Time flies – and it’s hard to believe that the Renault Mégane was launched two decades ago. The French hatchback relied on innovation and quirkiness as weapons in its arsenal, taking the fight to those enviably evergreen players like the Volkswagen Golf.
The latest generation model, previewed this week, seems to have taken a more upmarket route. It is certainly an attractive car, all bold and serious, boasting the brand’s new familial face and a number of cues from the Talisman sedan released abroad earlier this year.
Compared to the outgoing model, it is lower (25mm), features a wider track (47mm in front and 39mm at the rear) and is longer by 28mm. Exterior designer Franck Le Gall uses words like “precise” and “taut” to describe his creation. And we struggle to disagree.
A more potent GT version will also be available from launch, with a sportier personality thanks to a meaner front bumper, bigger chromed tailpipes, and a sprinkling of Renaultsport badges. It rolls on 18-inch aluminium wheels and wears “Iron Blue” paint. The new Mégane debuts at the Frankfurt Motor Show and full details, including engine derivatives, will be revealed then. The model is expected to land in South Africa in the middle of 2016.
-IgnitionLIVE Reporter
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