Official: Renault Megane III 5-door hatchback!
The new Renault Megane 5-door hatchback has been unveiled prior to its public debut at Paris 2008, and is one of the 6 different body styles that are set to be launched by 2010. The 5-door hatch will go on sale in November this year. What are the other five… here’s a guess: 3-door hatch, sedan, touring, MPV, coupe-convertible?
Renault’s new C-segment contender has short front and rear overhangs and a wheelbase of 2640mm, longer than the previous generation Megane hatch’s 2625mm wheelbase. The other bodystyles will likely have different wheelbase lengths as the Megane Sedan had a longer 2,686mm wheelbase, so for this generation it could stretch to beyond 2,700mm like the Civic and Lancer GT.
On the exterior you will immediately notice a more traditional hatchback shape rather than the previous Megane’s butt that stuck out oddly. The interior looks rather traditional and maybe even a little dated at first sight but there are some unique features such as the meter panel which uses a dual dial arrangement with the trip computer placed on the right, and the speedometer dial shown on an LCD featuring digital/graphics readings for speed, integrated fuel level, temperature and door opening displays. The RPM meter remains traditional and placed on the left.
The cruise control settings puts the digital speedometer dial LCD display to good use, displaying the selected cruise speed at the top of the speedometer. The speedometer will have a ring of lights that take the form of an arc around the central display. This lights up red as the speed increases. A maximum speed can also be set this way, and the selected top speed will flash if exceeded.
A choice of either a dCi turbodiesel, normally aspirated or TCe turbocharged gasoline engine is available for the buyer of the new Renault. The dCi engines consist of the 85, 90, 105, 110 and 130 states of tune. The dCi 130 produces 130hp at 3,750rpm and 300Nm of torque at 1,750rpm which are lower peak points than the previous dCi 130 model (4,000rpm and 2,000rpm). As you can probably guess, the number indicates how much horsepower the engine produces. A dCi 160 with a manual gearbox and a dCi 150 mated to an automatic will soon be added later.
The two normally aspirated petrol engines are the 1.6 liter 16 valve 100 and 110hp engines and the 2.0 liter 16 valve 140hp engine. A CVT gearbox will be available with the 140hp engine soon. The top of the line is the TCe turbocharged 2.0 liter engine producing 180 horsepower. Something new and interesting to be added later is a new TCe 130 engine developed by the Renault-Nissan Alliance, which is a 1.4 liter turbocharged inline-4 engine that can produce 130 horsepower and 190Nm of torque. I eagerly await for this engine to get cheap enough to replace the likes of the MR18DE – it would just be perfect in the Nissan Grand Livina 1.8.
The hatchback has a maximum boot volume of 405 liters (372 with spare wheel). This boot space can be extended via the 60:40 split rear bench.
Look after the jump for more hi-res photos of the new Megane hatch.
PHOTO GALLERY: 5-door Renault Megane III
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo
September 10, 2008 @ 5:12 am
NICE. Clean design, not overly complicated..
September 10, 2008 @ 5:31 am
this is the first awesome renault design i think
September 10, 2008 @ 6:54 am
Sexyback Jason Timberlack. really like those tailgate cluster. It has some Porcshe’s curve. If we can jack it up, a contender to X6 maybe.
September 10, 2008 @ 7:59 am
i didn’t think the Megane needed a new body, the current one still looks so fresh
September 10, 2008 @ 8:32 am
nice.. especially the speedo & rev meter.
wonder when this model will hit malaysian roads.
September 10, 2008 @ 10:48 am
Definitely more eye-pleasing, than the adventerous design of the last Megane.
I opt for 2-door version.
September 10, 2008 @ 1:32 pm
With the partnership of Renault n Nissan…we should see something similar on the chassis and DNA of this megane in Malaysia. Are we, TC?
I have drove the Renault Megane hatchback back in 2005, in UK. Quite a fun car to drive..n you got a push start button on a basic 1.6liter car. Impress.
September 10, 2008 @ 2:11 pm
Starstrucked
A fusion of complicated lines and Renault history.
One of the best looking renaults Yet.
Clio Renaultsport still is the bomb.
September 10, 2008 @ 4:02 pm
Quite attractive looking…
September 10, 2008 @ 4:27 pm
wow, pretty nice design. love the speedo.
i am sure Nissan will rebadge this car to the next generation latio probably.
September 10, 2008 @ 5:34 pm
wow!~ love it man!
the dash board is awsome too.
September 10, 2008 @ 11:06 pm
the speedo meter looks like it’s a upgraded version that of the honda S2000’s…
wonder if the design would age as badly as S2000 also..
September 11, 2008 @ 9:50 am
the megane has grownup. in the “desert” shot, it almost looks like an SUV.
September 11, 2008 @ 10:22 am
put a decent lookin spoiler then VOILA! jd garang suda liaw
September 11, 2008 @ 11:48 am
Well Tan Chong, r u planning to bring in or to assemble the Megane locally?
September 11, 2008 @ 12:10 pm
Maybe TC should try bring in this car.
September 11, 2008 @ 7:52 pm
this car really looks good, but i think opel is going to sue them soon, the rear lights look exactly like those on the opel insignia estate