RS250 vs the old Meganes and vs the R
Apologies for the wall of text...
For those who have driven/owned any of the previous gen Renaultsports (especially with the Cup chassis), the RS250 is a revelation. Quieter, smoother, feels like a better built car, a lot easier to get the power down, a big step up in interior quality, the steering wheel isn't the same as the one from the base models this time around, shorter throw and less travel in the clutch. The shift is a lot notchier than old 350Z/225 one. Blind spots? Huge, as you can probably guess from the exterior shots. Still definitely more at home on a track than on Australia's less than perfect roads, although if you're on your fave twisties you'll be concentrating too hard and cackling maniacally to notice - just like the old ones, the faster this thing goes, the better she feels. The 250 on 19s feels a hell of a lot closer to the R on 19s (with no DCC) than the old 225/226 on 18s - the old ones crashed through bumps/corrugations and knocked teeth loose on cats-eyes. Firm but bearable this time around. While quieter, it's lost the permeating addictive sound of the twin-scroll, and the exhaust note is certainly nothing to write home about. The acceleration seems to be a lot more linear, so I guess it'd be less of a handful in the wet than the old ones.
Compared to the R, the cabin (as usual) feels pretty spartan. There's no spare wheel (as usual). A lot less spacious than the Golf - cocooned would be the polite way of putting it. Interior and exterior quality, while seemingly better than previous gens, doesn't feel as good as the Golf.
My opinion? The 250 is a great drive, but not in traffic day-to-day (due to the ride, the blind spots, the cheaper interior) and certainly not for any passengers (much crashier ride, less space). I desperately wanted to love it, and although I came away very impressed, I didn't come away with the same uncontrollable laugh as I did with the R. And for those of you who may still be tempted by the looks of the 250, the exquisite balance and ridiculous ability to carry speed through a corner, take a few breaths, think about the proposition of ownership and what the car will be worth when it comes time to sell...