Forza Horizon 4: The Meg vs. The Civic

Few moments ago, I tried out the latest Renaultsport Megane in Forza Horizon 4, a hatchback that I won at the Winter Festival Playlist, and I am amazed that for a basic cooking version of Renault's ultimate hot hatch, it managed to take down even the ultimate Megane in the past, which is the R26.R.



Rejoined by the Megane IV R.S., it's time to take Renault's king of hot hatches a step further because I'll be summoning its biggest enemy this French hot hatch ever faced; the FK8 Honda Civic Type R.



Yes, the FK8 Honda Civic Type R, the ultimate hot hatch ever assembled a sea away because even though it's Japanese, it's made by the Brits and sadly, it's the last Type R ever made in Britain judging by the news that Honda's Swindon plant is closing soon. Anyway, brushing off from current events, the FK8 Honda Civic Type R is the ultimate enemy of the Renaultsport Megane IV of course and having learned that its ultimate version defeated the Civic at the Nurburgring, I reckon that it might do the same here except for one major problem...



As you can see here, the Renaultsport Megane IV featured in the game is just the basic cooking model with the 1.8L turbo engine that produces 280PS of power and 390Nm of torque. That's less than what the 2.0L VTEC TURO the Type R possess and slightly heavier as well. Despite the handicap, it's challenge accepted for the Renaultsport Megane IV as it takes on a time attack against the king of hot hatches, the Civic Type R. Good luck, French fry.

After a quick lap round castle grounds, here are the results;

FK8 - 1:06.867
Megane IV - 1:09.203



Guess the basic Renaultsport Megane IV wasn't quick enough to outrun the Civic Type R unlike its ultimate version that won the time attack battle at the Ring against this Honda. Oh well, despite the result, I'm very happy that I got my hands of the latest Renaultsport Megane while it lasted.

Wait...



What now? A new challenger? Could this day get any worse?!

Forza Horizon 4: The Meg

The Renaultsport Megane has evolved into one of the most capable super hot hatchbacks ever made, with dynamics lively enough to topple even the ones more powerful than it. It bears a wide reputation for shattering Nurburgring lap times for front-wheel drive cars and such feats grabbed wide attention from those who are feared and respected by its French kiss of death on the track.



Having demonstrated its track-honed success with the previous Renaultsport Megane generations, the time's just right for the French carmaker to deploy everything they've learned from them in their newest model based on the fourth-generation Megane.



Quite a teaser, right? Well, I just won this hot hatch straight from the Horizon Winter Playlist of the December-January series update and this is one of the hot hatches I want to see in the game, albeit not perfect but hopeful to me.



So, what's the X-file and the why card on Renault's latest hot hatch? Based on the fourth-generation Megane, the all-new Renaultsport Megane is boasted to be the most powerful Renaultsport ever made courtesy of its 1.8L turbo engine that produces 280PS of power and 390Nm of torque, which is 5PS more than the previous Megane R.S. 275. Mated to a rather controversial 6-speed EDC similar to the one used on the Renaultsport Clio IV, it propels the Megane R.S. to a 0-100kph time of 5.8 seconds and a top speed limited to 255kph. Although quick, enthusiasts will go for the manual variant of the Renaultsport Megane, where its fun-to-drive charm matters to its track-honed hot hatch.

Learning their lessons from the previous models, the Renaultsport Megane features a reworked chassis that takes advantage of its efficiency, agility, stability, and comfort as well as its 4CONTROL four-wheel steering system and four bump stop shock absorbers.

The Renaultsport Megane offers different variants to choose from such as the Sport, the more traditionalist Cup which is stiffer than the first one and comes with an LSD, the sharper and more powerful Trophy, and the record-breaking Trophy R, which blitzed the Nurburgring front-wheel drive record at 7:40.1, faster than the Honda Civic Type R FK8.



Although not the Renaultsport Megane I was hoped for, this new model has some hopeful potential hot hatch enthusiasts clamoring for thanks to its newly improved dynamics made suitable for road and track in mind, although track-honed is what this Megane summed up best since this no-limits Horizon, anything is possible for Renault's ultimate hot hatch masterpiece. Not perfect by hot hatch standards but its hopeful in the beginning so drivers love to do more with Renault's ultimate hot hatch.



To see if the Renaultsport Megane IV truly evolved, let's call in its predecessors and then conduct a serious experiment on the Broadway suburbs to prove if the latest Renaultsport Megane evolved to the fullest. Begin the experiment.

