The Show and Display clause is an exemption under the US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards’ Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act, otherwise known as the 25-Year Import Rule. That rule simply states that a car that was never sold new in the US cannot be imported into the country until it is at least 25 years old. The official reasons are varied, but it mostly has to do with a specific vehicle not meeting specific US crash tests or emissions requirements. Once the car turns 25 year sold, however, it can be legally imported. For a non-profit car museum with a stated educational mission, Show and Display means we can bring in a newer-than 25-year old foreign automobile (after a lengthy paperwork and legal process) in order to , you know, show and display the vehicle to the public. For you, dear reader, I will now Show and Display the museum’s 2007 Renault Sport Mégane F1 Team R26.
The Megane debuted in 1996 as a replacement for Renault’s R19, competing with the likes of the Volkswagen Golf and the Ford Escort. Our car is a second generation Renault Sport Mégane, with the F1 Team designation commemorates Renault’s 2005 and 2006 Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championship titles in Formula 1 those years.
This will be a basically a walk-around and interior tour. I haven’t spent much time in the driver’s seat since 2017, but needless to say, it’s quite a bit of kit. A 2.0 liter, 227 hp turbo four powers the front wheels, and is paired with a 6-speed manual, along with the requisite hot hatch add-ons like stiffened steering, 18-inch anthracite alloy wheels, Brembos all around, and sport-tuned exhaust. I’ll start inside the wide doors, where this little cubby resides in between the door and under the floormat. Torch may correct me, but I cannot think of any other modern car with this type of cubby storage area in the footwell of the front seats. [Editor’s Note: Yeah, I think Rex is right about that; this is a weird one! – JT] The driver’s side has one too. It’s not very deep, but it is one more storage area, along with the flip-up armrest lids that are common on many French cars.
Let’s move on the arguably the coolest part of the center console, the thrust lever-style emergency brake.
This thing is such a visceral, aesthetically pleasing design I’m not sure why more cars didn’t copy the Mégane’s e-brake. Perhaps there is a design issue I’m not aware of, but is it very satisfying to engage. It also contains a plaque, because you can’t charge more money for a special edition without a numbered plaque.
As we move up the console, you’ll find the 6-speed stick, with Renault’s ring-style reverse lock-out. Again we see some interesting “cup-holders.” They look to me like a pair of ski goggles, but way less useful.
Renault debuted its key card entry system in 2001 with the introduction of Mégane’s second generation. This version still required you to push the button to unlock the doors, and you have to insert the card in a slot on the dash, but the key card eventually led to the proximity key, using the same flat design. The lock and unlock pictograms on ours are barely visible, as you can see, but it does save space in your pockets.
[Editor’s Note: Wow, that’s a weird setup! I’ve not seen this up close before! – JT] A look at the comfortable, suede-insert Recaros, and the habitable-by-adults backseat.
Another interior quirk: I can’t tell if its clever or not to replace one of the passenger grab handles with a sunglasses case, as it seems it’s at a weird angle to grab your shades. I know BMW does this for some models, but I don’t know of too many companies that use this method of Pit Viper storage.
A nice chonky steering wheel, along with the climate controls in Celsius, and the gauge cluster (in Françias).
[Editor’s Note: That center screen there with the overhead view of the car is interesting, because instead of using a dot-matrix screen like the text screen above, Renault decided to go with a screen made with custom, discrete segments for the parts of the car, a simpler approach that is closer to the old LEDs-behind-a-translucent-panel-with-silkscreened-graphics that would have been used in the previous generation of car. It’s an interesting transition display tech that is effectively extinct today. – JT] The Mégane is listed officially as a small car, but I think of it as a mid-sizer, mainly due its large Avantime-like derrière. This is a good amount of storage, back seat space, and the doors are rather wide for a hot hatch.
The Mégane II debuted in 2002, which means us regular Americans will have to wait 5 more years to import the mild, and 9 more years for this spicy version.
Used to have more fun with an old R5 Ts, painted black using a paintroller. This is just feeding the “people with a British accent are all smart” stereotype. There’s impressive ingrained code-switching involved for them all to talk like this when Americans are around. Meanwhile, the first eyewitness report with only other Brits present was probably more like “Blimey! Tha fuckin’ gormless cunt’s car went ass-over-teakettle inta the trench. Damn thing’s proper knackered now!” That said, this specific F1 edition must be a hoot to drive! And in proper Renault Sport yellow to boot! However, it depends on the terms of the S&D. By default, an S&D is limited to not more than 1 year, and at the end of term, the car must be exported or certified as destroyed under direct Customs Supervision. This is how most race cars are legally brought into the country, in fact. Unless the S&D is granted a permanent exemption (which allows the car to be imported freely,) the annual mileage is limited to no more than 2,500 miles per year and certified and reported annually for the first 5 years. However, the NHTSA or EPA may revoke or refuse to grant permission to operate on public roads, implement any other arbitrary limitation or restriction they deem reasonable at time of import, and a whole host of other things. However, once a vehicle is imported under S&D, renewal can be sought on an annual basis for up to 5 years (from date of import.) However, they are not required to approve any renewal, and if a renewal is denied, you must export or destroy. Also you do require an EPA waiver or certification. NHTSA also has the authority to – at their discretion – allow an S&D to be extended past 5 years without export, or to grant a permanent waiver (making imports of the car prior to 25 years legal.) The form is HS-7, Box 7 for road cars, and Box 8 for strictly off-road (absolutely NO use on public roads, even if closed for filming) use. Amusingly, because of the shortages, the petition list has gotten very long and very… weird. A single ICI petitioned to add nearly every single 2015-2020 GMC and Chevy SUV sold in the Mexico market and a number of pickup trucks to the federalization list (which was rejected for filing errors.) Oh, and G&K can now federalize 2015 Ford Fusion SEs. As of 11/3/2020. Like I said: weird. I honestly do not know much about that special car but my parents bought a Laguna 2 new from the same years and that car was such a piece of shit that it’s still refered to as the worst by reliability websites. I can’t imagine the Mégane to be much different. With cell phones, the cubby interiors are returning, but our current car has too much crap landing in the cupholders. Shitty cars, is what I’m trying to say. Damn good looking, but extremely shitty cars. I wouldn’t be able to live with that much unreliability unless it was an Avantime or Vel Satis. Ehhhh, does anyone really need any more of this skeevy-adjacent type of humor? What you came up with, “Forbidden Fruits” et al, will do just fine, thank you. Volvo had the key-slot thing in it’s cars even when they went to proximity keys; my 2017 V60 had the slot. Volvo also has had the sunglasses case in the grab handle area as well (I forget which model though.) It’s very cool that you can get these vehicles under show and display. One minor spelling issue — “(in Françias)” should be “(in Français)” or “en Français” to be completely pedantic! 🙂 Merci de corriger sous peine de coupage de tête ! I’ve driven the ring-lift ones and the push down ones, but it does seem less common of late (at least in what I drive). This site has a daily article named The Morning Dump. The algorithms are already @#$%ed. 😛
