I wasn't deliberately looking for Saab alternatives. This just popped up on my RSS feed and I felt compelled to have another look.
Having checked it out, I have to say there's a genuine chance that if Saab go belly-up this year, that I'll be looking for one of these on the second hand market in around 2014.
Photo: Autoblog
It's the new Renault Megane RS coupe. It's a hatch. It's got a turbocharged four that puts out 250hp and a broad torque curve that tops out at 340Nm. It's a reasonably good looker, aggressive in the right way and with the sort of eye-catching paint scheme that hasn't been seen on a Saab since 2002.
The full press release for this car is after the jump but I'll ask now: Apart from the wheels and a rather fat looking arse (not so evident in this photo), what's not to like here?
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As an aside: Imagine if Augustsson and Mauer had their way and there was a full range of Saab 9-3 body styles right from 2003, with proper marketing and support instead of this "it won't sell in the US market" crap that went on back then..... I reckon we'd have a 9-3 Viggen that could blow this baby out of the water by now.
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NEW MÉGANE RENAULT SPORT: 250HP OF SHEER PLEASURE
As the latest in a long line of Renault sporting models, New Mégane Renault Sport stands out through its exhilarating performance and handling. The cocktail of its 250hp engine, unmistakable sporting coupé credentials and choice of two chassis ('Sport' and 'Cup' with limited slip differential) is clear evidence that New Mégane Renault Sport has been honed to offer an extreme ride.
Coming after Mégane F1 Team R26 and Mégane R26.R, New Mégane Renault Sport profits fully from Renault Sport Technologies' extensive experience when it comes to manufacturing production sporting models.
Powerful
New Mégane Renault Sport is powered by a new-generation 2-litre 16-valve turbocharged petrol engine which boasts maximum power of 250hp (184kW) at 5,500rpm and peak torque of 340Nm from 3,000rpm. The sum of the different improvements made to this engine has produced a gain of 20hp and 40Nm over Mégane R26.R which itself emerged as the yardstick in the world of performance hatches. The Renault Sport 2.0 T engine's twin-scroll turbo is exceptionally responsive and is particularly flexible at lows revs, with 80 per cent of maximum torque available from 1,900rpm. Its broad useful rev band makes it a genuine joy to drive in everyday use, and the pleasure remains all the way up to the rev-limiter whenever it is pushed a little harder. The engine of New Mégane Renault Sport drives through a six-speed manual gearbox.
Work has also gone into the acoustics of the Renault Sport 2.0 T engine to produce a telltale sporty pitch audible inside the cabin under acceleration.
Efficient
New Mégane Renault Sport has inherited the same suspension arrangement as the current Mégane Renault Sport. Thanks to an independent steering axis layout at the front, the suspension and steering functions have been separated to ensure a particularly high standard of handling and traction performance.
Like the sporting versions of the Renault Clio and Renault Twingo ranges, New Mégane R.S. is available with a choice of two chassis: the 'Sport' chassis or the 'Cup' chassis, which comes with a limited slip differential for even greater traction.
The electric power steering features specific, sportier calibration and benefits from the latest improvements seen on New Renault Mégane aimed at achieving greater precision and even more feedback from the road.
New Mégane Renault Sport is equipped with ESC which is fully disconnectable in order to enable owners to sample the pleasure of enjoying their car's full potential round a circuit.
Provocative
New Mégane R.S. benefits from undeniably sporty looks. The front bumper incorporates the LED daytime running lights, as well as the splitter which recalls the low-slung nose of the R28 Formula 1 car. The sporty calling of this Renault Sport-badged model is further emphasized by its 18-inch aluminium alloy rims, central exhaust tailpipe and rear diffuser.
The interior appointments, too, exude the world of motor sport, from the extra lateral support for the seats, to the analogue rev-counter with visual and audible gearshift indicator, the aluminium pedal cover and the specific steering wheel complete with thumb rests. The Renault Sport signature is also visible inside the car: on the headrests, rev-counter background and dashboard.
New Mégane Renault Sport profits fully from Renault Sport Technologies' extensive experience when it comes to manufacturing production sporting models.
Renault Sport Technologies has combined its experience of motor sport with its longstanding production expertise to develop a comprehensive range of sporting cars. The hallmarks of Renault Sport models are their pedigree engines and efficient chassis which together deliver an undeniably high level of sports performance, as testified by the reputation forged by Mégane F1 Team R26 and Mégane R26.R which were voted 'Sporting Car of the Year' in France in 2007 and 2008 respectively.
