Renault facelifts Megane for 2012
For 2012, Megane has undergone a number of small styling changes to freshen up the model’s original lines. The front end has a more modern feel, while LED daytime running lights provide a distinctive new lighting signature. The bumper features a gloss black finish with chrome highlights, and the selection of wheels has been entirely revised. The sum of these modifications mirrors the attention that has been paid to quality, an area which Renault sees as a priority.
Meanwhile, the cabin comes with new interior trims, including a two-tone leather pack available in a choice of two finishes in the UK. The personality of the specific GT-Line finishes has also been enhanced inside and out thanks to specific ‘boomerang’-shaped LED lights, visible red upholstery stitching and a sports steering wheel incorporating thumb rests, plus Renault Sport-badged door sill guards and dashboard trim strip, serving as a reminder that it belongs to the Renaultsport family. Last but not least, the list of body colours available for Megane 2012 has been extended with the addition of Azzurro Blue and Arctic White.
Megane 2012: ‘Stop and Start’ downsized engine power
Megane 2012 is the first Renault model to be available with the three new Stop & Start engines which combine both motoring enjoyment and fuel efficiency. They are the fruit of new-generation downsizing and call on Renault’s experience in F1 to form unprecedented technology packages for this level of range, including Stop & Start complete with deceleration/braking energy recovery. Thanks to their carefully-tuned acoustics, these engines produce a discreet, cushioned sound, with noise levels halved compared with the engines they replace.
Renault TCe 115 Stop & Start – the return of petrol engines: the TCe 115 is the first Renault petrol engine to feature direct fuel injection and turbocharging for fuel-efficient performance. This new 1,198cc block is poised to replace the 1.6 16V and boasts both extra power (up 5hp to 115hp) and peak torque up 40Nm to 190Nm, with 90 per cent of this figure available from 1,650rpm. Its flexibility and acceleration from low revs are consequently similar to those of a diesel engine. In addition to being the market’s best-performing 1.2-litre petrol powerplant, the Renault TCe 115 Stop & Start is particularly energy efficient, with fuel consumption down 25 per cent. Versions of Megane 2012 powered by this engine consume just 53.3 mpg (combined cycle), a record for a petrol car in this class. CO2 emissions are down to 119g/km, while the car’s range is in the region of 620 miles, which is similar to the distances associated with diesel models.
Megane 2012 will also be available with the two best diesel engines in their class, both of which combine driving pleasure with the market’s lowest fuel consumption.
New diesel dCi 110 Stop & Start: the Megane range’s best-selling 1.5 dCi engine has undergone a significant metamorphosis with the introduction of technology first introduced in 2011 on the 1.6 dCi 130, not to mention record low fuel consumption which has been improved by 15 per cent to 80.7 mpg. This is equivalent to CO2 emissions of just 90g/km and makes Megane one of its segment’s top three models in terms of energy efficiency. There has been no corresponding fall-off in performance, however, since peak torque is up 20Nm to 260Nm, which is available from as low as 1,750rpm.
Renault dCi 130 Stop & Start: this 1.6-litre diesel engine delivers 130 horsepower and 320Nm of torque, making it one of the market’s most powerful powerplants for its size. It is also a pleasure to drive thanks to crisp acceleration performance from as low as 1,750rpm. Under the bonnet of Megane, it returns combined-cycle fuel consumption of just 70.6 mpg, which is a 20 per cent saving compared to the former 1.9 dCi 130 engine. CO2 emissions stand at 104g/km.
Useful, affordable technologies
More than ever, enhancing everyday safety, making driving easier and maximising travelling comfort are seen as priorities for Renault.
Like Renault Scénic and Grand Scénic, Megane 2012 can be ordered with the Visio System®which comprises a camera fixed to the windscreen behind the rear view mirror. It improves night-time vision and helps maintain driver vigilance thanks to two functions which it is the first system of its type to feature.
Automatically switches from main- to dipped-beam headlights:night-time driving calls for total vigilance, especially when it comes to optimising lighting in order to benefit from maximum visibility without being a hindrance for other road users. The Visio System® camera improves night-time vision by permanently scanning the road ahead. Whenever natural or street lighting is poor, and when no other vehicles are detected, it automatically switches to full-beam headlights at speeds of more than 28 mph. Remembering to switch back to dipped beam is no longer a constraint and the Visio System®permits the driver to benefit from full-beam headlights between four and five times longer than is the case without the system. Visibility is enhanced (100 metres instead of 30 metres) and there is less risk of colliding with an obstacle.
Lane departure warning: the camera emits a warning if it believes that the vehicle has involuntarily changed lanes, an occurrence frequently due to drowsiness or a drop in driver vigilance, and a major cause of accidents, especially on motorways. If lane markings are crossed without the indicators having been being activated, visible and audible warnings are automatically activated.
Comfort has been further enhanced by a new Hill Start Assist function. This feature is combined with the electronic parking brake and keeps the brakes under pressure for a few seconds, giving the driver enough time to pull away without the vehicle moving backwards. Meanwhile, Motorway Mode indicators facilitate driving: a slight touch of the indicator stalk sets off three flashes to warn other road users that the driver is about to change lane. To assist parking manoeuvres, a camera located at the rear provides a precise image of the vehicle’s immediate surroundings and depicts its trajectory to help drivers adjust their line. Last but not least, the dual-zone automatic climate control is now equipped with a quality sensor which monitors cabin air quality and automatically activates the air-recycling mode whenever necessary.
