Review of the new Renault Megane GT Line

For many, the appeal of a hot hatchback has as much to do with the way it looks as how fast it goes. For evidence, check out the 'yoof' of today in cars lowered to within a hair's breath of the tarmac, exhausts looking like they might lead to France and stereos that register on the Richter scale three streets over. These chariots might look like street racers and sound like the end of the world fed through a million-watt amplifier but most of them would be beaten away from the lights by any 1.2-litre supermini without £3,000 worth of hi-fi equipment in the boot. High performance cars are great but expensive and in the absence of funds, why not settle for fast car looks? There's the premise behind the Renault Megane GT Line models.

The Renaultsport Megane 250 is almost universally accepted as one of the very finest exponents of the hot hatchback art but it isn't cheap. Having raked in the plaudits for its flagship Megane, Renault is now seeking to capitalise on the kudos that it reflects onto the rest of the range. There's now a whole series of Megane models offering different degrees of sportiness, with the GT Line variants towards the base of the pyramid, offering Renaultsport looks with affordable costs.

It's the mainstream Renault Megane engines that are available with the GT Line, the same ones offered with Dynamique trim which the GT Line pack is then applied to. Things kick off with a 1.6-litre VVT petrol and the 1.5-litre dCi diesels. All have their strong suits but you couldn't count thrilling performance amongst them. The petrol option has 100bhp and is quicker than the diesel over the 0-62mph increment with a 10.9s time versus the 106bhp oil-burner's sluggish 12.9s.

".the looks of a range-topping Renaultsport Megane at a more accessible price"

The TCe 130 engine is a far better bet for buyers seeking some hot hatch flavour. It's a zingy 1.4-litre turbocharged engine that will cover the 0-60mph sprint in 9.6s and reach a top speed of 124mph. Elsewhere is a decent 1.9-litre 130bhp dCi diesel and a 140bhp 2.0-litre petrol that has its performance dulled by a CVT automatic gearbox.

The genius of the Megane Renaultsport is primarily in its chassis and the GT Line models aim to replicate some of the agility and grip with a sports suspension package of their own. It's a less focused set-up and many of the advanced components that give the Renaultsport model its edge are missing but fun should definitely be on the cards in the GT Line.

The GT Line models replicate the looks of the sportier Renault Megane models with front and rear sports bumpers and 17" alloy wheels. The sports suspension also moves them that bit closer to terra firma but not so close as to make speed humps insurmountable problems. The cabin gains genuine article Renaultsport seats with cloth covering which offer support in spirited driving and look suitably racy.

As well as the 3-door Coupe bodystyle, the five-door hatch, Sport Tourer estate and Coupe-Cabriolet convertible models can also be specified in GT Line guise but these will be less convincing clones of the Renaultsport variants which only come in Coupe form. General build quality inside the Megane is impressive, with the extensive use of soft-touch plastics and rubberised switchgear. Space in the back of the Coupe isn't particularly generous but there's a 372-litre boot which is competitive for the class. Both the Hatch and the Sport Tourer offer better rear-seat accommodation.

The GT Line models are not to be confused with the GT variants. The latter is a Megane trim level in its own right and is available with some of Renault's higher performance engines. GT Line is essentially a package of extra equipment and styling features which can be fitted to the Dynamique versions of Renault Megane for a £1,290 premium. For that, buyers receive the 17" alloys, sports bumpers, sports suspension and sports seats plus rear parking sensors and electric heated folding mirrors. Sounds like a good deal.

Also included in a Megane GT Line are all of the features of the Dynamique variants. There's the TomTom satellite navigation system, front fog lights, cruise control, automatic headlamps, automatic wipers and keyless entry. The GT Line pack is available with all of the Megane bodystyles but includes the same features and is priced at the same level in all of them.

Being the less powerful engines in the Megane range, the units offered with the GT Line will prove cost-effective to run and insure. There's quite a difference between the entry-level units in terms of economy and emissions, with the 1.6-litre petrol managing an unimpressive 40.9mpg and 162g/km, while the diesel comes up with 62.8mpg and 120g/km of CO2. The 1.4 TCe unit comes up with 42mpg and 153g/km and the 130bhp diesel has 55mpg economy.

You pay a lot of money to get behind the wheel of a thoroughbred hot hatchback these days but Renault's Megane GT Line models set out to offer the looks of a range-topping Renaultsport Megane at a more accessible price. For little over £1,000 over the price of a Dynamique, it looks like an attractive option too.

With sports suspension included, the GT Line package isn't all show and no go. The more powerful engines offered should also give a spark of dynamism to the driving experience. The main aim however, is looking the part and it does this effectively enough, particularly in the Megane's sleek Coupe bodystyle. It's certainly a more sophisticated option than spending the difference on modifying your elderly hatchback.

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