Renault Megane RS250 vs Golf GTI review

[REXman]

I like it how someone mentioned that VW is the corolla of Europe.. That's interesting.

A) it still costs a bit relative to a corolla overseas.

B) the amazing Focus RS is actually cheaper than a Golf R overseas, so I guess that must be the Hyundai of Europe? And look how much your paying for it over here! No? Yeah I thought so!

You can buy a 335i in the US for $50k!! And we pay about $130k!! Who cares about overseas markets. Don't take it global trying to bag the R - cause there are just too many cars overpriced I Australia as it is. The R being pretty fair about it, actually.

C) The 90TSI is the corolla in Australia also! Just not the better models. I mean that is blindingly obvious even to a retarded ****.

[b0son]

Also, there are no VW engined F1 cars ATM, while there are at least Red Bull and Lotus Renault using Renault engines. This may change if F1 goes to 4 cylinder engines.

To be fair though, VW is represented in formula three. Renault however do have a fair bit more motorsport DNA, not just supplying engines, but whole race series.

[b0son]

People complain that there are too many Golf gti/R around but let's turn the table around and assume that Renault Megane RS250/Ford Focus RS cars are everywhere on the road, will it make it suddenly 'uncool'?

And lets not forget, there was a time where it was rare to see a MkV GTI on the road. The fact that the model has been as popular as it has shouldnt be held against it.

If anything, we should sing its praises because its definitely played a significant role in establishing the hot hatch category in the Aus market which ultimately now leaves us with a wider choice of vehicles. That cant be a bad thing.

[b0son]

@Corey_R: yes, you win. NASCAR and V8 Supercars isn't exactly what I was thinking about but hey, facts are facts!

pfffft. customer engines??? thats hardly commitment. if GM walks away, can always just buy the ford which is virtually identical. both nascar and v8 are moving to COTF style chassis anyhow.

OTOH, renault run Formula Renault 1.6, 2.0 and 3.5, Clio Cup, Megane Trophy, AND providing engines for the GP2 series, F1, and F3.

[jrgti]

The only thing I don't like about the 250 is the looks. I think it looks hideous esp in yellow - it reminds me of a beetle (insect not the car). Having said that, I'm not in love with the looks of the MkVI GTI either. Given a choice however, I'd take the 250 over the GTI. I'd rather enjoy the drive than worry about how the car looks.
Having driven the MkVI GTI several times, the experience was underwhelming.

The Golf GTI MkVI is more plain looking than the Megane, which draws less attention and thus there is less for the driver to worry about IMHO.
So the megane is performance focused but the GTI is balanced in all aspects. Again IMHO the real winner is the car that will last longer on the road. My money is on the GTI.

[Capercat]

The MKV GTI certainly did raise the bar in the performace hatch market, but it's not as hot as it could have been. An all rounder certainly, but I think most people figured this out & purchased the GTI with certain goals in mind.

Manufactures are fast approaching the end game coz they will need to start spending $$ into chassis development should they continue down the path of adding more hp. This is a tricky balance to consider. The RenaultSport Clio Cup chassis is brilliant! arguably the best hot hatch chassis straight out of the factory, but your paying a premium for a small hatchback...

The time will come when manufactures will have to halt the power race becuse expense will eat into their market segment. How much more power can VW comfortably put through the front wheels of the GTI without increasing chassis development costs? Again, its a balancing act.

As WJ pointed out, RS250 is reasonably well priced for its equipment.

[sabloke]

I like it how someone mentioned that VW is the corolla of Europe.. That's interesting.

A) it still costs a bit relative to a corolla overseas.

B) the amazing Focus RS is actually cheaper than a Golf R overseas, so I guess that must be the Hyundai of Europe? And look how much your paying for it over here! No? Yeah I thought so!

You can buy a 335i in the US for $50k!! And we pay about $130k!! Who cares about overseas markets. Don't take it global trying to bag the R - cause there are just too many cars overpriced I Australia as it is. The R being pretty fair about it, actually.

C) The 90TSI is the corolla in Australia also! Just not the better models. I mean that is blindingly obvious even to a retarded ****.

