Renaultsport Megane R26 | Spotted

The best 230hp Meganes are now highly prized - but tempting bargains remain out there as well

By Matt Bird / Monday, 2 June 2025 / Loading comments

It’s been more than 20 years since the Renaultsport badge and expertise was first applied to a Megane. Revealed in September 2004, the 225hp Megane hit the road in 2005, just like the Mk5 Golf GTI. But where that car demonstrated that VW had its hot hatch mojo back, the first Renaultsport Megane never quite hit the mark. Despite years of brilliant Clios, the Renaultsport special sauce seemingly hadn’t been applied quite liberally enough to the larger hatch. And with so many rivals around at the time, that wouldn’t do.

Renault being Renault - and therefore caring a lot about the reputation of its hot hatches - it didn’t take very long to remedy the problems. Handily, Fernando Alonso won back-to-back F1 championships, so the Megane’s improvements could be bundled into a special edition, though it seems very likely that the R26 package of upgrades would have made it to the Meg in pretty short order.

A little more power from the 2.0-litre turbo was welcome, but the real improvements were in the chassis: stiffer, keener and more alive, thanks to modifications to the dampers and steering plus the introduction of a limited-slip diff. These were the cars that really launched the Megane towards hot hatch superstardom, subsequent models often the class of the field thanks to their combination of driver engagement and everyday usability.

Thanks to its place in history - plus the fact they spawned the sensational R26.R - good versions of the regular F1 Team R26 are becoming desirable. Let’s not forget, either, that where not so long a Clio Williams might have been the 20-year-old Renault pocket rocket hero slowly going up in value, now it’s cars like these.

This R26, car number 3427, ticks a heck of a lot of modern classic hot hatch boxes, with a good service history, a couple of useful extra upgrades - exhaust and springs - plus the all-important cambelt change done recently. White suits it perfectly, the stickers look as good as they would have in 2008, and even the Recaro buckets are showing minimal wear. Its three previous owners appear to have cherished it.

This means the asking price is now £13,495; probably not unreasonable given its rep and rarity, if now comfortably above that £10k threshold we’ve probably associated R26s with for a while. But for those willing to chance their arm a little more, cheap R26s are still around: this is another 2008 example, in white, for £6,995. The mileage is higher, the ride height lower, the history scarcer and the rear seats removed, but it could be a nice basis for a fast road or track build. If it isn’t one already. Whichever way you like old-school Renault hot hatches, the PH classifieds can provide right now.

SPECIFICATION | RENAULTSPORT MEGANE F1 TEAM R26

Engine: 1,998cc, four-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive, LSD
Power (hp): 230@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 229@3,000rpm
MPG: 33.2
CO2: 200g/km
First registered: 2008
Recorded mileage: 71,000
Price new: £19,860
Yours for: £13,495