Cut-price Renaultsport Megane 275 Cup-S launched

Renaultsport has added two new models to its hot Megane line-up – the 275 Cup-S and 275 Nav. Both models get the 271bhp turbocharged 2-litre engine of the Trophy, but they arrive with entirely different focuses – the Cup-S trades unnecessary options for a Cup chassis and lower list price, while the Nav sticks with the standard setup and gains more kit.

Leaving all options boxes unticked on the Cup-S keeps its list price down to £23,935, which is a significant £4995 less than the Trophy.

Despite this large saving, it still comes with the £1350 Cup pack as standard (comprising firmer suspension and a mechanical limited-slip diff), and buyers can even option Ohlins dampers for £2000. That means you can buy a car with the Trophy’s sublime chassis setup for £25,935 – £645 less than a Volkswagen Golf GTI in its most basic form. 

Of course, buyers don’t even have to option in those adjustable Ohlins, but we’d argue that they’re worth every penny. ‘The car is always very tautly controlled, but it rides bumps fluidly and it lands into compressions with such composure,’ was contributing editor Richard Meaden's view in evo 212.  ‘[They’re] a standout feature.’ 

Admittedly, the Cup-S doesn’t get options like leather upholstery; not even climate control comes as standard. But for buyers who prefer a bit more luxury, Renaultsport has created the 275 Nav. 

The Nav produces exactly the same numbers as the Cup-S – its blown four-cylinder engine outputs 271bhp at 5500rpm and torque peaks at 265lb ft between 3000-5000rpm, enabling a six-second 0-62mph time and 158mph top speed for both models – but it also comes with significantly more kit.

Automatic lights and wipers, dual-zone climate control, a hands free keycard, parking sensors, a more powerful 4x35W sound system, R-Link multimedia and satnav, heated leather seats, tinted rear windows and an electronically adjustable driver’s seat are all added to its spec list, meaning in total, the Nav receives £1700 of options as standard. 

It also sits on Renault’s Sport chassis, which, despite being softer than the Cup setup, is still remarkably capable. The price is £25,935, which is coincidentally the same price as an Ohlins-equipped Cup-S, and there’s nothing stopping buyers from trading up to the Cup chassis for £1350 – though that pushes the price towards Trophy territory.

In either spec, the Renaultsport Megane 275 is seriously capable – Meaden goes so far as to call it ‘one of the great performance motoring icons’, and it brushed aside the likes of the SEAT Leon Cupra 280 Sub8, Volkswagen Golf R and even the new (and far more powerful) Honda Civic Type R in our most recent review.

In more affordable Cup-S guise, it offers even better value for money, and in more luxurious Nav guise, it's more practical than ever. Order books for both models are open now, with first deliveries expected in November.