After a lap around the Broadway suburbs, here are the results;

Megane R26.R - 1:06.5
Megane III RS - 1:07.234
Megane IV RS - 1:05.933



So, there it is, the ultimate Renaultsport Megane ever made and the French carmaker finally improved its record-breaking formula with everything they've got using the latest racing know-how and lessons from past generations to create a hot hatch that gave the Civic Type R a slap in the face. Tres Bien, Renault.

However, I'm still not done with the new Renaultsport Megane as later on, the Meg and I will be doing some intense workouts to see if the ultimate hot hatch lives up to its reputation. Until then, enjoy your new Megane.

Forza Horizon 4: Revenge of #PrimeDay

It's the time of the year again when our favorite heavy beasts become bats out of hell for the most insane moments of their lives. Yep, it's Prime Day and it's time to uncage those heavy beasts and let loose.



This year's Prime Day became two days only but despite the extra day, these beasts don't waste any day unleashing their raw power and their insane character from every angle. They're all about business and leisure without compromise and that's what Prime Day is all about.

Without further ado, let's meet the prime specimens roaring through the sounds of Prime Day.

First off, the truck that got beaten by a HALO jumper in the Arizona desert; was the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. The current F-150 Raptor is powered by an EcoBoost V6 engine which results in more power but the beastly sound of the 6.2L V8 is hard to miss and with all that roar coming out from its glorious V8 engine, this is what made this truck a bad-ass.



Next, it's the super hot hatch that got beaten by a midship German sportscar, the Renaultsport Megane 250. While it's not suitable for drag racing against the most powerful hot hatches on the road, the lightweight bodywork and race-inspired chassis make this one of the best handling hot hatches of all time and despite being lost to a certain Porsche, it sure is a lot of fun to drive.



Then, there's the McLaren MP4-12C, the supercar that harks the return of McLaren making supercars since the legendary F1. Made in the days when Lewis Hamilton raced for McLaren, the 12C is a cutting-edge supercar that propagates through the track with intelligence unheard by supercar standards. If you have seven and a half minutes to spare while taking a break at the Ring, this is the McLaren for you.



And lastly, the Pagani Zonda R, the most feral of the prime specimens featured here, is packed with extreme aerodynamics that is fitting for a no-holds-barred machine that sits in Pirelli racing tires and 6.0L V12 Mercedes engine producing 750HP and because it dons so much carbon fiber on its body, it's 200kg lighter than your first Zonda. It may be labeled the last of its kind but it's not.



Prime Day is all about business and leisure without compromise, and with heavy beasts like these, not even Darth Pancake can choke these monsters off.



Ladies and gentlemen, please hold tight.






THIS IS...PRIME DAY!



Cars like these are known for opening their inner Amazon and unleashing hell on all roads of the world and with prime specimens like the F-150 SVT Raptor, the Renaultsport Megane III, the 12C, and the Zonda R, it's like every day is Prime Day because of the monsters that lurk beneath their sheets of metal. They really are fantastic.

See you next Prime Day...

Forza Motorsport 7: Prime Day

It's Prime Day once again and once again, the prime specimens that roared through the sounds of prime are back to let their feral instincts roar in Forza Motorsport 7. Whether if it's up against the HALO Jumper, a mid-engine German sportscar, the Nurburgring, or even for one last ride, these prime specimens are all about business and leisure without compromise.

Releasing our first feral beast from its cage is the Ford SVT Raptor. Today's F-150 Raptor is one of the best offroaders ever made but what made us miss the most about the old F-150 SVT Raptor is its 6.2L V8 engine because of the sound of this feral beast is much more ferocious compared to the EcoBoost V6 engine that today's Raptor had. It may be heavy and somewhat irrelevant in circuit racing but you can't beat the monstrous sound of its V8 engine the SVT Raptor possess and there's so much to love about a monstrous offroader that challenged the HALO jumper and lost.





The next beast is the Renaultsport Megane 250 and while today's Megane RS is basically five-door only, the last three-door Megane RS of the past is something to be missed because while being short on power compared to hyper hot hatch rivals such as the Ford Focus RS and the VW Scirocco R but because of its cup chassis, motorsport-level expertise, limited slip differential, and lightness, it eats the powerful ones like a rat scaring away a big fat biker. Being a prime meridian, the Megane RS remembers the most insane race of its life while delivering near-sportscar levels for everyday speedo boys.





The next prime meridian to be released from its cage is the McLaren MP4-12C. With today's McLaren 720S being the evolution of its Super Series range, the 12C is something to remember as the first McLaren ever made in this new era since the legendary F1. Unlike their last masterpiece, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, the 12C is purely McLaren inside and out as well as its 3.8L V8 Twin Turbo engine which is somewhat small but packs a heavy punch when you put your foot down. As a high-tech sportscar with some motorsports know-how in the days when Lewis Hamilton is a McLaren driver, the 12C is all about propagating through the track with intelligence unheard by supercar standards, quickly became the supercars we all fell in love with since the 458 and the Gallardo.





