New 300 Trophy

Thought I would start a thread, solely because I’ve enjoyed following other member’s similar threads....


I’ve been a RS fan for over 10+ years now, in-between and as well as other cars I’ve had a Clio 200 Cup, then a 172 Cup (which I turned into a full-on track-car), then a Megane 250 Cup, Clio 220 Trophy EDC and now the Megane 300 Trophy EDC.


They have all been great but genuinely none, or any of the many other cars & bikes, have given me as much enjoyment driving as the 300 – it’s absolutely mental on the back roads around where I live and for the first time ever I’ve been getting up early (have 2 young kids) on a Sunday morning just to go for a drive!


It’s just a weekend fun car and therefore if I don’t take it out at the weekend it doesn’t get driven….


I bought it 1st September after a long 4-5 month wait and its only done circa 150 miles so far, so will update on its pros and cons as I know them.


It’s an EDC (Auto with paddles) which I think really suits the car and engine, the Clio 220 was EDC and I loved the gearbox in that - which ironically it got slated for in the mags…?!


As you’ll see from the photos I went for the Recaro seats and Alcantara interior – which IMO look amazing, just like a poor-man’s GT3 RS, the Bose hifi as it came with the larger screen and RS settings, plus the sunroof and rear camera/front sensors.


It’s had a professional 1-day detail already but it’s going in for a full-on week-long TLC detail at the end of October as I think it really deserves it.


I’m a de-badger – so they all came off along with the ‘4-wheel-control’ badges on the B-pillars.


As will all my cars I haven’t been able not to tinker with it, so already it’s had the obligatory RS mats with the matching red stitching and the OEM ‘shark-fin’ Ariel.


I’ve also fitted a Pipercross panel filter along with a black Forge intake hose and also a black Forge recirculating valve.


I’ve just ordered a set of matching black Forge boost hoses (will be the first private customer to have received these as apparently they’ve only been send to Ktec so far) will post a photo once I’ve fitted them hopefully at the weekend.


And lastly I have a set of OEM black centre-caps with “R.S.” on them (to match the R.S. badge on the grill) to fit, as IMO there is too much red going on with the wheels alone and the standard caps have red around the edges which IMO just looks too much!


Plans for the future will be an uprated intercooler and a re-map, there are a couple of side-mount ICs already/shortly available but Forge are looking into a front-mount option so I will hold out for that, if not will go with Wagner as I fitted one to the 250 and it was a really well made piece of kit.


The brakes are strong but IMO could do with some more bite, so will pop some DS2500 pads in and see if that makes any difference, failing that then DS1.11s but they squeal a lot!!


Thanks


Mark

 

Thanks all.

For me it’s just the perfect car for the back-roads around where I live - fairly narrow, twisty, ‘bumpy’... so the smallish 300 being FWD with its LSD and wide sticky tyres, huge Brembo brakes and just on the wrong side of having enough power for the roads makes it a winning combo!

As an example, I’ve been out a couple of times now with a friend who has a 2016 RWD 560bhp M5 and the 300 runs rings around it! - it’s only in one place that has a long 1k straight where it’s had an advantage where it touches 140 dingdongs and I ‘only’ reach 120. Any car can go fast in a straight line now though...

If I had to commute in a car I don’t think the 300 would be the right one for me, I think I would probably want another Golf GTI (I’ve had 2!). But knowing that it was only ever going to be a ‘once a weekend’ car meant I could go for something a bit more hardcore.

Oh, I forgot to say that I plan to get into track-days again, hence getting the 300. I used to do Brands once a month or so and think it will be great on the Indy circuit!!

 

Thanks all.


I don’t think the ride is too hard at all, sure its firm, but is got that really well dampened feel that you get with great suspension – firm but not crashy! Not sure it would be the best of ‘around-town’ cars, but then that’s not what its designed for is it. Without repeating myself again too much – it’s perfect for the back roads around where I live!


All my Clio's and Megane before the 300 were Cups/Trophy's and the same comments apply for those – firm but not crashy. My wife actually drove The Clio 220 Trophy for a while and used it daily to drop the kids off at nursery etc etc and she never complained or mentioned the ride.