First of all, I said that VW iin Europe is as popular as Toyota in Asia. Never said that's a bad thing, never brought the Corolla into the discussion. Or the R for that matter. VW's cars are well built and reasonably priced over there and that's why there are so many on the road. The dream car of my generation was a silver Passat TDI and I still love VW's cars today.
I was just saying that VW is not a premium brand in Europe and that's a fact. All you have to do is go to wikipedia and read what VW stands for. Kudos for VW for succeeding where Citroen, Peugeot and many others failed: looking like a premium European brand here.
Oh, just for your info, the Focus RS is not that much cheaper than the R in Europe. In fact, the R is an expensive car over there, costing more than an S3! I'd even say that the R is fairly priced down under if we are to look at UK prices. No use to compare our prices with anyone else's though, it gets bloody depressing... What would a Clio like mine cost in US, $18k? Luckily we'll never find out.

[sabloke]

Back on topic: I'd like to know more about how the engines compare, does anyone know where to find power & torque graphs for the two? It would be interesting to get into some technical details. If indeed F1 will start using 4 cylinder engines, where should Ferrari go to buy engines, VW or Renault?

[Corey_R]

Back on topic: I'd like to know more about how the engines compare, does anyone know where to find power & torque graphs for the two? It would be interesting to get into some technical details. If indeed F1 will start using 4 cylinder engines, where should Ferrari go to buy engines, VW or Renault?

You know.. that's really not really the topic.
The topic is the magazine review....

[markwid]

You know.. that's really not really the topic.
The topic is the magazine review....

LOL! Spot on.

Not for the lack of trying from some bloke in South Australia to reframe the discussion to his own need to justify things and kept denying it as well. Added hypocrisy to my earlier notes on prejudice.

[sabloke]

Fair enough. There should be a separate thread then to compare VW vs Renault turbocharged fours. Why not?

I see that endless bickering about Mk V vs Mk VI is on topic but comparing the engines of the cars featured in the review isn't. Oh well, such is life...

[break]

Back on topic: I'd like to know more about how the engines compare, does anyone know where to find power & torque graphs for the two? It would be interesting to get into some technical details. If indeed F1 will start using 4 cylinder engines, where should Ferrari go to buy engines, VW or Renault?

You do realize that a V8 motor compromises of two 4clyinder banks in a V configuration powering the same crank right? Chop the motor in half and you have a Ferrari 4cylinder motor (and based on the 458 Italia motor, that would theoretically give a 2.25L 4clyinder motor producing 280.5hp)

[sabloke]

Hey, I was joking! Of course Ferrari is more than capable enough to get any type of engine together.

[AdamD]

Before I reply to your individual points, I'll state that I drive both MkV and MkVI Golfs regularly, and am in a good position to compare them.

They [steering wheel buttons] are not as intuitive as in the MkV being clustered together and not separated.

And yet each button is angled differently and set at varying heights, meaning there's no need to glance down at the wheel to differentiate between them. A day or less of acclimatisation is all that's required to get used to them. The MkV buttons are physically identical, and so are harder to differentiate without a visual cue.

[ref temp display near Climatronic buttons] Again - another cost cutting measure instead of the dedicated illuminated LCD screens for each side.

The separate LCD screens are, IMHO, an ergonomic disaster. No-one should look that far down, away from the road, whilst driving. For the times when you're not driving, both MkV and MkVI provide an illuminated display of the temperature, right by the knob. I happen to think the MkVI system looks better and is a change for the better. So what if it may be cheaper to build... it doesn't make me any less satisfied with that change.

[ref those who don't like VW's old red/blue instruments] Seriously colourblind people perhaps or people with a hole in their head.

Insulting someone with a differing opinion is always a good way of swaying others' views to your way of thinking! I like it!

Personally, I find the white is much easier to read at night. It's not as distinctive as the VWs of old, but from an ergonomic perspective I prefer it. Actually, I prefer it aesthetically too. Guess I must have a hole in my head. *Checks*

well, that was easy too. I don't understand why MkVI GTI owners always get so defensive over their choice. Facts are facts - embrace them

So many possible responses...

I will say, though, that I don't believe there's another poster on VWW who's so consistently negative about so many aspects of the MkVI - and the GTI in particular - as yourself. Thanks for your opinions - duly noted. Enjoy your MkV, but please stop purporting your opinions as fact (and in the process deriding the legitimate views of others).

[Corey_R]

Funnily enough, I actually agree with everything AdamD has written there. It's rare to find a post that long where every point I concur with.
I would add one more comment, in relation to the red/blue theme of the MKV (and Polo GTI, and most previous VWs). Driving during the day, there are certain situations where the sunlight meant that the MFD or the speedo etc just were not able to be read without difficulty. The new white them is clear even in the most extreme of sunlight situations.

I must admit, at first I was a bit disappointed to see the loss of the red/blue theme... but now I couldn't go back