As I closed in on the vehicle ahead, the distinctive rear end was a give away. The red hatch could only be from Renault’s stable. The traffic lights had forced the progression of cars to come to a standstill, so the uniquely designed Sport dCi 175 rear end became very distinctive as I sat tucked in behind the diesel powered Renault Megane RS. The steeply raked rear window drops sharply from the low profile roofline, and the line at which the rear window stops is met by a beautifully rounded backside that boasted a curvy, bulging boot lid and confident trapezoid tail lights. When the traffic lights turned green, the Renault Megane RS dCi 175 pulled away, and it was then I noticed the chrome twin-exhausts poking out – low down and situated at the centre of the RS dCi’s squat rear end. Sitting on wide, low profile tyres, the Renault Megane Sport dCi 175 quickly zipped passed the line of slower moving traffic at speed. At a later date, a closer look allowed me to enjoy the sporty side-on view, and the elegant front headlights that make for a completely balanced and well presented front end that publicizes the Renault silver diamond emblem boldly and with style.

Plenty of torque beneath the bonnet allows the Renault Megane Sport dCi 175 to cruise effortlessly out on the open road. And the five-door hatch does this with complete ease. The Megane Sport dCi 175 is the first ever diesel model in the Renault Sport range, and it is one of the most powerful 2.0 litre diesel engines on the Australian market. With 127 kW, the Megane always feels ready to respond with some urgency when the need arises, and yet the car feels delightfully docile in heavy traffic. The Renault Megane Sport dCi 175 engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission and puts out a whopping 360 Nm of torque. These figures equate to a swift 0-100 km/h time of just 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 220 km/h.

You’ve probably already heard just how good the Megane hatch is to drive. The handling is magnetic and the steering light, which makes for a delightful combination of fast turning response and agile cornering. A smile quickly appears on the Renault Megane RS dCi 175 driver.

Renault has worked hard to make their engines green, and in the Renault Megane RS dCi 175, Renault boast environmentally sympathetic emissions of just 165 g/km. Open road touring doesn’t come any better, especially when you can boast a combined fuel consumption of only 6.3 litres/100km.

The Renault Megane is one of the world’s safest motorcars. And with a realm of premium safety features that include an Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brake Distribution, a sport-tuned Electronic Stability Program, eight SRS airbags and a racy Brembo front braking arrangement. The Traction Control System is one of the safest and best in the world.

Inside, the French class is very evident. So in the Renault Megane Sport dCi 175 you can expect premium leather-trimmed upholstery, a leather steering wheel and gear knob, a six-CD changer, a height and reach adjustable steering wheel, lumbar and height adjustment on the driver’s seat and drilled aluminium pedals. These are all part of a long list of luxurious and practical features that also have exterior features that boast Xenon headlights as standard, body coloured bumpers, satin chrome door handles, a chrome double-outlet exhaust and 18 inch alloy wheels.

Renault has taken the 175 and made it a sensationally complete package of power, performance, handling and comfort.

The current model series includes the:

• Renault Megane Sport dCi 175

For any more information on the Renault Megane Sport dCi 175, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Renault dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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