I’ve actually got the DS2500 pads now so too late to swap, but I had a set of barely used DS2500 rears that I removed from the 220 that are the same as for the 300 so obviously they’ll go straight in. I actually fitted DS1.11’s to the fronts in the 220 but they squealed too much for me to want them again in the 300. Great pad though!! - so will see how I get on with the DS2500’s first. So for the time being its DS2500 all round (when I get the chance to fit them!!).


It rained all weekend so I didn’t get the chance to fit the Forge boost hose kit, but here’s a quick photo that Forge sent me – will take another once they’re actually fitted.

 

If they don't have as Trophy you could always try a 280 with the Cup pack, as far as I am aware they are the same underneath as the 300.


I would definitely recommend spending the extra few quid on the Trophy over the 280 though, just for the extra power and exhaust!


And good choice with the EDC - the car is so manic when giving it some welly that IMO the auto gearbox actually adds to the experience rather than detracting as it gives one less thing to think about or have to do. In Sport mode its always in the right gear and therefore I've only used the paddles a few times. I do 'get' the manual argument, but for me, if the fun is the sense of speed and handling rather than being a manual zen-master then being able to hold onto the wheel with both hands and concentrate more on the road it’s a winner. Plus when you’re just pootling around the auto in Normal mode is great – who wants to keep changing gear in a traffic-jam or at 20 mph around town?!


If you weren’t already aware, the EDC comes with more torque than the manual!!

 

I've been speaking to Supersprint about their "Centre Pipe" its basically a centre-silencer delete pipe and is apparently swappable with the standard pipe and therefore the standard system doesn't need any modification. Plus the standard section can be swapped back in when/if wanted.

Pricey at £286, but IMO better than murdering the standard system and not ever (easily) being able to return to standard.

I removed the centre-silencer on both my previous Clio 220 and Megane 250 and did the 'cut the old pipe and weld a new one back in' (which were irreversible) and the sounds was a great improvement - it didn't chance the type of sound so much, but just made it say 20% louder.

May give this a go..

(I still have the pads and boost pipes to fit, just waiting for some spare time)

 

You would assume so, but apparently not according to Supersprint - I will take a look for certain though when I jack the car up to fit the new pads.

 

Good comparison with the DSG - it feels like an automated manual rather than a slush box. As you can tell I'm really happy with my EDC and would definitely recommend it. I've had a few VAG DSG cars and it is a great auto box but not as 'involving' as the EDC.

FYI - the LSD is part of the Cup pack so you would still get it if you went for a 280 Cup - Its not Trophy specific.

 

I haven't noticed the Trophy being twitchy at all, I cant sense the 4WS doing its thing - which I guess is how its meant to be.

I haven't tried the launch control yet, TBH forgot it had it, may give it a go at the weekend....!!

I've finally got around to fitting the Forge hoses (to go with the previously fitted Forge Recirculating valve, Oil Cap and Inlet Hose.) Forge are apparently soon going to release a new smart aluminium 'hard pipe' to replace the standard tatty looking one between the boost hoses, so will fit a matching black one as soon as its available.

 

Quick update - fitted the DS2500 front pads and new RS centre caps to the wheels at the weekend.

Long story short the rear pads that Kam Racing and Ktec etc list for the rears are incorrect. I don't know whether it is EDC car specific that have an electronic handbrake may be but the rear callipers are completely different. Have spoken with Ferodo and they don't currently have a DS pad available. So for the time being its standard pad only.

 

Couple of quick updates for anyone that’s interested –


The standard 300 exhaust is definitely one piece and also it doesn’t have a centre-silencer...! – So Supersprint are wrong on both parts (I have let them know!). So there’s no centre-silencer to need chopping out and also I’ve saved a few quid!


It appears the TSW rear callipers fitted to my EDC 300 are for cars with electronic-handbrakes (not sure if these are only fitted to EDC cars??) and Ferodo do not make any DS performance pads yet to fit these callipers. So the rear pads listed on Ktec/Kam etc are either incorrect, or possibly just for manual cars that may not have an electronic handbrake...

 

Thanks, that makes sense then - presumably the pads listed are therefore for just the manual 280/300's...