WOW! It’s time to raise a glass to a resurging Renault for bringing the brilliant Megane RS 250 to Oz. An example of going way beyond the sum of its parts, this hottest hatch scorches with unparalleled driver and sex appeal, in an everyday five-seater package that will put a mega smile on every girl/boy-racer’s face. As admirably complete the VW Golf GTI is, the mid-$40K RS is a much more unique proposition, soaring above the $60K brigade (Focus RS, Lancer EVO, Golf R, and Impreza STI) with devastating ease. The fact it isn’t perfect for even one moment somehow makes us love this most human of cars even more. Long live Renaultsport.

Megane Renaultsport F1 Team R26
Released: August 2007
Ended: August 2008
Family Tree: MeganeWHEN Renault Australia released the RS F1 Team R26, it was the most potent Megane offered in this country up to that time and was conceived to celebrate Renault’s success in Formula One. Its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine developed 168kW of power and 310Nm of torque. Colour choices were black ($43,990) or ‘Victory Yellow’ ($44,990), and both came with some rather gauche stickers as well as a chequered pattern of white, grey and black on the roof. One advantage it had over its rivals was a limited slip differential, which is close to essential on any potent front-wheel drive car, but the hot Megane was let down by an instrument layout that was too much like the mainstream Meganes and a ride that was go-kart hard.
Get the full story: Renault celebrates its F1 success with a high-performance Megane R26
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