Renault has broken the lap record for front-wheel drive cars at the Nürburgring’s legendary Nordschleife with the limited-edition Megane RS 275 Trophy-R, beating the previous record set by Seat in March (2014).

THE NEW LAP RECORD OF 7m54.36secs set back on 15 May bested the Seat record by an impressive four seconds (7m58.4secs) which was set in March this year. And, to celebrate, Renault is offering only 250 Megane RS 275 Trophy-Rs for-sale in just 15 countries. Australia will see 50 arrive Down Under – the second biggest foreign allocation after Japan.

The Megane RS Trophy-R is a two-seat variant of the recently released Megane RS 275 Trophy which, thanks to a strict diet, sees it tip the scales weighing 100kg less than its full-line sibling. The Megane RS 275 Trophy-R comes as standard with the Cup chassis (complete with limited-slip differential), the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine has been boosted to 275bhp (201kW at 5500rpm), a titanium Akrapovic exhaust system, ‘Öhlins Road&Track’ one-way adjustable dampers with composite springs and MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres – the first time this rubber has been offered as standard on a front-drive car.

Drivers will be able to adjust the dampers through 20 positions at the front and 30 at the rear. The body height and stance of the car can also be altered by adjusting the compression of the composite springs. And while we wouldn’t recommend inexperienced drivers sign-up for the Megane RS Trophy-R, those that do will be given access to online tutorials and cheat sheets via the Renaultsport website.

While the Mégane R.S. 275 Trophy-R manages without rear seats, in the front are Recaro Pôle Position polycarbonate monocoque seats, which offer a weight saving of 42kg over the standard seats. These are fitted with a three-point seat belt, but a six-point harness with aviation-style buckle is available as an accessory. A retention beam and safety nets protect passengers from moving luggage.

The air-conditioning and radio have been binned, saving 10kg with a simplified centre console in its place. To bring the car up to the same level of performance as the record-setting car, Renaultsport is offering a variety of packages, including a performance braking kit which offers larger lighter discs; a lithion-ion battery to replace the standard-fit lead battery which saves a further 16kg. Then there’s a Nurburgring Pack which combines the Performance braking kit, lithium-ion battery, two safety harnesses, four spare wheel covers and a retaining strap.

The Megane RS 275 Trophy-R will get another outing when it takes on the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next week (June 27).