 199g/km
How heavy / made of?	1230kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm)?	4228/1777/1437

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Renault Laguna Coupe 3.0 V6 dCi CAR review, video

By Guy Bird

22 October 2008 10:48

The Renault Laguna Coupe is the best-looking car the recently ‘design-troubled’ French brand has produced for years. That might not be such an achievement given Renault’s current line-up, but nonetheless, the new four-seater coupe is a very positive addition to a market that demands beauty above all else. By comparison the Peugeot 407 Coupe seems plain ugly and even the BMW 3-series Coupe average.

Has Renault design got its mojo back?

‘Yes’ on the evidence of the stunning Laguna Coupe, but ‘no’ on first acquaintance with the depressing new five-door Megane. Still, the Laguna Coupe – prefaced by the superb 2004 Fluence concept car – is genuinely beautiful; up close and out on the road.

Starting from the edge of the fairly deep front air intake, a gentle line rises over the front wheelarch to form a subtle but clearly defined side character line that dips downward slightly after the door to flare out the shoulder line, then sweeps gracefully round to meet the car’s extended rear lip before finally swooping back over the roof of the car and back down the bonnet.

Sorry to wax lyrical, but bar a few tiny details at the front around the lights, there’s really not a jarring line in sight on the new Laguna Coupe.

What about inside? How’s the quality and can anyone fit in?

The inside is nearly as good – and, yes, you can even fit four people in. At launch we were spoiled by top-spec GT cars with well bolstered, ribbed leather seats and a similarly clad steering wheel and door trims but nonetheless fit and finish feels genuinely ‘prestige’.

Four six-footers can slide in with relative ease and rear head and knee room is good for its class. Fold-flat rear seats activated by ‘easy-pull’ handles in the boot – borrowed from the Sport Tourer – give the coupe some real flexibility when the occasional practical manoeuvre is required.

How does the new Renault Laguna Coupe drive?

If you weren’t expecting as direct a driving experience as a BMW 3-series Coupe – and surely you weren’t – the Laguna Coupe really should meet most customer expectations, and then some.

Only two V6 autos were available at this early stage – a 240bhp 3.5 V6 petrol and 235bhp 3.0 V6 dCi diesel teamed up with a six-speed automatic ’box with manual shifting possible via the gearstick (no paddles, though).

Both engines are very smooth and refined, the all-new diesel especially so for an oil-burner. It’s quiet and proffers plenty of shove in a smooth power delivery.

Petrol or diesel? Which would you go for?

The Laguna Coupe is this diesels first application but it will find its way into a bunch of models from sister-brand Infiniti (and Nissan) in 2009. The diesel’s 39.2mpg (vs 28.2mpg for the petrol) and 192g/km (vs 238g/km) with only a £500 premium make the diesel the better bet all-round.

GT spec also means you get Renault’s all-wheel steering system ‘4Control’ which helps improve low-speed manoeuvrability, reduces cornering body roll and increases steering precision. It’s still no sports car, but the Laguna Coupe is enjoyable to drive, with good brakes and a decent ride bar the odd bump catching it out.

When and how much?

The new Laguna Coupe arrives in the UK on 2 January 2008, initially with two petrols, a 205bhp 2.0 Turbo and 240bhp 3.5 V6, and two diesels – the expected top-selling 150bhp 2.0 dCi and a 180bhp 2.0 dCi.

The range-topping 235bhp 3.0 V6 dCi follows very closely at the end of the same month. Prices range from £20,995 to £27,995.

Verdict

At last! A Renault we can get excited about! After a string of so-so models, the Laguna Coupe is a fine effort from La Regie. Style, panache, a decent drive and fair running figures. This car deserves to succeed.

Statistics

How much?	£27,995
On sale in the UK:	March 2009
Engine:	2993cc 6-cyl turbodiesel, 235bhp @3750rpm, 332lb ft @1500rpm
Transmission:	Six-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Performance:	7.3secs 0-62mph, 151mph, 39.2mpg, 192g/km
How heavy / made of?	1630kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm)?	4643/1812/1398

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Renault Megane 1.5dCi (2008) CAR review

By Phil McNamara

17 October 2008 14:53

Renault split opinion with the outgoing Megane 2. You know, that shakey-ass marketing. The distinctive, bustleback styling. A classic Marmite car, in fact. The sad thing is, the marketing suits have deemed such avantgarde design as verboten in the new, let's-appeal-to-everyone age. Hence the new, less risky Megane 3. Now we've driven it, we can finally announce if it's boring or brilliant.