And the last beast to be unleashed from the hell in the cell is the Pagani Zonda R. As the track-only finale to the Zonda, the R features extreme aerodynamics that is fitting for a no-holds-barred machine that sits in Pirelli racing tires and 6.0L V12 Mercedes engine producing 750HP and because it dons so much carbon fiber on its body, it's 200kg lighter than your first Zonda. Start this beast up and you can really hear its roar loud enough to deliver the prime of its life. This is the first Zonda that dons a semi-automatic gearbox that shifts faster than your basic supercar and such impressiveness lapped the Nurburgring faster than the Ferrari 599XX.





These prime specimens really proved to the world that they are business and leisure without compromise and when Prime Day comes, these feral beasts roar through the sounds of prime and prepare for the insane moments in the prime of their lives. Since this is Prime Day, it's time to let these beasts loose in the Grand Prix circuit of the Nurburgring like bats out of hell. Let heavy beasts roar through the sounds of Prime Day!



How's that for Darth Pancake? These heavy beasts really roared like bats out of hell and that is why they called it PRIME DAY, a day when you can open your Amazon and go all out. It's like releasing your anger for a day and it never felt so alive driving these prime specimens to the prime of their lives.



Until the next PRIME DAY, my little kittens...

Renault Sport Megane IV

The previous third-generation Renault Sport Megane was by no means one of the most exciting super hot hatches ever built. Sure, it's not as fast as a Ford Focus RS but for lapping round tracks, it minces them alive. As the super hot hatch is becoming more of a "face the change" as 4WD trumps over FF, and while today's Civic Type R becomes the king of hot hatchbacks, they had to made the change for their hot Megane to respond to today's climate.

2018 Renaultsport Megane

2018 Renaultsport Megane

Here it is, the Renault Sport Megane IV and because change has come for the latest generation of Renault's 37,600 Euro hot hatch trump card, here are some of the things starting from the outside and while this is basically a Megane underneath, all of the signature RS treatments are festooned all over the exterior design, including that fog lamps shaped like the new Renault Sport logo. On the inside, there's no escaping the Renault Sport treatment as well the addition of the R.S. monitor that checks how much this car is doing such as lap times, acceleration, g-forces, and so on, which is relevant on the track annoying on public roads. On the MULTI-SENSE, they've added a feature only works on this hot hatch and that is Race mode which shuts down the ESP and recalibrated the 4CONTROL system to make it even more fun to drive.

Yes, the MULTI-SENSE is very high-tech indeed for the hot hatch but for purists, it just rather spoils the Megane's character which is like having a very high-tech fishing rod with a click-and-bait mechanism that puts every fishing rod to shame. While the high-tech malarkey is the least of the problems, what's under the hood is what gets you noticed. The new Megane R.S. comes with the 1.8L turbo engine that produces 280PS of power and 390Nm of torque, which is 5PS more than the previous Megane R.S. 275. What's even more noticing that the engine is polished with DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) for the valve lifters and Mirror Bore Coating for the cylinder sleeves, which are heavily inspired by today's supercars, which is nice.

True to their word, the new Megane R.S. can be fitted with either a 6-speed manual or EDC that propels the Megane R.S. to a 0-100kph time of 5.8 seconds and top speed limited to 255kph. That's pathetically slower than the Honda Civic Type R FK8 if I'm honest but speed is not an issue for the Megane R.S. here. Besides, while an EDC variant sounds good, it's the manual variant that pleases the speedo boys because of its purity this hot hatch truly deserves.

Transmissions aside, there are two kinds of chassis offered on the new Megane R.S. such as the Sport and the more traditionalist Cup which is more stiffer than the first one and comes with an LSD that improves its mild and tangy dynamics by a slightly long run. In other words, it's good on the track but annoying on public roads if you know what I mean. The brakes have been improved for better stopping power and the hidden gem on the suspension known as the hydraulic compression stop really works like clockwork.

Remember what I said that the Cup chassis is annoying on public roads? Well, what's even more annoying for a hot hatch like this is the driver assists such as ACC, AEBS, DW, OSP with TSR, BSW, and Easy Park Assist. Those safety features look good on a normal being but for a speedo boy, he'll just call it quits when he let them all on, which is not a case because they can be switched on or off on the MULTI-SENSE. Thumbs up, speedo boys, if you are driving this new hot Megane with the ADAS off and ESP disabled while going on a hot lap.

