Paris Auto Modification Show

This is the Megane Trophy, a continuation of the legendary racer from Renault. Destined to race in a single-make race series, Renault released the racer after releasing the comparatively boring Megane Coupe at the Paris Motor Show sometime yesterday.
Intended to make a radical statement, the Mégane Trophy features the same mechanicals as the current car, including an FIA-homologated sports-prototype tubular chassis, a mid-rear V6 3.5 24V engine, a semi-automatic gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle shift, double wishbone suspension with adjustable dampers and 18-inch wheels and Michelin tyres.

With it’s roof-mounted air-ducts feeding a new intake manifold, power is increased from 330hp to 360hp. Ensuring the car’s reliability, rebuild intervals are carried out every 5,500km. Combined with the aerodynamic gains of the new colposite outer skin, the extra power output of the 3.5-liter V6 engine will enable the Mégane Trophy to make lap times close to the Porsche GT3.

Paris Auto Modification Show

At the end of the year, the Mégane Trophy will be available as an upgrade kit for existing cars. However, the modifications required to adapt the chassis to the new bodywork must be carried out by the Alpine factory in Dieppe.

BMW's new high-performance M5

Luxury brand BMW has taken the unusual step of printing thousands of brochures that highlight "popular" concerns about its cars.

"Six Popular Misconceptions About BMW" is being sent to prospective buyers who have never owned a BMW before.

The issues are dealt with under the headlines: "Other cars are more reliable", "A BMW will cost me more than other cars", "You're on your own once you leave the showroom" and "Sporty driving burns a lot of fuel".

A spokesman for BMW Australia, Piers Scott, says the promotional material was not intended for existing customers or the media.

Could the campaign could backfire? "I will leave it to you to determine if it backfires,'' he says. ''I would suggest it's a novel way of communicating these topics."

BMW Australia says it adapted the idea from a similar campaign in Germany.
 "Misconceptions apply to any premium marque," Scott says. "One thing we do find about our vehicles is the misconception about fuel economy … we are the most sustainable car company according to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index."

Regarding the perceived high price of its vehicles, Scott says: "We are left off a lot of fleet-tender lists - especially where state government fleets are concerned - on the basis of the badge alone. But when you look at whole-of-life costs, we work out better than many mass-market cars."

Regarding fuel consumption and sporty driving, Scott concedes there are many more fuel-efficient cars on the market. But, he adds, many buyers would be surprised to learn one of the world's fastest four-door sedans, the twin-turbo V8 BMW M5, has a fuel economy average of 9.9 litres per 100 kilometres.
That figure, of course, goes out the window when the car is driven enthusiastically. "But that's true of any vehicle," Scott says.

As for concerns about customers being neglected after they've bought a vehicle, Scott says: "I would suggest it's a way of allaying potential concerns that your service and after-sales experience would be a costly or inconvenient one when the opposite is true."
BMW Australia says it did not conduct a study before issuing the brochures. "No research prompted this. It was more instinctive," Scott says. He says "thousands" of the brochures would continue to be sent to prospective buyers.