Renault just unveiled the hotted-up Renaultsport (RS) variant at Geneva Motor Show 2009. The car features many of the same performance upgrades found on bigger brother the Megane RS, but in a more compact and peaky package.
The engine is definitely a pint-sized powerhouse, but it pays the price with a torque curve biased toward the higher end. The 2.0L 16-valve unit generates 200hp (149kW) but does so at 7,100rpm, with max torque of 158lb-ft (215Nm) coming at 5,400rpm. Despite the peaky power curve, the car still manages a power-to-weight ratio of 166hp/tonne, enough to shoot the little hatch to 62mph (100km/h) in a tick under 7 seconds and on to a top speed of 141mph.
