Skip advert
Advertisement

Renault Mégane R.S 225 Trophy - fast fleet report 4

We took our Megane R.S 225 Trophy on track for the first time to see how it would fair against its smaller sibling.

Renault Megane R.S 225 Trophy front track

I have run two Renaults as long-termers now - the first a Clio Cup, and now our Mégane Trophy. The Clio, like the Mégane, was a real workhorse, carrying lots of camera gear while chasing group tests all over the country. In fact, the only time that I really got to play with it was on trackdays. As I've now had the Mégane for nearly a year, I felt it was time to let it stretch its Dunlops on track to see how it compares, and an evoactive event at Snetterton seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Advertisement - Article continues below

To be honest, I never expected the bigger Mégane to be as good round a race circuit as the little lightweight Cup, but - get this - it actually felt better.

At first I didn't feel comfortable working it too hard, memories of understeer and brake-fade that I had experienced with an original 225 still in the back of my mind, but after a few laps in the Trophy I knew I could push it as hard as I dared.

If it's true that most time on a circuit is to be made in the corners then the Trophy is a Tardis. It feels totally planted through the bends, the Dunlops digging so deep that I was worried that they were going to have to resurface the track at the end of the day! Add to this the Brembo brakes which didn't fade at all, feeling as good at the end of the session as they did before, and you've got a serious and seriously fun track car. It's just a shame about the driver...

> Click here for our third report on the 225 Trophy

Running Costs

Date acquiredJune 2005
Total mileage24,560
Costs this month£0
Mileage this month3911
MPG this month27.6mpg
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ferrari California – the car world's greatest misses
Ferrari California
Features

Ferrari California – the car world's greatest misses

A Ferrari by name, but not sufficiently Ferrari-like in its behaviour, the noughties Cali was a hard car to love
7 Nov 2024
Audi RS5 Sportback Performance Edition 2024 review – worth £14k more than a BMW M4?
Audi RS5 Sportback Performance Edition – front
Reviews

Audi RS5 Sportback Performance Edition 2024 review – worth £14k more than a BMW M4?

Audi Sport has given the RS5 upgraded coilovers, extra power and a £101,645 price tag. Is it now a true M4 rival?
6 Nov 2024
Alpine A290 GTS 2025 review – is the Renault 5 relative a true hot hatch?
Alpine A290 review
Reviews

Alpine A290 GTS 2025 review – is the Renault 5 relative a true hot hatch?

Alpine’s all-electric future starts here, with the Renault 5-based A290. We put it through its paces to find out if it's retained the Alpine edge
6 Nov 2024