It's hard not to approach the new Megane with some doubt. It is very Euro-clone sensible, though we can't deny it looks more grown-up. The bonnet is elegantly sculpted and we admire the way the rear lamps flow into the haunches. But do we love it? Get real. The five-door's design is bland and – from some angles – bloated. It even reminds me of the old Nissan Almera.

So much for Renault's daring period of design expression.

So the new Renault Megane is dull to look at. And inside?

The engineers on the new Megane had to reuse the outgoing model's platform, but instil it with a dose more refinement, sharpness, green tech and – important mantra at Renault these days – quality.

Does it feel like a Golf inside? It's not a bad effort in the cabin. Fit and finish are more Wolfsburg than Turin, although the base-spec Expression trim feels conservative. It's all very – how shall we put it – sober. We do worry that Carlos Ghosn's populist imperative (Laguna, anyone?) might be stifling Renault's historical flamboyance. And that's a shame.

It's well equipped in here, but we hate the dials. Renault claims they use an innovative blend of analogue and digital, but we reckon it's more of an Early Learning Centre effect. More impressive is the standard equipment, including air-con, ESP, six airbags and electric windows and mirrors. Bluetooth ‘phone compatibility, keyless entry, auto lamps and wipers and cruise control kick in at Dynamique level, which costs around £1000 more than Expression models.

What's new under the bonnet of the new Renault Megane?

The oily bits are revised, naturally. There's a quicker steering rack, new stiffer subframes – but still the same old torsion beam rear axle. No fancy Golf/Focus multi-link arms here. Happily, the new Megane is, on average, 8kg lighter than before.

Despite being lighter, it is in fact bigger. The Megane five-door we tested is now 4.3m long and can swallow 405 litres of baggage. There's competitive space in the cabin for limbs. But enough interior chat. Let's find out how the Megane drives on the road.

So how does the new Renault Megane drive?

The Megane five-door goes on UK sale on 26 November 2008, with a choice of three petrol and three diesel variants. Diesel power ranges from 84 to 128bhp, while the 1.6 and 2.0 litre petrol engines span 99 to 178bhp. Four of the diesel engines emit 120g/km of CO2 or less, including the big-selling 104bhp 1.5-litre dCi tested.

It’s a gutsy engine, pulling hard from 1500rpm and provoking wheelspin if you’re heavy on the throttle. There’s sufficient mid-range grunt for comfortable overtaking manoeuvres, although it chatters under acceleration and roars above 3500rpm. Bottom line: the impressive 1.5 dCi feels like a bigger engine, but delivers smaller engine consumption figures of 60.1mpg and 120g/km.

Sadly, it’s coupled to a blundering six-speed manual ‘box. You’ve better odds of winning the National Lottery than finding first after stopping at a junction, although the dCi manfully hauls you away in third. You could well pull an extender muscle shifting across the chasm from fourth to fifth, and you’re just as likely to stumble back into fourth when aiming for overdrive. It’s notchy, imprecise and hugely frustrating.

Does the new steering work better?

The new car again relies on electric rather than hydraulic assistance (ensuring it can be decoupled when not needed to reduce CO2 emissions by 5g, Renault estimates), the steering feels meatier and more direct. It’s much improved but won’t have Fernando Alonso dribbling with excitement.

The Megane’s greatest strength is its refinement. The ride on 16-inch alloys is very comfortable, very French, with enough suspension travel and effective damping to make you feel extremely cossetted. At 30mph, manhole covers pass with as much intrusion as a gentleman clearing his throat. It’s extremely refined at 30mph, with the engine murmuring gently at 1500 revs in fourth, and maintains this civility to 60mph. Then, wind and tyre noise make their presence felt, but they’re utterly bearable.

Verdict

Make no mistake, the Renault Megane doesn't rewrite the rulebook. In fact, it seems to consult it rather too often. There's the feeling that Renault's computers analysed the competition and mathematically calculated the optimum response. It's a hatchback by numbers, with little outstanding ability in any one area to make the new Megane stand out.

In its defence, the new model is refined, safe, well built, generously equipped and better to drive than its predecessor. But it doesn’t handle like a Focus nor ride like a Golf. There isn’t a single area in which the Megane 3 truly excels, and that's a pity.

Statistics

How much?	£15,795
On sale in the UK:	26 November 2008
Engine:	1461cc 16v four-cylinder, 104bhp @ 4000rpm, 178lb ft @ 2000rpm
Transmission:	Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Performance:	118mph, 10.9sec 0-62mph, 60.1mpg, 120g/km
How heavy / made of?	1177kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm)?	4300/1807/1468

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