RENAULT MéGANE

The 'Renault Mégane' is a small family car produced by the French automaker Renault since 1995. It is offered in 3- and 5-door hatchback, sedan, coupé, convertible and station wagon bodystyles. The Renault Scénic is the first modern compact MPV, and is based on the Mégane.

Contents

Mégane I (1995-2002)

Mégane II (2002-present)

Phase 2 (2006-present)

Engine Options

Mégane in the UK

Notes

See also

External links

Mégane I (1995-2002)

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. Taking its name from a Renault concept car shown in 1988, the Mégane further developed the new corporate styling theme introduced by Patrick Le Quément 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, and in the Spanish plant of Palencia.
1997 saw the introduction of the Mégane Scénic compact MPV.
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.
The Mégane is used by Proton to design the Proton Gen-2, where both car's shape are identical and the Campro is using the engine block from Renault.
'Phase 2 (1999-2002):'
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. It is still being produced by Renault Argentina, where it's sold alongside the Megane II line at a much lower price point.

Mégane II (2002-present)

The Mégane II was launched in 2002,^[1] 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,^[2] the first small family car to do so.
Mégane 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.
In Brazil, Renault launched a flex-fuel version, called "Hi-Flex", which is able to run either with unleaded gasoline (petrol) or ethanol. Like the Brazilian Scénic and Clio versions, the Mégane's engine can work with any mix of gasoline and ethanol, due to the use of an electronic control module. The flex version has a 16V 110HP (115HP with ethanol) 1.6-liter engine developed and produced in Brazil, but the 2.0-liter version does not allow ethanol use, because its engine is made in France.
'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
The Coupé-Cabriolet features an innovative folding glass roof mechanism built by Karmann and has become a cult car in its own right, with several owners' clubs. Although up against increased competition from other volume manufacturers also launching their own CCs, the Mégane is still considered to be one of the most attractive, especially its elegant silhouette with the roof down.

Phase 2 (2006-present)

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.^[3] Also, the new NISSAN Sentra is based on the 2006 platform of the Renault Megane.

Engine Options

Litres	CC	HP	Top Speed (km/h)	0-100 km/h(s)
1.4 Eco 8v Mk 1	1390 cc	67	168	14.5
1.4 8v Mk 1	1390 cc	75	170	14.3
1.4 8v Mk 1	1390 cc	75	170	13.8
1.4 16v Mk 2	1390 cc	80	170	13.5
1.4 16v Mk 1	1390 cc	95	184	11.8
1.4 16v Mk 2	1390 cc	98	183	12.5
1.6 8v Mk 1	1598 cc	90	184	11.5
1.6 16v Mk 1	1598 cc	115	195	10.8
1.6 16v Mk 2	1598 cc	110	195	11.2
1.8 16v Mk 1	1783 cc	115	199	10.0
2.0 8v Mk 1	1998 cc	115	197	9.7
2.0 16v Mk 1	1998 cc	150	210	8.7
2.0 16v Mk 2	1998 cc	136	195	11.1
2.0 16v Turbo Mk 2	1998 cc	165	220	8.3
2.0 16v Turbo RenaultSport Mk 2	1998 cc	225	236	6.5
1.5 8v dCi Mk 2	1461 cc	80	170	14.3
1.5 8v dCi dCi Mk 2	1461 cc	86	174	12.7
1.5 8v dCi Mk 2	1461 cc	100	179	12.8
1.5 8v dCi Mk 2	1461 cc	106	185	11.1
1.9 8v D Mk 1	1870 cc	65	160	16.5
1.9 8v D Mk 1	1870 cc	65	158	17.9
1.9 8v dT Mk 1	1870 cc	95	180	12.3
1.9 8v dTi Mk 1	1870 cc	100	183	12.3
1.9 8v dTi Mk 1	1870 cc	80	170	13.8
1.9 8v dCi Mk 1	1870 cc	102	188	11.5
1.9 8v dCi Mk 2	1870 cc	90	174	12.9
1.9 8v dCi Mk 2	1870 cc	120	196	10.5
1.9 8v dCi Mk 2	1870 cc	130	200	9.0
2.0 16v dCi Mk 2	1995 cc	150	210	8.7

Mégane in the UK

British sales of the Mégane started in April 1996. It needed to improve on the R19's success, as this car had helped increase Renault's UK market share but was still well short of the likes of the Ford Escort and Vauxhall Astra. The Mégane's initial sales were steady and it failed to reach the UK's top 10 sales chart in 1996 or 1997, but sales soared in 1998 it was Britain's sixth best selling car and the second most popular in its sector. It was still selling well on the arrival of its successor in November 2002.
When the Mégane II arrived in Britain in the final quarter of 2002, there was nothing quite like it. Its quirky rear-end styling brought back memories of the 1973 Austin Allegro, and many critics doubted whether it would sell strongly due to its unconventional looks. But they were quickly proved wrong as sales soared, and by 2005 it was the fourth best selling new car in Britain.
While the Mégane II has been hugely successful in the UK, a significant number of owners have been disappointed by its build quality and reliability. These shortcomings have been highlighted in a number of customer satisfaction surveys by car magazines including Top Gear and Auto Express. On the plus side, owners have praised its good economy and safety.

Notes

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See also

★ Renault Scénic

External links

★ Official UK Renault Site - Megane

★ Mégane II Owners' Club

★ AutoGuideWiki.com

★ Renaultsport Mégane 225

★ Worldwide Mégane CC site