Renault Mégane
Encyclopedia : R : RE : REN : Renault Mégane
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| Renault Mégane | |
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| Manufacturer: | Renault |
| Production: | Mk I: 1995-2001 Mk II: 2002-2008 |
| Car class: | Small family car/Compact car |
| Body Styles: | FF hatchback/sedan/convertible |
| Engines: | |
| Predecessors: | Renault 19 |
| Successors: | still in production |
| Competitors: | Alfa Romeo 147 Citroën Xsara Citroën C4 Ford Focus Mazda3 Peugeot 307 Volkswagen Golf |
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The Renault Mégane is a small family car made by the French manufacturer Renault since 1995. It is offered in several bodystyles; 3- and 5-door hatchback, sedan, coupé, convertible and station wagon. It also forms the basis of the compact MPV Renault Scénic.
Mégane I 1996
The Mégane I was unveiled in the autumn of 1995, as a replacement of the Renault 19. The car was essentially a reskin of its predecessor, and carried over the 19's floorpan, engines, transmissions and chassis design, albeit with much modification. 1997 saw the introduction of the compact MPV Mégane Scénic. Taking its name from a Renault concept car which was shown in 1988, the Mégane further developed the new corporate styling theme introduced by Patrick Le Quement on the Laguna, most notably the "bird-beak" front grille - a styling cue borrowed from the legendary Renault 16 of the 1960s. As with the 19 and the 11 before it, the Mégane was produced in Renault's Douai plant in northern France.
Power came from the Renault E-type ("Energy") engine in 1.4 L, 1.6 L, 1.8 L, and the F-type unit in both 1.9 L diesel and 2.0 L petrol form, although this time around there was a wider variety of 16-valve derivatives. A 1.9 L diesel engine in both normally aspirated and turbocharged forms was also available.
A mild facelift in 1999 gave the Mégane I a modified grille, more advanced safety features and upgraded equipment, and the 16-valve engines were used across the range.
Mégane II (2002-present)
The Mégane II was launched in 2002[link], and marked a completely fresh start. The two cars bear very little resemblance, the new vehicle having been inspired by the manufacturer's new style first seen in the Avantime. The enormous success of the Mégane across Europe proved that Renault's new bold styling was a winning formula and the subsequent failure of the Avantime to sell in great numbers can be attributed to its unusual market placement rather than its styling. The new Mégane was voted European Car Of The Year in 2003, and achieved a 5-star safety rating in the EuroNCAP crash tests[link], the first car in its class to do so.
M´´egane II and the Laguna were both showcases for a great deal of innovative technologies Renault launched around 2001-2002; the Renault Card keyless ignition system, standard on the Mégane II, was a first in this class and has since been widely adopted. Similarly, the option of a panoramic glass sunroof is another area in which Renault led where others followed.
RenaultSport (RS) versions of the 3-door and 5-door hatchbacks were introduced, equipped with a turbocharged petrol 2.0 L 16v engine producing 225 hp. Along with the engine, changes were made to the front and rear suspension geometry to improve handling, and the model features a deeper, wider front bumper. The Mégane Renault Sport competes in the hot hatch segment of the market.
As with the previous Mégane, the range of models is extremely wide; there is a three and five door hatchback available, named "Sport Hatch" and "Hatch" respectively, there is a 4-door saloon/sedan (Sport Saloon), a five-door estate (Sport Tourer / Grandtour), and to replace both the Mégane Coupe and Convertible, a new retractable hardtop Mégane Coupe-Convertible (shown above). In place of the old Mégane Scenic arrives a new Scénic available in short- and long-wheelbase models, the latter offering seven seats for extra versatility.
The coupé-convertible features an innovative folding glass roof mechanism built by Karmann.
| Liters | CC | HP | Top Speed (km/h) | 0-100 km/h(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 | 1390cc | 80 | 170 | 13.5 |
| 1.4 16v Mégane II | 1390cc | 98 | 175 | 13.0 |
| 1.4 16v | 1390cc | 98 | 183 | 12.5 |
| 1.6 16v | 1598cc | 110 | 191 | 10.9 |
| 1.6 16v | 1598cc | 115 | 191 | 10.9 |
| 1.8 16v | 1795cc | 120 | 199 | 8.9 |
| 2.0 16v | 1998cc | 136 | 199 | 9.2 |
| 2.0 Turbo Mégane II | 1998cc | 165 | 220 | 8.3 |
| 2.0 Turbo RenaultSport Mégane II | 1998cc | 225 | 236 | 6.5 |
| 1.5 DCi Mégane II | 1461cc | 80 | 170 | 14.3 |
| 1.5 DCi Mégane II | 1461cc | 86 | 173 | 12.7 |
| 1.5 DCi Mégane II | 1461cc | 100 | 178 | 12.8 |
| 1.5 DCi Mégane II | 1461cc | 106 | 185 | 11.1 |
| 1.9 DCi | 1870cc | 90 | 173 | 12.9 |
| 1.9 DCi | 1870cc | 120 | 196 | 10.5 |
| 1.9 DCi | 1870cc | 130 | 202 | 9.0 |
| 2.0 Dci | 1995 cc | 150 | 215 | 8.7 |
The model was revised in 2006, with changes in interior trim, specification levels and most notably, a new front nose. A new front suspension system borrowed from the Mégane 2.0 225 PS was adopted improving even more the driving performance of the Renault Mégane. [link].
References
- [Cardesign News article on Mégane II launch]
- [Euro NCAP Results for Mégane]
- [WhatCar? news article on 2006 revisions]
Trivia
- The music used for the 2003 UK advertising campaign was "I See You Baby" by Groove Armada. The campaign featured close-ups of various human backsides to draw attention to the Mégane II's distinctive rear styling. The advert caused a minor controversy in the UK, with it only allowed to be shown after 7:30pm in the evening.
- The 2005 Formula One World Champion, Fernando Alonso, drove King Juan Carlos I of Spain around the Circuit de Catalunya before the 2006 Spanish Grand Prix in a Renault Mégane.
See also
External links
| Renault car timeline, 1980s-present - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |||||
| City car | Twingo | Twingo II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Supermini | Super 5 | Clio I | Clio II | Clio III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Small family car | 9 / 11 | 19 | Mégane I | Mégane II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Large family car | 18 | 21 | Laguna I | Laguna II | Laguna III | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Executive car | 25 | Safrane | Vel Satis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mini MPV | Kangoo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Modus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact MPV | Scénic I | Scénic II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Large MPV | Espace I | Espace II | Espace III | Espace IV | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Avantime | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coupé | Fuego | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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