Renault Megane GT

The Renault Megane design team's key inspiration was the sculpted surfaces and refinement of the Dezir concept, which underlies Renault's styling rebirth. The team was led by Renault's Senior Vice-President Corporate Design Laurens van den Acker, who was awarded 2016 Designer of the Year by Autocar Magazine U.K. Of the new Megane, van den Acker said: “Dynamic lines project both sensuality and status, while its assertive proportions provide it with a well-planted stance on the road. It features a distinctive lighting signature both front and rear and its elegant interior exudes an unmistakable cockpit feel.” Van den Acker was also awarded the Design Grand Prix at the 31st Festival Automobile International (FAI) in Paris in January 2017.

The Megane's exterior features precise, dynamic character lines. It is lower and wider with a more aggressive stance and the longer wheelbase aids stability and enhances interior space. The innovative front LED Daytime Running Lights form a distinctive “C” shape from headlamp to bumper. Pure Vision LED headlights are available, along with an automatic high/low beam function to ensure optimum vision at night. At the rear, a 3D effect LED light bar connects the lamp clusters, providing a unique night-time signature. The Megane GT features Renault Sport-inspired front upper and lower radiator grilles with a honeycomb pattern in gloss black, which is continued at the rear. Its Iron Blue colour harks back to sporty Renault's of the past, from the era of the R 8 and R 12 Gordinis.

Renault's designers created a harmonious cockpit interior echoing the design strengths of the exterior, creating a cohesive whole. Special attention was paid to the shape, texture and quality of materials with which the driver and passengers come into regular contact. The unique and sporty GT interior faithfully follows Renault Sport's design language, delivering deeply bolstered bucket seats and a chunky steering wheel. The seats provide secure accommodation for front passengers when exploring its sporty handling. They have an integrated headrest and high-quality Alcantara upholstery perforated with eye-catching blue stitching and blue shoulder stripe. Blue anodised-looking door inserts complete the sporty look. A Nappa leather-wrapped flat bottomed steering wheel with steering column paddle-shifts are designed to delight.

Renault Sport-inspired technologies from the race track abound: 4CONTROL four-wheel steering, Launch Control, Multi-Change Down and an R.S. Drive button. 4CONTROL steers the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels at slower speeds and in the same direction as the front wheels at high speed, enhancing responsiveness and cornering security. Launch Control wrangles the sophisticated electronics to thrust the GT off the line to 100km/h in just 7.1 seconds. Multi-Change Down selects the right gear to exit a corner using the best possible incremental acceleration; technology drawn from the Clio R.S. The R.S. Drive button instantly swaps between Neutral and Sport driving modes, altering the responsiveness of the 4CONTROL system, engine and gearbox mapping, the steering configuration and accelerator pedal sensitivity.

The Megane GT features R-LINK 2, the control centre that manages the vehicle's various functions: multimedia, navigation, telephone, radio, MULTI-SENSE and 4CONTROL. This system features an array of personalisation/customisation options within the unique MULTI-SENSE system. Customers can personalise their driving experience by: • Modifying accelerator pedal and engine response • Adjusting the speed of the gearshifts performed by the Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC) automatic transmission • Controlling the firmness of the steering • Controlling the cabin lighting environment through lighting strips on both the front and rear doors.

As an engine expert and pioneer of turbocharging and downsizing in Formula 1, Renault is a leader in smaller-capacity powertrains. Renault's continued involvement in Formula 1 serves to showcase its technological expertise on the racetrack and contributes to the progress of its road vehicles. In each of these areas, this entails delivering the ideal balance between performance and fuel efficiency. Reserved exclusively for the Megane GT, the exceptional and engaging Energy TCe 205 engine delivers 151kW at 6000rpm and 280Nm of torque at 2400rpm, yet emits only 134g/km of CO2. It is coupled with a seven-speed Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC) transmission.