FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW
Promise of even more sport from Renault
Mark Smyth spoke with two Renault Sport directors about electric sports cars and the new Megane RS
The big reveal for Renault at Frankfurt was not a new electric vehicle. It was the new Megane RS, an adrenaline-pumping, internal combustion-engined hot hatch. But before we get to the details of the latest Renault Sport missile, we spoke with Patrice Ratti, MD of Renault Sport and Eric Magnan, the company’s products and projects director — and the initial topic was electrification. "It is clear there will be electric sports cars," says Magnan. "We cannot stay as oil burners." Magnan confirms plans are under way for an electric RS model. "An RS EV (electric vehicle) will keep some RS DNA in terms of handling, but feature some new characteristics," he says. "We have seen that adding some electric power like in the McLaren P1 and LaFerrari adds some enjoyment." Says Ratti: "We need to please our customers and meet regulations," adding, though, that care needs to be taken. An electric system adds a lot of weight to the car, he says. For him, it is imperative than a model "has to be a R...
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