Mégane Parts

 A replacement for the Renault 19, the first generation Mégane range marked the start of an all-out assault on the European C-segment. With a market share of 32% in 1992, the C-segment emerged as the most important, and keenly contested automobile market in Europe, and its importance has grown steadily ever since. In terms of profit, it remains a key segment for any manufacturer.

After taking a 9% share of the segment in 1993, and 11% in 1994, Renault set itself the goal of surpassing these figures with a clean break from the C-segment’s traditional offer. The X64 programme (Mégane’s original internal code name) revolutionised the segment with a family of five cars based on distinct vehicle concepts.

The first two versions of the range, Mégane Hatchback and Coupé, appeared in September 1995. Scénic and Convertible models followed in 1996 and, with the Mégane Classic saloon added to the range the following year, the Mégane Scénic was voted European Car of the Year 1997.

By the spring of 1998, Mégane manufacturing output had reached 3,400 units per day, and the model – now further bolstered by the launch of the Mégane Estate - not only dominated the French market, but also became Europe’s best selling car; a position Mégane maintained every subsequent year, up to and including 2004.

In 2000, Scénic production topped 1,000,000 since the car’s release in 1996. A runaway success in its category, the original compact MPV captured 80% of segment sales in France and 65% in Europe in 2000. The Mégane model range owes a considerable debt to the success of the Scénic; of the 4.725 million Mégane models produced between 1995 and 2003, 1.3 million were Scénic versions.

Mégane II – First car in class to achieve 5-star Euro NCAP rating
Developed in just 29 months, compared to the 46 month development programme time of the original Mégane (a time saving of more than 30%), the three-door Sport Hatch and five-door Hatch version of Mégane II launched in 2002 marked the start of a second complete renewal of Renault’s C-segment product line-up.

Codenamed X84, Mégane II represented a huge industrial challenge demanding heavy investment in Douai, France, and Palencia, Spain, where Hatch and Sport Hatch were built, as well as Bursa in Turkey. Total investment in Mégane II was €2.1 billion; identical to that of the previous generation, despite an increase in body types to seven with the inception of Grand Scénic.

Significantly, Scénic gave Mégane a huge competitive edge, being the only car in its segment for two years, consistently the sales leader. But the Mégane II programme was developed to give each body variant an equal role in both volume and financial terms.
 
Safety was identified as a defining element in Mégane II from the outset. In 2002, the Mégane Hatch became the first car in its class to be awarded a 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash test programme, setting a benchmark that was matched again by the Coupé-Cabriolet version in 2004 – becoming the first car in its class to achieve this important accolade.

The following year, Mégane II Hatch and Sport Hatch models were joined by Scénic II, Grand Scénic, Coupé-Cabriolet, Sport Saloon and Sport Tourer. With Mégane and Scénic once again best sellers in Western Europe, Mégane II was voted European Car of the Year 2003. Between 2002 and 2005, some 2.32 million Mégane II variants were sold, of which 50% were Scénic II.

Mégane II was one of Western Europe’s best-selling models its performance supported by the introduction of revised versions of all five body types in January 2006 and the introduction of five high-performance Mégane Renaultsport versions.

The arrival of New Mégane
The 2008 Paris Motor Show was a pivotal moment in the history of Mégane and the European C-segment, with the official unveiling of both the New Mégane Hatch and Mégane Coupé. These models, styled, engineered and equipped to meet the demands of today’s highly competitive market and discerning motorists, are the pathfinders of an all-new range that extended to six different models by spring 2010 and the introduction of the elegant Coupé-Cabriolet.

A further dimension was added to the range in 2010 with the addition of GT models, tuned for sportier ride and handling by engineers from Renaultsport Technologies. The introduction of a GT Line sports option pack also enable owners to enjoy GT-themed interior and exterior styling details, including Renaultsport-style seats.