So, how can I sum this car up? The all-new Renault Sport Megane wows the speedo boys with its improved performance and the retaining of the six-speed manual gearbox, which has been longing for speedo boys everywhere, but what's not to like about is the EDC option, the Cup chassis not great for public roads, the ADAS that spoils the Megane R.S.'s fun character, and that's it. Now that I told almost everything you need to know, all we can hope for is wait until the new hot Megane has the chance to strike the Civic Type R's Ring record soon. The speedo boys are feeling it as well as the jealousy to drive one someday. Come on, Renault, we're waiting.

Photo: Renault

FH3 Hot Wheels: PRIME Day

It's Prime Day and what better way to honor such a day of whatever that means to online shoppers than taking a spin round Hot Wheels Thrilltopia with some of the feral machines known to many, those that rev themselves to the prime meridian of their lives and whether if its against the likes of a HALO jumper, a mid-engined sportscar, or just for the fun of it, these prime specimens are all about business and leisure without compromise.







These are the prime specimens in question; the original Ford F-150 SVT Raptor with its 6.2L V8 engine, the 250HP Renaultsport Megane which is questionably the last three-door Renaultsport Megane in history as its replacement will be available as a five-door only, and the track-only finale of the legendary Pagani Zonda, the Zonda R.

Those three machines are humming to the sounds of the prime and despite being different in every tangible way, they are always in sync to the prime of their lives as they are proud to do whatever they want. The Raptor, for instance, once raced a HALO jumper and lost, the Megane once raced a mid-engined German roadster and lost, and the Zonda R, well, it tries to impress the driver with everything at its disposal. No matter the situation, the song of prime is what kept these machines alive for the prime of their lives as they enjoy their most insane races of their lives.

Since this is Prime Day, the Raptor, the Megane, and the Zonda are ready for their most insane race of their lives once more but first...







These prime specimens have been given improvements to survive Hot Wheels Thrilltopia. The Zonda R has became an inch replica of the Zonda Revolucion. The F-150 SVT Raptor became the Velociraptor by Hennessey. And the Megane RS250 became the Megane RS N4. The Revolucion replica is my idea while the Velociraptor and the Megane N4 are borrowed from a well-known expert in replicas. Guess I should give them credit after this. Anyway, with all set, these heavy beasts are ready for the prime of their lives as they are facing against a jurassic menace lying beneath the Hot Wheels tracks like bats out of hell.



This is exactly why they called PRIME Day because these prime specimens enjoyed the most insane races of their lives and even though their races are very dangerous, they feel like it should be like this all day. How's that for an epic soundtrack? From Arizona to Rockingham, this is business and leisure without compromise. This is PRIME and they are all made for their most insane moments in the prime of their lives.

Speaking of which, the Hot Wheels Goliath Circuit event's opened for business and looks like we'll end this note right here as I'm going to prepare the most insane race in my life right here in Thrilltopia. Until then, the journey continues...

Renault Megane IV Estate

The same recipe you'd expect from the normal, fourth-generation, Renault Megane hatchback, now with added boot space fit for more stuff on the weekends, and with the new Renault Megane Estate, customers feel like it's weekends somewhere.

2017 Renault Megane Estate

Thanks to Renault's design language that applies through newer models since the Espace and the Talisman, the new Megane Estate, based on the new Megane, looks vaguely familiar to some and by familiarity, people will just mistook it for a Talisman Estate but even though it looks the same as the Talisman Estate, think of the brand new Megane Estate is a miniaturized version of the said car but categorized in the same magnitude as the Opel Astra Sport Tourer, VW Golf Variant, Peugeot 308 SW, or even the Toyota Corolla Fielder, meaning there's going to be a healthy dose of competition around the newly regenerated model, based on the recently regenerated Megane.

Despite being new, the new Megane Estate retains the same 580L luggage space as the previous model but it has a class-leading load length of 2.7 meters. That's more than enough to fit most of this weekend's thrift store haul and best of all, it's adjustable to balance this estate from being a family car or a luggage hauler in the same pace. Nothing like tackling day-to-day routine with this one, though.

Like the hatchback, the new Megane Estate comes with several choice of petrol and diesel engines ranging from the more powerful Energy TCe 205 available on the GT model and the more efficient Energy dCi 110 engine ECO2, mated with either a 6-speed or a 7-speed EDC gearbox. Like the hatchback, there is little fun and games in the new chassis it sports as well as a more clever suspension setup fit for European roads, and in case for the GT variants, it's all business and leisure for its behavior, though.

