最近谍照记者拍到了雷诺梅甘娜RS照片，第一眼看上去，该车和雷诺在去年法兰克福车展发布的202马力梅甘娜GT非常相似。但仔细看，就会发布，它的车尾有一些变化。它的双排气尾管采用中置，这表明该车是梅甘娜RS顶级款，该车将作为2018款车型于明年底上市。此外，该车的轮拱部分也不一样，这表明，该车的轮距更宽。该车引擎盖和Brembo刹车盘也与GT版不同，车厢内似乎配备了一些测试设备。虽然老款RS只有轿跑车一种车型，但新一代车型还将增加更实用的五门掀背车版本。有传言称，新车将提供全轮驱动，以便能与全新福特福克斯RS竞争，不过，也不排除该车只提供前驱版本的可能性。现在预测该车动力系统还为时过早，但该车有可能搭载2.0升四缸涡轮引擎，现行版的功率为275马力，但雷诺工程师或许会提升其输出功率。最近有报道称，该车功率将达到300马力以便与福克斯RS竞争。由于该车内部似乎配备了方向盘换挡拨片，因此该车很有可能配备雷诺的七速双离合变速器。但为了满足部分追求操控乐趣的消费者，该车预计还将提供手动变速器。雷诺将在明年某个主要车展发布这款车，而3月的日内瓦车展和9月的法兰克福车展可能性最大。

 

2018 Renault Megane RS hides underneath GT skin

Upon first glance, it looks pretty much like the warm 202-hp Megane GT introduced last fall in Frankfurt, but check out the car’s rear end and you’ll notice some changes. There are dual exhaust tips mounted in the middle which indicate this is in fact the first sight of the range-topping RS version likely set to go on sale towards the end of next year as a 2018MY.

 

In addition, there’s something going on with the wheel arches and most likely the changes suggest Renault is working on wider tracks for the crown jewel of the Megane IV range. Some hood latches and Brembo brakes up front round off the visible changes on the outside, whereas the interior appears to carry some testing equipment.

 

While the outgoing Megane RS is only available in coupe form, its successor will be sold exclusively as a more practical five-door hatchback. It will be interesting to see whether that rumor regarding an all-wheel-drive layout will pan out to fight the all-paw Ford Focus RS or Renault will decide to stick with the FWD setup.

 

As for power, it’s too early to say what’s lurking under the hood, but our money is on an evolution of the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit. Right now it has 275 horsepower in the current Megane RS, but Renault’s engineers will probably fiddle with the engine to squeeze more power. As a matter of fact, a report indicates the new hot hatchback will offer more than 300 ponies to keep up with its Blue Oval nemesis.

 

This test mule appears to have shift paddles behind the steering wheel, thus indicating the car was rocking Renault’s seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission from the aforementioned Megane GT. The EDC ‘box will most certainly be available, but what about an old-school manual? Well, sources close to the company with the diamond logo are indicating it could happen as a way to please purists, but we are not so sure about that.

 

Renault probably has plans for a reveal at a major auto show next year, so look for a public debut either in March at the Geneva Motor Show or in September in Frankfurt.