Renault makes faster Megane

A faster, cheaper, lighter Cup version of the 222bhp Megane Renaultsport has gone on sale.

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A faster, cheaper, lighter Cup version of the 222bhp Megane Renaultsport has gone on sale.

Like the well established Clio Renaultsport Cup, the new £18,600 Megane is £900 cheaper than standard versions of the hot hatch. The saving was made possible because some equipment has been stripped out in the quest to save weight.

The weight-loss programme means the Cup is 0.2sec quicker to 62mph from rest with a time of 6.3sec. Top speed sticks at 147mph. The Renault accelerates as quickly as the £18,995 Vauxhall Astra VXR as a result, and outpaces other rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Honda Civic Type-R.

The Cup shares the chassis changes introduced on the Megane Trophy special edition. These include more powerful brakes, sharper steering, stiffer suspension and an off switch for the traction-control system. Buyers of the standard Megane Renaultsport can upgrade to these Cup changes for £500.

The Cup does without the tyre-pressure monitoring system, leather trim on doors and armrests, carpet mats and metallic paint. A single-slot CD player is fitted in place of the usual six-CD changer, while the hands-free card and push-button ignition are also dropped.

With 18-inch alloy wheels that are 1.5kg lighter, the Cup is 10kg less heavy than the Renaultsport.

• If you still crave more power, the Mazda 3 MPS, due around the end of this year, could provide more than 250bhp.