Renault Re-Conquers the Nurburgring

Renault reigned over the Nurburgring Nordschleife FWD lap record for a while. Their Mégane RS Trophy posted a record lap of 8:07.97, a very respectable time. For comparison, the 2002 Honda NSX-R did it in 8:09.

But along came the SEAT Leon Cupra. It was the first FWD car to lap the ‘Ring in less than 8 minutes, with a 7:54.4 lap time (faster than a 2005 Viper SRT10). Renault was not happy with this, so they went back to the drawing board with a simple objective: create the fastest FWD hot hatch ever made.

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The Mégane R.S. 275 Trophy-R was then born. It put the emphasis on speed, and the rest went out the window: no more rear seats, a lighter lithium-ion battery, one-piece Recaro seats with three-point harnesses that save about 42 kilograms and steel-aluminium brake discs that are lighter and more efficient. This Mégane is still equipped with a 275HP two-liter turbocharged engine, but updated with a throaty Akrapovic exhaust. Ohlins suspension and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires give the car outstanding handling.

With all this, the Mégane R.S. 275 Trophy-R was ready to tackle the Green Hell. While the SEAT was the car to beat, the team first set out to beat the 8-minute mark. With a final time of 7:54.36, the small Renault is now officially the fastest FWD production vehicle to ever lap the Nurburgring Nordschleife!