The newly unveiled limited edition Renault Megane R.S. Ultime will be the last model to feature the iconic Renault Sport logo. Alpine, Renault’s sports car brand will carry the performance baton from here on. In many ways, this is a day of mourning for the hot hatch world as the R.S. badge held strong credibility, smashing track records and leaving competitors in the dust during its reign. Only a fitting send-off would be worthy of such a badge.
That fitting send-off comes in the form of the Renault Megane R.S Ultime, the most powerful Megane ever. Starting from the design, the Renault Sport double diamond motif is present all around the car with stripes on the roof and bonnet too. The decals are all matte black to compliment the four body colours which are Star Black, Pearl White, Sirius Yellow and Tonic Orange. First established in 1976, the founding year of Renault Sport is also inscribed on the right hand striping.
The body itself is 60mm wider with the rear fenders being 45mm wider. New side air vents, R.S. Vision headlamps, central exhaust, spoiler and rear diffuser have all been reworked too. The logos, door handles, window frames and wheels are blacked out now for a sporty effect. And an F1 style “blade” on the front bumper also bears the ‘Ultime’ monogram for added vibrancy.
On the inside, Recaro bucket seats with titanium black Alcantara upholstery come as standard, complete with R.S. embroidery. The hands-free key card also features an R.S. double diamond motif. Exclusive door sills further add to the special feeling of the interior. Only 1976 of these Megane R.S. Ultimes will be made and each one features a special numbered metal plate near the transmission, signed by Laurent Hurgon, the development driver who has worked on Megane R.S. for its entire life. Oh and he also holds lap records at Suzuka, Spa and the Nurburgring of course!
To round up the tech, a 9.3 inch infotainment screen pipes tunes through a 10 speaker Bose Hi-Fi system. A 10 inch digital cluster sits in front of the driver offering on-board telemetry and driving aids. Those cars optioned with a sunroof will also get a custom cover to complete this “quintessential collector car”.
This limited edition car is powered by a 1.8L turbo four pot which puts out 300bhp, 420 Nm and is capable of a 0-100 time of just 5.7s! Red Brembo dual-cast brakes come as standard to bring this street legal weapon to a halt. A lowered Cup chassis, independent pivoting front axle and hydraulic compression stops along with four wheel steering system truly make this the ultimate Megane R.S.!
Thanks for reading! For more Renault news and reviews, visit Tarmac Life.
Words by Matthew D’Souza, pictures courtesy of Renault Media Global.
