Click either image for high-res gallery of the Renault Megane Trophy concept

We've said it before but it warrants repeating: Renault makes some of the meanest hot hatches in the business. The (very) outgoing Megane RS has been a favorite among the track day crowd and really any European customer looking for a fast ride with sharp handling that can still serve on the daily grind. With the new Megane now out in the open, the big question on the minds of Renaultsport fans is what manner of fire-breathing demon will follow the established favorite they know and love? Clearly this isn't the answer, but if the production Megane III RS comes even remotely close to this concept car, we'll have yet another European machine to lust after.

The Renault Megane Trophy concept features a Nissan-sourced 3.5-liter V6 mounted amidship like in the old Renaultsport Clio V6, but producing a prodigious 360hp driving through a six-speed sequential gearbox, all wrapped in a competition-grade body with more wing than the Concorde and more louvers than a Parisian museum tour. Currently the car is just a concept, but could end up going into limited production for a spec racing series. Check it out in the gallery below and rest assured that it looks even more awesome in person.

Gallery: Paris 2008: Renault Megane Trophy Concept

Paris 2008: Renault Megane Trophy concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Click either image for high-res galleries of the Renault Megane III

Renault is stepping things up a notch. The French automaker has launched an aggressive campaign to refresh and broaden its lineup, including recent launches of the new Laguna, Twingo and Koleos, to name just a few. But this one will likely prove more important than all the others.

The Megane is Renault's bread and butter, competing in a dog-eat-dog segment against the likes of Volkswagen's new Golf and the popular European-spec Ford Focus. Diversity is part of Renault's plan of attack, planning to offer six different Megane bodystyles, each with its own distinct character. To start off, Renault launched the five-door hatchback and the sleek new coupe on its home turf here in Paris. Both represent striking departures from the models they replace, and the three-door cuts a particularly aggressive silhouette. Check out the images in the gallery below to see what we mean.

Gallery: Paris 2008: Renault Megane Coupe

Gallery: Paris 2008: Renault Megane III

Paris 2008: Renault Megane III originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This image has been circulating the French motoring sites, showing what could be the new Renaultsport version of the automaker's new Megane which is set to debut next week at the Paris Motor Show. Although indications are that this is a Photoshop-manipulated image, it could give a fairly accurate preview of what the new hot hatch could look like.

Renault has gone to great lengths to differentiate the different body-styles in the Megane range, and the RS version would of course be based on the three-door hatch variant. The image shows a single exhaust exiting from the center of the rear diffuser, with jumbo 18-inch anthracite multi-spoke wheels and some extra aerodynamic body elements. We'll all want to know what will reside under the hood, likely to be a derivation of the current model's 2.0-liter four. The most recent evolution of the engine produces some 230 horsepower in the latest Megane R26.R track-hatch, but only time (and assuredly plenty of speculation) will tell how much power the first performance version of the Megane III will be putting down on European roads.

[Source: L'Auto Journal via Le Blog Auto]

Spied? Renaultsport Megane III originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Click above for a hi-res gallery of the Renault Megane III

As its expansive name might suggest, the Megane is a hugely important car for Renault, competing in the same highly competitive segment as the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf. But while the rest of Renault's range - including the Clio, Twingo and Laguna - has seen recent replacement, the second-generation Megane has carried on essentially unchanged for six years. The Megane won't have to wait any longer as Renault has properly released photos and details of its new mid-range vehicle, anticipated for unveiling at next month's Paris Motor Show.

The new Megane's styling takes cues from the concept unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show this past March, but seems to share more in common with the larger Laguna sedan. The Megane also promises to deliver significant improvements in terms of quality and equipment levels over the model it replaces. A new analogue/digital instrument cluster is incorporated, along with an intuitive color-coded cruise control module, hands-free entry and ignition and Bluetooth DVD sat-nav system. Powertrain options range from 100-hp to 180-hp gasoline engines and diesel choices ranging from 85 to 150 hp, all of which are mated to a range of five- and six-speed manual and automatic transmissions.

Renault says no fewer than six different versions of the Megane will hit the market by 2010, each developed as its own model to give each its own individual identity. We'll venture a guess at a three-door hatch, five-door hatch, four-door sedan and wagon. A hard-top convertible would also be a safe bet. But what enthusiasts want is the Renaultsport version, as the French automaker has long commanded attention in the hot hatch realm.

We'll be on hand to check out the first version in Paris, but in the meantime you can check out the gallery of high-resolution images in the gallery below and the press release and video after the jump.

Gallery: 2009 Renault Megane

Continue reading Paris '08 Preview: Renault Megane III made officially official

Paris '08 Preview: Renault Megane III made officially official originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Renault Megane III

2009 Renault Megane images pop up online originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While French authorities go after the journalists and photographers who obtained images of the new Renault Megane, an undisguised, production-ready example of the vehicle was spied undergoing testing right here in the good old US of A.

The new Megane III was previewed by the Megane Coupe Concept unveiled at the 2008 Geneva show. The production version will be officially launched in October at the Paris show, where we'll be on hand to bring you live shots, hopefully without test crews trying to block the car.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Renault Megane spied undisguised in America originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.