Autoblog

Hot hatch enthusiasts know what it means when Renault unveils a new compact car: a new Renaultsport variant will follow. The French automaker's performance division continues to roll out some the hottest compacts in the business, so when the wraps came off the third-generation Megane in Paris this past fall, it was only a matter of time before the tuned-up sport version would follow, and reports now indicate that it'll arrive this March at the Geneva Motor Show.

For this latest generation of Megane, Renault continues to differentiate the sporty three-door from the more utilitarian five-door model, but the RS version promises to raise the bar yet again. Taking cues from the Megane Trophy racer (pictured above) also unveiled at the Paris show, the new Megane RS is tipped to feature a wider track, flared wheel arches, a wing bisecting the front air dam, and a center-exit exhaust. Power is expected to come from the company's 2.0-liter turbo, but tuned to produce 250 horsepower. The requisite chassis tuning, optional limited slip differential and beefy Brembo brakes promise to round out the package.

[Source: Autocar via WCF]