evo UK – September 2019

http://www.evo.co. uk 025

Renault MéganeRS Trophy-R

EngineIn-line 4-cyl, 1798cc, turbocharged

Power296bhp @ 6000rpm

Torque295lb ft @ 2400-4800rpm

Weight1306kg (230bhp/ton)0-62mphTBC

Top speedTBCBasic price€55,000

RENAULT MÉGANERSTROPHY-R

byANTONYINGRAM

THE RIVALS

RENAULT SPORTMEGANE 275 TROPHY-R

Now rendered14 seconds slower than the latest

Trophy-R around the Ring (7:54.4 v7:40.1), the oldR

remainsa remarkable achievement and ayardstick for

hot hatch aggression. Neededcare on cold tyres or in

the wet, but mighty on a dry track. More on page 77.

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI CLUBSPORT S

Forgetthe current TCR: the Clubsport Sof 2016is still

the greatest ever Golf, and the only hatch capable of

giving the old275 Trophy-R (2015-16) a bloody nose.

Interactive, fast (306bhp) and accomplished,it felt

cut fromthe samecloth as a 911 GT3.

HONDA CIVIC TYPE-R

Thecurrent hot-hatch leader. Impeccablyengineered,

the 316bhpCivic Ris staggeringlyeffective on both

road and track, able to keep upwith the imperfections

of the formerand turn into a BTCCracer on the latter.

Onlythe styling makesus think twice.

Left:infotainment

systemgets a

downgrade in the

nameof weight-saving.

Bottom:new Sabelt

seats save 5kg apiece