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Europe ...

 

.. and especially Belgium is very hard to understand for outsiders when it comes to the road. When I explained to a friend coming from Israel, the rules in Belgium ... he was afraid to drive. We have that thing called 'priority to the right'; this is basically the absolute most stupid system we have here. We are used to it because we have to deal with it every second you're driving your car or bike. I call it the 'boobytrap' system, one second not paying attention can cost you dearly, it is such a stupid system. The past 20 years we had the speeding cameras multiplying like rabbits and now since a couple of years the whole of Flanders is infested with average speed traps. I can assure you I have a map filled with traffic tickets, you wouldn't believe how big that map is.Knowing I drive about 95 to 99 % of my time obeying the speed limit these past few years (it used to be the other way around LOL) it is insane I still get a ticket from time to time. About the Tesla 3 ... I know the suspension is great, though I would have to invest extra money in brakes I guess. Also I am afraid I would get bored after a while, especially knowing I payed a lot of money (50.000+ € is a fortune for the Bim). Also, RWD is not my specialty LOL ... I crashed the one and only RWD I ever had, hihi. Last year I took a test drive with the Renault Megane e-tech full electric. This is one of the few FWD EV cars out there, it had 220 hp so it wasn't really fast but still managed a 0 to 62 in 7 seconds .... which was pretty boring. However it was a very dynamic car at speeds between 25 and 85 mph. Accelerating out of a tight corner doing 45 mph and flooring it really amazed me, not just the instant pick-up but how fast I was going 85/90 mph .. probably faster than my Megane RS ... it is a relatively small car and 'only' weighs 1600 kilos. My plan (LOL) is to (maybe) buy the upcoming Renault R5 (or Alpine A290 based on this R5) which should be again lighter and have either 150 hp or 220 hp. This will be my economy car with still a bit of fun at a reasonable price ... I hope ... maybe ... perhaps ... . Time will tell .. and in the mean time ... I will burn fossil fuel. Bim



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53 Comments view entire thread 

The last Renaultsport ......

 
By: bimbeano : August 13th, 2023-20:03
Renaultsport was founded back in 1976, a merger between Alpine an Gordini which were owned by Renault. Some crazy cars came out of this factory, most of them build in the Alpine factory in Dieppe. But maybe one day I'll do a post on the history of the RS-...  

In America...

 
By: patrick_y : August 13th, 2023-20:16
In America, we have to buy a Ferrari to get a nice high performance wagon-style-glass hatchback! Is this Renault RWD or FWD or AWD? The Ferrari is RWD in V8 guise or AWD in V12 guise.

Well, that depends on the level of "high" performance...

 
By: India Whiskey Charlie : August 13th, 2023-20:47
We do have a GTI, a Golf R, an Audi RS6 Avant and even a Mercedes E63 wagon. No need to go to Ferrari and play their game...😉

Oops. Meant to add "compact sized" hatchback to those list of requirements.

 
By: patrick_y : August 13th, 2023-23:53
But yes... That's a nice list of machines! I'd probably shy away from the GTI because it's FWD and even the AWD Golf R since it's a transverse engine which means it might revert to FWD when there's no need for AWD. Now, the RS6 and E63 are some serious ma... 

This is FWD

 
By: bimbeano : August 13th, 2023-22:26
1.8 turbo 300 hp 4 wheel steering Suspension with hydraulic bump stops and some other cool stuff for a relatively 'cheap' car.

4 wheel steering on such a small car!!!

 
By: patrick_y : August 13th, 2023-23:58
Definitely one very advanced car. Probably not very reliable since it's got a lot of proprietary technology and it's made in very low volume. But nevertheless, it shows Renault really put in everything they could into this car if they put in 4 wheel steer... 

I think Renault has been doing ..

 
By: bimbeano : August 15th, 2023-09:34
4 wheel steering at the same time Honda did. I think the strength of Renaultsport/Alpine is they get a certain 'freedom' to change a standard car into an instant classic. If you look what they did with the Clio 3 RS .. or the V6 and .. actually any Renaul... 

Gotcha...

 
By: patrick_y : August 15th, 2023-14:59
We don't have Renault Clios in America, so I really can't say. I've been told that Golf GTIs are very good, maybe not the most reliable, but otherwise a very nice car to drive. I'm still a little skeptical. Why would Porsche GT3 owners like a Golf GTI so ... 

They like the Golf GTI ...

 
By: bimbeano : August 16th, 2023-08:05
.. because they haven't tried a Clio or Megane . I have never tried the Civic Type R yet ... something tells me not to because I could be tempted then There's always a 'better' car.

Well, they're in the USA, we don't have Renault in USA.

 
By: patrick_y : August 16th, 2023-08:09
I haven't driven a Golf GTI. But I have driven the previous Mercedes CLA 250 FWD as a rental car, and the CLA wasn't bad. You could feel through the steering it was FWD, but it didn't have too much torque steer. And I imagine the Golf GTI drives similar t... 

I guess ...

 
By: bimbeano : August 16th, 2023-10:53
.. the CLA has a similar front to an old Passat VR6 probably . I remember driving the 2.8 FWD Passat back in the 90ies and there was loads of torque steer while accelerating, decent FWD 'sports' cars have lots of solutions for this problem. One was used b...  

Interesting!

 
By: patrick_y : August 16th, 2023-17:33
Good to know! I've never driven a Golf GTI. Maybe next time I'm in Europe I'll see if I can get a GTI as a rental. The last time I got an Audi A4 as a rental. Was not particularly pleased with that car - very boring to drive - and it was a FWD version. Bu... 

Europe ...

