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You’d be forgiven for thinking someone has slapped a Renault badge on a slightly modified Audi R8 LMS race car straight off the circuit- but you’d also be very, very wrong. This is not a Renault supercar destined to fight Audi and Lamborghini, but instead is a new Renault Sport car built for a one-make race series, the Renault Sport Trophy.
But onto the juicy details, that’s what you’re really here for. The R.S. 01 features a carbon fibre monocoque chassis, enabling a total vehicle weight of 1100Kg, equipped with a rear-mounted 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 engine from Nismo – the same as the one found in the GTR – developing more than 372kW and 600Nm. Mated to a Sadev 7-speed sequential gearbox, the V6 drives the rear wheels, which remain sticky courtesy of special Michelin tyres. Stopping power is provided by carbon ceramic brakes.
Additional highlights to the R.S. 01 include a 150 litre fuel tank and full LMP1 safety standards, including steel roll cages, a front crash box, and a collapsible steering column.
It might only be a race car for now, but with Nismo tech available, and this sort of thing a regular feature in Renault’s racecar portfolio, we might just see something of a production supercar from the French brand sooner than you think.
