rcomkyh: Renault Megane Ii Sport Hatch 2003

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The Mégane I was unveiled in the autumn of 1995, as a replacement of the Renault 19. The car was essentially a reskin of its predecessor, and carried over the 19's floorpan, engines, transmissions and chassis design, albeit with much modification. Taking its name from a Renault concept car shown in 1988, the Mégane further developed the new corporate styling theme introduced by Patrick Le Quément on the Laguna, most notably the "bird-beak" front grille - a styling cue borrowed from the Renault 16 of the 1960s. As with the 19 and the 11 before it, the Mégane was produced in Renault's Douai plant in northern France, and in the Spanish plant of Palencia.

Renault Megane II Sport Hatch

Renault Megane II Sport Hatch
Safety was a key focus of the Megane I, Renault's first car reflecting their new focus of selling on safety. It featured a pillar-mounted 3-point seatbelt for the middle-rear occupant (replacing the common 'lap strap'), standard front belt pre-tensioners and load limiters, driver's airbag and an impressive safety structure - a specification ahead of most rivals in 1995. Some features, such as the 3-point middle belt, had debuted on the Renault 19 safety concept vehicle (and in fact this feature entered production on the Renault Laguna before the Megane). The car also benefited from Renault's first "System for Restraint and Protection" (SRP), essentially a system of careful optimisation of occupant restraint by interaction of the seat, seatbelt, pretensioner, load limiter and airbag. Megane I achieved a best-in-class 4-star crash test rating in the 1998 round of testing by Euro NCAP.

Renault Megane II Sport Hatch

Power came from the Renault E-type ("Energy") engine in 1.4 L, 1.6 L, 1.8 L, and the F-type unit in both 1.9 L diesel and 2.0 L petrol form, although this time around there was a wider variety of 16-valve derivatives. A 1.9 L diesel engine in both normally aspirated and turbocharged forms was also available.

Renault Megane II Sport Hatch

Renault also produced a limited number of Renault sport edition phase 1's with the Renaultsport bodywork, however these were very rare. The Renaultsport kit was available to purchase for a short time direct from Renault France, but has now been discontinued, thus their value has increased. The trim specification levels were: RN, RT and RXE.

Renault Megane II Sport Hatch (2003) - Front Angle

Renault Megane II Sport Hatch

A mild facelift in spring 1999 gave the Mégane I a modified grille, more advanced safety features and upgraded equipment, and 16-valve engines were used across the range. The production continued for the Latin America Market, where it was sold alongside the Megane II line at a considerably lower price until 2008.

Renault Megane II Sport Hatch

2003 Renault Megane II Sport

2003 Renault Megane II Sport
In Venezuela, the original Megane is still available since 2002, but now sold only as a sedan. It features the LA04 engine (16 valve, 1.6 litres and 110 HP), and is produced by both Renault Colombia and Argentina, in where it is one of the best-selling cars to date. It is a car with more advanced safety features, upgraded equipment and more. The Mégane I costs less than the Mégane II. Both remain available. Up until 2009, it was sold in Argentina and Colombia.

Renault Megane II Sport Hatch

2003 Renault Megane II Sport

The following specification levels cover the Hatchback only. Estate, Classic (sedan), Coupe and Cabriolet had slightly different trim specification levels.