Just as promised, Renault has released more info on the fourth generation Megane at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. We’ve already seen how the new Megane inherited the Talisman‘s charm, but now we got the full details about the Golf challenger from France.
The overall height has been cut by 25mm to 1,447mm, but the new Megane has been stretched horizontally, increasing the total length to 4,359mm. The wheelbase have grown by 28mm to 2,669mm, and the front and rear tracks have been pushed outwards by 47mm and 39mm respectively to 1,591mm and 1,586mm.
Along with the more planted stance, the Megane has been styled with more flair. The front is characterised by the signature C-shaped headlamps with extended section for the LED DRL. Full-LED lights at the front is optional, but the rear LED lamps are standard. The strong shoulder lines follow the Clio, exaggerating its dynamic proportions.
The interior is a huge departure from the outgoing third-generation Megane, not only in terms of design, but on material quality as well. Soft touch plastic is used for the dash, and top spec variants get the steering wheel wrapped in Nappa leather as well as seats covered in plush velour developed with Alcantara. The cabin is further enhanced with the glowing LED lighting strip at the edge of the center console and on the doors.
The dashboard is angled towards the driver, and there’s a retractable full-colour Head-Up Display in the driver’s line of sight. Some interior bits are lifted from the Talisman such as the TFT instrument cluster and the tall center panel. The center panel houses a 7-inch display by default, but an upgrade to a portrait-style 8.7-inch tablet-like screen is available and it brings the R-Link 2 infotainment system with voice recognition.
Not only the R-Link 2 enables the owners to choose from five interior ambiance lighting colours, they can also change the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) settings from here. This includes the adaptive cruise control and the automated emergency braking system. The new Megane will also be equipped with Multi-Sense technology, allowing drivers to choose from five driving modes; Sport, Normal, Comfort, Perso and Eco.
There’s more space for everyone inside, rear passengers in particular gain extra knee room than before, and the 434 litres boot capacity is among the biggest in its class. Meanwhile, providing the soundtrack for the occupants is a nine-speaker Bose audio system specifically tailored for the Megane’s interior.
Three petrol TCe engines with 100 hp, 130 hp, or 205 hp and three diesel ENERGY dCi engines with 90 hp, 110 hp, or 130 hp will be available at launch. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, but there’s an option for a six-speed EDC dual clutch transmission on the dCi 110, or a seven-speed EDC on the TCe 130. However, the seven speeder is standard on the TCe 205.
Additional diesel mill will be added to the range next year, which is the dCi 165 paired with the six-speed EDC; while another diesel with ‘Hybrid Assist’ will join sometime in 2017 with a targeted fuel consumption of 3.0 litres per 100 km!
The Renaultsport-inspired GT variant you see here is using the TCe 205 powerplant. It gets uprated dampers, springs and brakes as a part of the chassis tweak, and it will also be the first car in its segment to feature 4Control four-wheel steering. Tuned by the engineers from Renaultsport, the 4Control steering promises to deliver a precise and dynamic handling at higher speeds together with boosted maneuverability at lower speeds.
Other Renaultsport touches on the Megane GT include Launch Control, Multi Change Down, which enables rapid downshifting, and an R.S. Drive mode replacing the Eco drive mode on the Multi-Sense technology settings.
What about the RS you ask? Renault has confirmed that the current Megane RS will soldier on for at least another year, but they won’t announce exactly when the new RS will come out. Word on the grapevine is that the next Megane RS will follow Clio‘s footpath, which means a 5-door body style and dual-clutch transmission. Yes, we also hope that’s not true, but in case you’re worried, you may want to consider getting the current Megane RS.
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Renault Megane
Renault Megane GT
