What's the news?
The all-new, third-generation Renaultsport Megane will make its global debut at the Monaco Grand Prix on May 26th.
The Megane RS MkIII, resplendent in yellow-and-black livery to mark Renault's 40 years in F1, will be driven around the Principality's street circuit in the hands of Nico Hülkenberg, ahead of a full appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
Megane RS models have been around since 2004 and the second generation of the French hatchback (there was no RS variant of the Megane MkI), with some of the more focused models - the R26.R of 2008 and the 275 Trophy-R of 2015 - proving to be among the finest performance hatchbacks of all time.
It is highly likely the new Megane RS will use a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine and it will most likely need 280-300hp in standard format to take on the likes of the SEAT Leon Cupra 300, Honda Civic Type R and Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport, which are among the leading lights of the front-wheel drive hot hatchback world.
Anything else?
Patrice Ratti, the managing director of Renault Sport Cars, said: "The Megane RS embodies the passion of every man and woman working for Renault Sport. It is the ultimate expression of the savoir-faire we have accumulated through our countless successes in motorsport. Thanks to its extreme cornering efficiency, the Megane RS is extraordinarily satisfying to drive at even the most challenging venues, such as the Nürburgring's Nordschleife in Germany. With its widened bodywork and aerodynamic elements derived from F1, it is also looks the part!"
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