With the Megane E-Tech, Renault now has a very capable electric hatchback being sold in several markets around the world. The French company also sells a combustion-powered hot hatch of the same name – the Megane RS – but it looks set to be discontinued about a year from now. And it’s not just a rumor as there is confirmation from Renault executives.
Australia Drive recently had a chat with Glen Sealey, general manager of Renault Australia, who told the online publication that RS Renault will step down by the end of 2023 as demand for gas-powered performance vehicles in this segment shrinks. Sealey did not specifically confirm that the cancellation would cover all global markets, though his wording strongly suggests so.
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“Megane RS will stop next year. I don’t have a production end date yet, but from a production standpoint, it won’t continue beyond the end of next year. The demand for hot hatches in Europe is waning. It can be replaced with an electric car. And it makes sense to switch,” said Sealey Drive.
Reading between the lines, Renault could work on a hotter version of the Megane E-Tech to match the power and performance of the Megane RS. Currently, the most powerful electric Megane has 218 horsepower (160 kilowatts) and 221 pound-feet (300 Newton-meters) of torque to accelerate from 0-62 miles per hour (0-100 kilometers per hour) in about 7.4 seconds. . The Megane RS in Trophy trim, in turn, is powered by a 1.8-liter turbocharged engine with 300 hp (223 kW) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) so there is plenty of room for improvement.
The future of the combustion hot hatch seems uncertain, to say the least. At least in Australia, Renault will release a limited edition final run model and we think the same will happen in Europe as well. As far as direct replacements are concerned – without including the potentially hotter Megane E-Tech – it seems highly unlikely that a new ICE hot hatch could be introduced any time soon.
