Renault Megane RS Trophy-R 2020 dethrones Honda Civic Type R at the Nurburgring

The latest iteration of Renault’s wild Trophy-R Megane – the most powerful and race-ready road-going variant offered by the brand – has again conquered rivals at Germany’s hallowed Nurburgring circuit.

The Megane RS Trophy-R set a lap time of 7:40.100 – a full three-and-a-bit-seconds faster than previous front-wheel drive title holder, the Civic Type R.

Renault notes that since the Type R’s lap there has been a new standard introduced at the ‘Green Hell’ which makes an official lap 20.8km instead of the previously-measured 20.6km, but previous standards compared, the Megane Trophy-R is the new hot-hatch champ.

Under the new standards, the hottest-ever Megane set a time of 7:45.389.

What makes it so hot?

Renault has taken the Euro-spec Megane RS Trophy with 223kW/420Nm from its 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo engine and applied a 130kg weight reduction, improved aerodynamics, chassis improvements, an Akropovic exhaust system, Brembo brakes, and Ohlins shock absorbers.

The Euro-grade Trophy-R is 18kW/30Nm more powerful than the top-spec Megane RS 280 currently available in Australia, although it still has 12kW less and 20Nm more than the Honda Civic Type R.

The 2020 Trophy-R is a full 14.2 seconds faster round the hallowed racetrack than the previous generation Trophy-R, which launched in 2014.

The all-new hot-hatch, of which there will only be a few hundred sold globally, will launch on the 24th of May in Monaco, followed by a late 2019 international launch. And because Australia loves its go-fast cars, it has been confirmed for Australia with a late 2019 arrival. Expect extremely limited numbers.

Would you prefer a Trophy R over the Type R? Tell us what you think in the comments below.