Teaser for 2018 Renault Mégane RS debuting at 2017 Formula One Monaco Grand Prix
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Renault’s newest rival to the Ford Focus RS, Honda Civic Type R and Volkswagen Golf R will be unveiled on Friday at the 2017 Formula One Monaco Grand Prix.
The car is a new generation of the Mégane RS, and at its launch it will be driven by current Renault Sport F1 driver Nico Hülkenberg. A photo showing the rear of the car surfaced earlier this month and now Renault has released a teaser showing the front.
Renault is using the Monaco race as the backdrop for the launch to highlight its connection with F1 as well as mark this year’s 40th anniversary of its first season in the sport. The launch car will also feature a yellow and black paint scheme matching the livery of the Renault Sport F1 cars.
The new Mégane RS is expected to maintain the front-wheel-drive configuration of its predecessor, though it will swap a three-door body in favor of a more practical five-door shape. Power, meanwhile, turbocharged inline-4, perhaps with more than 300 horsepower to best the 275 hp of the previous model’s final variant.
No doubt Renault will target the Nürburgring record for front-wheel-drive cars with its newest Mégane RS. The previous model lapped the ‘Ring in 7:54.36 in 2014 to achieve the record, but the time to beat as of today is 7:43.8—achieved by Honda’s 2017 Civic Type R in April.
Following the appearance of the new Mégane RS in Monaco, Renault will present the car in September at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show. Sales in markets where Renaults are sold will commence shortly after the auto show debut.