 
By: bimbeano : August 17th, 2023-22:27
.. and especially Belgium is very hard to understand for outsiders when it comes to the road. When I explained to a friend coming from Israel, the rules in Belgium ... he was afraid to drive. We have that thing called 'priority to the right'; this is basi...  

Ok. You're sitting in the passenger seat!

 
By: patrick_y : August 20th, 2023-07:55
And you have to look for speed cameras and to remind me what the speed limits are on the roads I'm on. I want to be certain I am in compliance!

Deal !

 
By: bimbeano : August 20th, 2023-21:54
You will need me in order to survive the Belgian jungle 😝

Your Clio is made to withstand track driving more than a GTI...

 
By: India Whiskey Charlie : August 15th, 2023-19:54
But, at the end of the day, they are both street cars. That said, I know several people who drive a GTI or Golf R with success on the track with minor modifications.

True !

 
By: bimbeano : August 16th, 2023-08:08
You can do some mods and have a nice track tool, I followed a build in Holland a few years ago of a 'normal' Megane 3 RS. They spend around 20K Euros and it was 4 seconds quicker than the Megane Trophy-R on a 2 minute track ... which was probably 4 second... 

Mine is the 280 hp !

 
By: bimbeano : August 13th, 2023-22:19
I tried the 300 hp a few years after I bought mine, the difference wasn't really noticeable .

Is the Electronics on the Dash the same?

 
By: MCG (Markus) : August 14th, 2023-13:46
I have a Mégane 2 RS Team F1 R26 and wanted to buy your version Mega 4 RS EDC 280. However I did not because I found the - electr. Gear changes mods strange. „Comfortable“ was grand-mother style and „sport“ and even „normal“ some kind of nervous with lots... 

New electronics are A LOT better !

 
By: bimbeano : August 14th, 2023-14:40
The 300 hp version shifts better/smoother. My 280 is as you say: Gearchanges can be nervous, I got used to it and it actually got better by the years. I also have a gearbox oil change every 50.000 km which helps as well. Yes the touchscreen response is a ...  

If you keep the Megane 2 ..

 
By: bimbeano : August 17th, 2023-22:40
.. put some more time, money and effort into it. When you do they are bulletproof and feel like new at any point. My Clio is now 13 years old, has 165.000 km and still feels like it was new, I had it detailed 2 years ago and I wash it whenever I have some...  

Will see. Mine is also 13 years old and has almost 300kkm… 😅

 
By: MCG (Markus) : August 20th, 2023-08:38
The engine is still top! But it is getting difficult with other spare parts… ...  

Such a cool beast !

 
By: bimbeano : August 20th, 2023-11:15
I told you this before but I'm gonna say it again: I LOVE THIS MOEDEL/COLOR/WHEELS COMBO A LOT! Maybe a tip; I see you have the BEBOP wheels (17 or 18?) mounted, but they are rather heavy. I know this because I have the 17 inch ones mounted on the Clio at... 

Thanks again! ☺️

 
By: MCG (Markus) : August 20th, 2023-14:54
Yes thiese are 18“ Beebop rims. And yes, they are heavy - I have no clue why they are so expensive! 🤦🏻‍♂️😂 Spacers and rims (different to the original) is a big issue in Switzerland. Not many things are allowed, and if, it‘s very strictly reglemented… As ... 

Couldn't agree more in terms of enjoyment and fun

 
By: Arronax : August 15th, 2023-01:37
The Megane was top 3 of recent drives with the 308 gti 270 and the cayman GTS 4.0, that says it all!

The tAlpine factory in Dieppe …

 
By: Cpt Scarlet : August 13th, 2023-20:45
Certainly made some wonderful cars … I had the green pleasure of owning enjoying three Renault’s. A Turbo 1 and two Turbo 2’s from the 80’s.

I wish I still had it …

 
By: Cpt Scarlet : August 14th, 2023-16:31
It was a great car, especially once it had been considerably tweaked 😉

160 HP

 
By: bimbeano : August 19th, 2023-20:19
Was the standard output, Ragnotti's racer had 350 hp. I guts since you are based in the UK yours had plenty over 200

Dear God ... competition car ?

 
By: bimbeano : August 19th, 2023-21:32
... Only 20 made I read somewhere. Is that correct ? So 300+ hp LOL.

I came close to getting a trophy

 
By: Arronax : August 13th, 2023-21:23
Test drove one two times with the 6 speed and dare I say I found it more engaging than the alpine but the ride was too stiff and the body was too wide for my liking, a disease shared by the civix type R. A shame they didn't offer electronic dampers.

The Trophy ...

 
By: bimbeano : August 13th, 2023-22:23
.. is indeed quite stiff, I have the 'sport' suspension which has the 'soft' setup .. but actually still pretty stiff. Electronic dampers are a blessing indeed, my friend has a Hyundai i30N and it is pretty comfy in comfort setting .. on the other hand th... 

Not knowing much about ..

 
By: hans_jorgen_1968 : August 14th, 2023-18:14
… Renault or French cars I will be looking forward to your post Amazing RS btw BR Hans

20 years ago ...

 
By: bimbeano : August 15th, 2023-09:44
.. I didn't know a lot about French hot hatches ... except for the 205 GTI which was and still is my ultimate dream car. But then came the Clio 172 Renaultsport ... I bought a EVO magazine and back then they put it against cars with at least double the ho... 

My wet dreams also

 
By: hans_jorgen_1968 : August 15th, 2023-12:13
included a 205 GTI that my girlfriends mothers friend had.. I’m white But so far I have never had/owned a french car Best regards Hans