Would it REALLY be that hard for them to paint a hirsched 9-3 Aero yellow with two-tone blue and black seats and slap viggen badges on it? Anything exciting is better than what they have right now.
Looking at Renault's current products just makes me pray that Renault can find it in their hearts and pockets to take on Saab, I think the two brands would work brilliantly together.
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/renault-megane-rs-2009-02-18
I'm looking for the NG Alfa Turbo engines - they will come as 1,75l Turbo direct injected powerhouses, putting out 200HP in normal trims and about 240HP in a nice little MiTo GTA [that could be the base for an 9-1]
The colour-scheme looks good though.
Yuck, I just caught a glimpse of its rear, with its ridculously shaped rear window where most of the view is blocked by the wiper.
I would be very surprised if this toy manage even four stars in EuroNCAP. Caveat emptor.
The 5-door scored a full 5 stars and 37 points, one of the best overall ncap scores. Ever.
http://www.euroncap.com/tests/renault_megane_2008/337.aspx
I think you just tried to pierce the armour where it was thickest, Rune...
Vi99en, Saab did have those numbers 10 years ago. Well, almost, with the Viggen. Nowadays you'd have to get the rather larger-than-a-viggen Saab 9-5 to get a Saab 5-banger with those numbers.
I've been lurking this site ever since I got my first 9000 in 2000-2001, so I'm ashamed to admit I never replied before.
However, now I had to. This is just a personal caveat, but from experience I can recommend you stay CLEAR of Renault. Sure, they may work together with Nissan (makers of the amazing GTR) nowadays, but they still haven't unlearned that 'I really don't care that much'-attitude when it comes to build quality.
My parents had a series of Renault cars (before I converted them to Saabism in 2006). Each and every one practically fell apart after just 4 years.
Chipping paint, wheel alignment going awry all the time, automatic windows blocking or just sliding down on their own, gearbox trouble... these are just a few horror stories.
Everyone I know who's had one, has had second thoughts about buying it.
My choice if Saab goes belly-up and I'd look to replace my 2001 9-5 Aero?
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- If I win the lottery (I'm just a teacher): AUDI A5 with that super smooth 3.0 TDI quattro with DSG (240 diesel pony's and 500Nm... YUM!). In a perfect world, this car would be the new 9-5.
- In any other case: the new VW Scirocco. It has a 1.4 turbo putting out 160 hp or a 2.0 turbo putting out 200 hp (I'd lean towards the 1.4). It is a hatch. It has dynamic dampers and DSG. But best of all, it's built like a brick house. The cockpit is not as exciting as in a Saab, but it feels like it'll survive nuclear holocaust.
So in short, the Volkswagen/Audi Group has me convinced. This is the level Saab should have been playing at, hadn't they been nutured by GM.
Greets from Belgium
BUT!!! Rune is right in saying that reliability is Not their thing. Out of ca 290 models of passenger cars sold in Sweden, ALL Renaults rank in the bottom 10 at the inspection. Oh, And the Opel Vivaro is there too. But thats a rebadged Renault Traffic. Infact Fiat and Alfa Romeo rank much higher
*)And due to Renault Trucks beeing so linked to Volvo Trucks it would probably be out of the question for Renault and Saab to have anything other than some partsexchange with oneanother. Nissan could be a nice company to cooperate with though.
Swade.. rub your eyes and you will see that other than the engine the swan you see in the Reanault realy is an ugly duckling.
*) In a couple of weeks we will probably know what companys that is interested in Saab. Maybe even what company that ends up buying Saab. I´ve got a serious stomach ache. Can´t they act faster? I think it´s needed.
Yeah, Swade, don't bother with Renaults. There's definitely a reason they don't sell them here anymore. It'll be your Viggen all over again: you'll have a really fast car in your driveway that won't actually move.
http://www.folksam.se/testergodarad/bilen/valjrattbil/hursakerarbilen/1.25619 awards Megane 96-03 a red "avoid" dot.
EuroNCAP awards Megane 02 five stars too, and the 1998 model gets four stars.
Yet Folksam believes these two models are less secure than the average car in their size class. (SAAB 9-3 not small enough for that class, so its 30%+ rating does not influence the Megan's low score)
_Maybe_ something changed that makes new Megane (MY03 onwards) models more safe. But EuroNCAP five stars alone does not a secure car make.
Drop a moose on that thing, or roll it over, and I think we will soon get a different rating.
The guys who make their F1 engines make some of these engines too. When they say sport, they mean sport.
I'd probably have just glossed over this one had it not been for your Cleo :-) so if people don't like me giving it column space here, they can blame you.