The Renaultsport R.S.01 is a spectacular blend of wild styling, functional shaping, and terrifying power. Originally designed as a one-make racing car (much like its Mégane V6 sister), the R.S.01 gets its namesake from Renault’s legendary turbocharged 80s F1 racer, the RS01, and for good reason too. The R.S.01 is a radical mashup of impressive figures. 550HP and 465lb ft of torque from a 3.8-litre twin-turbo VR38DETT (the same engine in a Nissan GTR!), 1150kg total weight, and 1700kg of maximum downforce.
Just one glance is enough to tell that this machine is purpose-built. The futuristic yet aggressive front-end styling is responsible for channeling air into the massive mid mounted ducts feeding directly into the engine bay.
As a mid-engined, rear wheel drive car, the engine sits directly behind the cockpit for perfect weight distribution, as well as increasing cornering agility and rear wheel traction. The enormous, flared fenders both front and rear house 30/68R18 (306mm wide) and 31/71R18 (310mm wide) racing slicks respectively, more than enough tyre to put down its immense power.
This monstrous machine comes straight from the factory with a plethora of driving assists including adjustable traction control and ABS, as well as a 7-speed sequential transmission shifted via paddles on the F1-like square steering “wheel”. The interior screams “Top Gun” with its fighter plane style switches and buttons, offset driving position and tight, enclosing steel roll cage.
As a thoroughbred race car, the R.S.01 sits extremely low to the ground for maximum cornering ability, with the car’s height being only slightly more than half of its own width. This, in combination with the extremely wide tyres, massive rear wing and thunderous V6 roar give the R.S.01 a presence like no other.
According to Renaultsport, the R.S.01 blurs the line between a GT3 racer and Class 1 DTM monster, with Class 1 DTM being the fastest GT-style racing cars on the planet. Very few cars exist that can even compare to this level of performance which makes the R.S.01 a beast in a class of its own.
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