Cars Reviews

Renault’s Megane line has been widely credited as a solid buy, and a few of its special editions have been quite highly regarded, even among the hard-to-please European hot-hatch crowd. The latest - and possibly the last - update to the hottest of Megane’s RenaultSport variants, the Ultima Edition, brings serious performance to the table while remaining a practical daily driver.

Though the first Megane RenaultSport (RS) edition suffered a somewhat mixed reception by the press in 2004, several special editions remedied the major problems. The R26 Megane was previously an even-hotter version of the Megane RS, with power up to 230hp in the latest version. The Ultima RS significantly one-ups even the R26, however, with 255hp. It’s also 0.8s quicker to 100km/h and 130kg lighter than the R26 edition.

For the Ultima Edition, the sprint to 100km/h takes just 5.7s, the car weighs a scant 1235kg (2717lbs). It also features a custom-tuned suspension, 18-inch alloy wheels and a unique exhaust system. For just €32,000, you can have a car that will outrun an Audi S3, nearly hang with the top-end BMW 1-series and still get you to the grocers and back with a minimum of fuss.

The Ultima Edition is expected to hit the streets in October, and as the name suggests, this could be the final RenaultSport edition Megane, as the model’s replacement is rumored to be scheduled for 2009.