Nurburg, Germany - Renault claims to have reclaimed the Nürburgring Nordschleife record for front-wheel-drive cars with its Megane RS Trophy-R, an exclusive limited edition that will be launched towards the end of 2019.
According to Renault, the Trophy-R has set a new record of 07’40’’100 on the 20.6km section, beating the Honda Civic Type R’s previous record time of 07’43’’800.
The Trophy-R, which will be limited to a production run of just 100 vehicles, is powered by the same 1.8-litre direct injection turbopetrol engine as the RS Trophy, with outputs listed at 220kW and 400Nm.
However, the car has shed a massive 130kg versus the aforementioned Trophy, although Renault has not mentioned exactly how that weight was reduced.
The Renault Sport division has also done some work on the car’s aerodynamics and chassis, while building on partnerships with specialist suppliers such as Akrapovič, Brembo, Bridgestone, Öhlins and Sabelt.
The vehicle will make its public debut on the streets of Monaco ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix this weekend, with Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hülkenberg at the wheel.