Megane 2012 continues to pack the technologies that have contributed to the model’s success. All radios are now equipped with Bluetooth® hands-free telephony, connectivity and audio-streaming, as well as multi-functional TunePoint and USB/jack sockets which enable music stored on mobile devices to be controlled by the vehicle’s steering wheel-mounted fingertip control. Also available are Carminat TomTom® navigation complete with LIVE services (HD Traffic, real-time traffic information, etc.) and tailor-engineered Bose® surround sound.
Renault Megane: the flagship of Renault’s Quality drive
Megane 2012 cars are manufactured in Palencia, Spain, and benefit from rigorous production standards to guarantee impeccable quality. The model recently featured in a media campaign promoting quality ‘à la française’ and is destined to serve as a global flagship for the Renault group’s expertise in this domain across the entire range, from initial design to the showroom.
Jean-Pierre Vallaude (Senior Vice-President, Quality): “Megane is a credible ambassador for the quality of Renault vehicles thanks to its outstanding reliability and perceived quality which have improved with every evolution of the model. Megane is destined to become the worldwide quality benchmark for all Renault vehicles…”
As the Renault brand’s best-selling model, with sales exceeding 235,000 units worldwide in 2011 and 730,000 units since its launch at the end of 2008, Megane today stands out as one of the most reliable cars in its class. This reliability is recognised by the media (e.g. L’Automobile Magazine’s Reliability Top 100) and has been underlined by independent bodies such as Germany’s ADAC which have placed it at the top end of their respective classifications.
Following the pledge to continue improving made by Renault in 2003, Megane III saw a 40 per cent reduction in reliability-related incidents during a car’s first year on the road compared to its predecessor.
Megane III has benefited from reinforced design and validation processes which take both durability and ageing into account. At the design phase, for example, a list of 100 specific points was taken into account to ensure impeccable reliability and improve running- and appearance durability compared to Megane II. Special attention was paid to reducing noise, improving sealing and the reliability of electronic components.
Megane Renaultsport 265: extra horsepower and more torque for even punchier performance
Megane Renaultsport 265’s ‘Renaultsport Dynamic Management’ delivers 15 extra horsepower and 20Nm additional torque. By selecting the Sport Mode, the driver can benefit from peak power of 265hp and up to 360Nm of torque for even crisper acceleration response. Thanks to this Renaultsport innovation, it is possible to use Megane Renaultsport 265’s potential to the full, notably on tracks. At the same time, the sound produced by Megane Renaultsport.’s engine has been revised to ensure a satisfying pitch at all revs thanks a more open exhaust design and a reinforced sound pipe.
In terms of looks, the front end is more expressive, while the F1-style front blade which is a characteristic of Renaultsport models features two rows of six LEDs and the headlights sport black surrounds. The centre of the new design 18-inch alloy wheels (satin finish or matt black) as well as the 19-inch wheels, feature an ‘R.S.’ logo, and a new option is the Renaultsport Red Design Pack which comprises red striping for the front blade, side sills and diffuser. A new interior trim has been introduced, featuring visible red stitching for the steering wheel, dashboard trim, gearlever knob and surround. The new, distinctive two-tone light grey and charcoal leather upholstery can also be specified as an option, as can fabric or leather Recaro seats and a predominantly yellow ambience. Other sporty details include a black lacquer finish for the centre console and air vent surrounds, plus a charcoal-effect finish for the door panel inserts.
Thanks to its exceptional dynamic qualities, Megane Renaultsport stands out as the C segment’s best-selling high-performance coupé. It has won over 12,500 buyers worldwide since its European launch in January 2010, as well as in Russia, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Japan and South Africa. In June 2011, it established a new record of 8mins 8secs for a lap of the Nürburgring, making it the fastest front-wheel drive car ever round the ‘Nordschleife’. Acclaimed by the world’s press, Megane Renaultsport has won four awards and is frequently compared to the most prestigious super cars for the driving sensations it delivers. Renaultsport has also showcased Megane Renaultsport’s potential in motorsport with the production-based N4 which won its class in the Belgian and Germany rally championships.
Energy engines: Renault’s technological excellence in F1 carried over to road car engines for the benefit of all motorists
“F1 provides us with an extraordinary proving ground to test new technologies in extreme conditions,” says Carlos Tavares, Renault’s Chief Operating Officer. “Our 30-year commitment to the sport has enabled us to develop our downsizing expertise, combat friction and control cooling, all of which contribute to improving the energy efficiency of our vehicles without spoiling driving enjoyment.”
With ten Constructors’ world titles to its name, Renault called on talent from the world of Formula 1 to carry over the technological excellence acquired on the race track to the development of its new range of diesel Stop & Start engines. Philippe Coblence and Jean-Philippe Mercier, the men behind the success of Renault’s V10 in the 1990s, were entrusted with the engineering development of the new 1.6 dCi 130 and 1.2 TCe 115 engines. Their skill has benefited road cars by taking the concept of downsizing to new limits thanks to solutions tried and tested in F1. These engines boast an unprecedented technological package for this level of range and have led to fuel consumption savings of up to 25 per cent compared to the engines they replace.
