5 décembre 2019
Mégane R.S. Trophy-R wins Performance Car of the Year award by TopGear Magazine
The Mégane R.S. Trophy-R has added to a record breaking year with recognition as Performance Car of the Year by TopGear magazine. It’s another success for Groupe Renault, following Alpine’s win of the same award in 2018.
Top Gear Magazine, a spin-off from the famed BBC show, is the biggest car magazine in the world with local editions from China to the Middle East and from Russia to New Zealand.
The Mégane R.S. Trophy-R was up against some major supercars, from manufacturers that included performance names such as McLaren, Porsche and Aston Martin.
Testing at the Portimao circuit in southern Portugal put all the cars through their paces for 24 hours, with the Trophy-R winning against cars costing several times more.
Last year, the Alpine faced similar odds, beating off the likes of the Bugatti Chiron, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, the Ferrari 488 Pista and the McLaren 600LT.
The win adds to a year that includes breaking the front-wheel drive records at Germany’s famed Nürburgring in April, the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium in July, the Bend Motorsport Park in Australia and Japan’s Suzuka in November.
Renault Sport’s test driver Laurent Hurgon set a time of 20.832 km in 07:45.389 on the notorious Nordschleife and was also behind the wheel at Spa-Francorchamps, with a lap time of 2:48.338 and Suzuka where he recorded a 2:25.454 lap.
Unveiled to the public during the Formula One™ Grand Prix in Monaco in May, driven by Renault F1® Team drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hülkenberg, the new Megane R.S. Trophy-R is primed for delivery in December. With strictly limited numbers and a long waiting list, this latest Top Gear Magazine award can only add to its exclusivity.
The record breaking car has the same 300hp engine as the Mégane R.S. Trophy, but boosts its performance radically with a 130kg weight reduction, improved aerodynamics and a tailored suspension set-up.
A small, dedicated team has worked to a tight schedule to bring the new Trophy-R to life, with the help of specialist suppliers such as Akrapovič, Brembo, Bridgestone, Öhlins and Sabelt.
This latest win is yet another recognition of the spirit of innovation and performance that drives Renault Sport ever onwards.