Renault Aims to Push Megane Upscale with New Design

Renault has given its fourth-generation Megane distinctive lighting signatures at the front and rear, along with a lower body and wider track to help the car stand out in the compact segment against rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf and Peugeot 308.

Renault said the Megane will be unveiled at the Frankfurt auto show on Sept. 15. The company released pictures and some details of the car ahead of its show debut but gave no information on possible powertrains.

In the highly competitive market of compact sedan, it is "vital that the new Megane should stand out right from the first glance," Renault exterior designer Franck Le Gall said in a statement.

The new Megane is based on the Renault-Nissan CMF-C/D platform that also underpins the brand's Kadjar compact SUV and the Nissan Qashqai.

The hatchback is 25mm lower and 47mm wider in front and 39mm wider in the back compared with the current model. Its wheelbase is 28mm longer and it has a shorter overhang to help give a sportier look to the model, Renault said.

The back lighting remains very visible during the days as well as at night, which lends perceived width to the model, the statement said.

IHS Automotive Tim Urquhart said the Megane's side profile and proportions and low-roof line make it look very much like the Mercedes A class, while undercutting the A class in pricing by five to 10 percent.

But making it a game changer will be difficult in Europe's very crowded compact segment, he said.

Renault is also launching the GT version of the model simultaneously with the new Megane at the Frankfurt show.

The automaker sold 81,525 Meganes in Europe through July, up 1 percent on the year before, according to JATO Dynamics market researchers. Sales of the region's best-selling compact car, the VW Golf were up 3 percent in the same period to 319,658.