Should you buy one? The new Megane Estate starts at 19,900 Euros, which makes it a very competitive estate from a very competitive category that slots beneath other wagons like the Astra Sport Tourer, Golf Variant, and the 308 SW. With all that spacing at the back makes a big difference and with the new Megane Estate, you know that it makes sense.

Photo: Renault

Renault Megane IV

The Renault Megane is now on its fourth-generation and for this latest regeneration, it's now packed with a whole new look, new tech, new performance, and a whole new attitude that sets the class apart. So, what's it all about the new Megane?

2016 Renault Megane

Before you take a look at the all-new, fourth-generation Renault Megane, it might be best to compare with or without wearing your glasses because this is the main reason why this car is called "Megane". Approach yourself two times near the car, then move backward by four times, and then backward again by eight times. See the difference if you're going through different directions with or without glasses? Without your glasses, your new Megane looks a lot like a Mercedes-Benz A-Class from the distance, but with your glasses on, you can really point out its Talisman-inspired looks, which is now the new norm for Renault's "la vie, avec passion" slogan.

2016 Renault Megane interior

Because the design was heavily inspired from the Talisman saloon, you can expect the same interior as seen on the Espace, which is going to be also the new norm for future Renault interiors. For music lovers and speedo boys who love changing the radio of their cars, look away now because the new interior has a very irreplaceable touch screen armed with Renault's updated R-Link telematics system, smartphone connectivity, and much else that will put anyone to shame, except for those who got their hard-earned or hard-found songs in their smartphones to connect with. While you are ignoring this huge touch-screen, which is going to be a nightmare for a CD-less world of cars with irreplaceable radios (that's right speedo boy, you will never replace that big screen from this car), the interior of the new Megane is downright premium and downright comfortable to be accustomed with. Aside from having decent space for the passengers, there's still more room fit for your next shopping trips to the mall or to the farmer's market. What this is is a hatchback that suits anyone's lifestyle anytime, anywhere, year in, year out.

2016 Renault Megane

Under the hood, the new Megane comes with several choice of petrol and diesel engines ranging from the more powerful Energy TCe 205 available on the GT model and the more efficient Energy dCi 110 engine ECO2. Whichever engine you can choose, it can be mated with either a 6-speed or a 7-speed EDC gearbox, which sounds great to shift gears but it feels too good for its own form. Sorry, it's not a bad or a miss but rather "good" is what sums it up when it comes to its gearbox issues.

What about dynamics? Well, because this is an entirely new car with an entirely new underpinning, you might think that this is all fun and games, well in the GT-Line model that is, but there is little fun and games in the new chassis it sports as well as a more clever suspension setup fit for European roads. It feels good to handle as the present-day Clio but for sheer enjoyment, only time will tell.

Of course, the new Megane is all high-tech from start to finish and with that, you can expect a wide array of high-tech features such as Traffic Sign Recognition, Lane Departure Warning, headlamps that switches to high beam automatically, Easy Park Assist, Blind Spot detection, autonomous braking assist, and hill start assist. Those tech stuff sounds great but it can be quite scary for first-timers.

2016 Renault Megane

Should you buy one? The new Renault Megane starts at 18,200 Euros and when you compare its pricing to its French rival, the Peugeot 308, it's surprisingly 600 Euros cheap so where does all the extra difference coming from? Perhaps you should do the budget thing and find out but better still, the new Megane's a smart buy for a start.

Photo: Renault

Second-Generation Megane on GT5

Song played in my Personal BGM: Golden Age by Def Tech

From the Album: UP

The Twin Meganes

In the Gran Turismo 5 game, there are two kinds of second-generation Megane you can choose from. Firstly, the 2003 Renault Megane 2.0 16V, which is a Standard Tier car that can be obtained at the Used Car dealer occasionally and the 2008 Renaultsport Megane, which is a Premium Tier car that how can something so wrong feels so right all along,

Renault Megane Smash - Classic Top Gear Total!

I find it somewhat very odd to see those two on GT5 but the second-generation Megane holds a special place in Top Gear history. When Richard Hammond said about the Megane's overall safety, he brings in some stuntman to crash the Renault Megane without the help of safety equipment, proving that this car is very safe. Guess this whole "Megane Smash" part in Top Gear really blown my mind.

Two damaged Meganes at their
fight to the finish

Based on their bios, the Renault Megane 2.0 16V '03 is powered by a 2.0L engine, producing 131HP of power and 141ft-lb of torque, The Renaultsport Megane, on the other hand, is powered by the same 2.0L engine from the original but tweaked by Renaultsport to provide 221HP of power and 221.3ft-lb of torque. It would be ashamed for those if they overcooked the tuning settings for both of these and overall, none of these two surprised me. In fact, we're back at where we started...