The Evolution of the Renault Megane
The Renault Megane has been called one of the most French cars ever designed, and for good reason as it stylish, sexy, fun and possibly one of the most loved cars to come out of the Renault stable. Officially launched in 1995, and now in it’s forth generation, we’ve decided to take you on a trip down memory lane and take a look at this iconic car through the years.
The Megane I – The Story Begins!
Renault Megane I
Available from 1995–2002, the Megane was originally introduced as a replacement for the ultra popular Renault 19. It was an immediate hit, thanks to the fact that it presented itself as a car with its own unique personality, yet still shared plenty of design and feature traits of it’s predecessor. This included the same chassis design, engines, floorplan as well as transmission.
Where the big changes came in however was safety! When the first Megane was launched driver and passenger safety had become a key focus for Renault, and the Megane 1 was the first Renault vehicle to truly reflect this. In fact, the safety features that were incorporated into its build consisted of a number of class leading features such as a pillar-mounted three-point seatbelt for the middle-rear occupant, front belt pre-tensioners and load limiters, a driver’s airbag and an innovative vehicle body safety structure.
Megane II – New Look, 5-Star EuroNCAP Rating!
Renault Megane II
From 2002–2009 The Second Generation Renault Megane was available and in that time it made a name for itself as one of the best cars in its class. So much so in fact, that within a year of launching in 2002 it won the European Car of the Year in 2003. This ensured that the Megane II racked up some impressive sales figures, which were boosted even further when the Megane was awarded a prestigious 5-star EuroNCAP safety rating.
Megane III – A Modern Marvel of Design Engineering!
Renault Megane III
Launched in 2008 and still available until 2016, although be it with numerous refinements over the past 8 years (including a major facelift in 2012), the third generation Megane has allowed this amazing vehicle to remain competitive for almost a decade. Available in a number of different variations, including the ground-breaking top spec GT version, the Third Generation Renault Megane was the best of its kind yet, and included a a number of safety and comfort upgrades.
Megane IV – The Game Changer!
Renault Megane IV
Launched in 2016, the Fourth Generation Renault Megane is an object of beauty and desire that provides a driving thrill that is second to none. It is once again packed full of features, with some of the best being a powerful indirect injection engine, seamless change manual transmission, halogen headlights, ABS, EBD, EBA, ESP and ASR. It also comes with a 5 Year / 150 000km mechanical warranty. This is a car that needs to be experienced before you’ll truly understand just how good it is, and with 4 trim variants to choose from at Group1, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to booking your test drive.
Images from Wikimedia
