A limited edition 450 unit run of the Megane R26 was unveiled at the 2008 British International Motor Show called the Renault Megane R26.R. The Renault Megane F1 Team R26 was used as the base car, undergoing various modifications (such as the removal of the car’s rear seats) that resulted in a kerb weight lighter by 123kg.
On the interior you have Sabelt bucket seats and aviation-style six-point harness belts. There is also an optional four-point roll-cage for track use. The suspension has been modified with uprated spring rates and dampers (13.4mm to 14mm/100kg at the front, 15.1mm to 16.2mm/100kg at the rear). One of the bushes between the front suframe and lower arm has been stiffened.
Other parts sacrificed in the interest of weight reduction includes all airbags except the driver airbag, automatic climate control, rear wiper and wash, foglamps, headlamp washes and most of the soundproofing material. The bonnet is now made of carbon fibre (saves 7.5kg), as with the seat shells (25kg). The quarterlights and rear screen are now made of polycarbonate which saves 5.7kg.
The 312mm front brake discs are grooved instead of cross-drilled and are stopped with 4-pot Brembo calipers. Tyres are Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tyres in 235/40R18 size, with optional Toyo Proxes R888 in 225/40R18 available.
The complete drivetrain has been carried over from the R26 including the 6-speed manual and LSD. The engine is a 2.0 litre turbocharged inline-4 producing 230 horsepower and a peak torque of 310Nm, with 90% of the peak torque available from 2,000rpm to 6,000rpm. 0 to 100km/h takes 6 seconds, and a Nurburgring lap takes 8 minutes and 17 seconds, which Renault says is a record for front wheel drive cars.
The 450 cars will be divided between Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Spain and Germany. Each country gets 26 units except for Great Britain and France which get 230 and 126 units respectively.
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PHOTO GALLERY: Renault Megane R26.R
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After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
a bit looks like Latio Sport Nismo Edition from the side profile…
Now, this is a proper pocket rocket.
hmm…with 6 point seat belts…you still need an airbag?
Now, if only R3 can build a limited edition street legal race car based on the Neo (opps. ada roll cage, not legal here for our stupid archiac road use laws..)
man..never thot of a megane can look so cool in black n racing specs..stil hate da rear tho..
The megane just got even more raw!
cool… dunno whether that six point harness & rollcage will approved for roaduse here….
futher more would it be available here….
i wonder……..
We have to give it to Renault as one of the few carmakers who still cater to drivers. This could be the GT3RS for the mass. love the rollcage, only it’s missing a front tow bar and a big adjustable rear spoiler…only the red wheels look abit gay
pure track racing machine, loses out on a lot of creature comforts.
pocket rocket for the rich and famous.
the R32 slayer
Wonder if R3 guys can do this to savvy?
Wonder if R3 guy can do the same thing to savvy?