Renault Megane RS Trophy-RThe latest and greatest limited-run hot hatch that Renault has to offer is also arguably its best yet, with a forensic level of attention to detail that ensures it's significantly lighter than its peers, but no less powerful. The Megane RS Trophy-R takes the standard Megane RS and strips out absolutely everything unnecessary from the car — the back seats are gone, the rear wiper is removed, and even the badges are replaced to save a few extra ounces. All in all, the car weighs just 2,879 lbs. Only the most bare-bones roadsters tip the scales at less.All of this weight saving was not in vain: the Trophy-R set a new front-wheel drive Nürburgring lap record when it debuted in 2019. However, actually buying one of these record-breaking hot hatches is neither easy nor cheap. Just 500 examples of the car were built between 2019 and 2021, and with all the pricey optional extras added, the car cost the equivalent of around $81,000. That's serious money for a front-wheel drive hot hatch, but all 500 examples sold despite its sky-high price.Renault Clio WilliamsIt might not be able to match the latest Renault hot hatches on paper, but the Renault Clio Williams was nothing short of a genre-defining car when it launched in 1993. It borrowed the name of the successful Renault-affiliated F1 team, but in fact, much of the development was done by the manufacturer's in-house Renault Sport division, with the original goal of homologating the Clio for rally use. A total of 2,500 cars were originally planned, but high demand saw more than 12,000 examples produced in total.The little Clio packed a 2.0L engine making around 150 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful cars in its class at the time. Its distinctive blue paintwork was paired with blue interior accents, including bright blue seatbelts, and gold wheels emphasizing its range-topping (and indeed, segment-topping) status. Many examples haven't survived to the present day, and the pristine examples that do command hefty premiums at auction. In late 2022, a new record was set when a low-mileage Clio Williams fetched €73,904, equivalent to around $71,686 at the time.Renault Megane R26.RA track-day toy that was also a blast on the road, the Renault Megane R26.R was the first in a line of limited-run Megane specials that focused on stripping out weight and improving handling to record-breaking levels. It set a record time on the Nurburgring's Nordschleife at the time of its release, although that record has since been broken many times, including multiple times by Renault's own newer Megane specials.The R26.R made its presence known with a carbon fiber hood, bright exterior graphics, and a visible roll cage in the rear where the seats used to be. The engine was left untouched from the Megane R26, with 227 horsepower available from the 2.0L four-cylinder. Top speed and 0-62 mph time, however, were both improved, standing at 148 mph and 6.0 seconds, respectively. While the R26.R has been ultimately eclipsed by its successors in performance terms, it remains a milestone in Renault Sport's hot hatch history, and may well appreciate in value as previous revered Renaults have done as the decades pass.Renault 8 GordiniOne of the earliest "hot" Renaults, the 8 Gordini was a sportier variant of the best-selling R8. It was the brand's first proper foray into the racing world and caused a stir when it won the 1964 Tour de Corse, fending off competition from Porsche and Alfa Romeo. It was also popular with customers, selling around 11,800 units between 1964 and 1970. Early versions of the car boasted 95 horsepower from a 1.1L engine, but a larger 1.3L version was unveiled in 1966 with 110 horsepower.It proved to be more than a one-trick pony in its rallying career, winning the Tour de Corse twice more in 1965 and 1966, alongside various other, smaller rally events around Europe. It's a long way from fast by modern standards, but the Renault 8 Gordini paved the way for the line of hot hatches that came after it, which would in turn provide the foundation for many of the automaker's most celebrated cars.Renault RS.01When the RS.01 was announced in 2014, it had plenty of enthusiasts excited. It was built for a single-make racing series, with the eventual aim of homologating the car to enter GT3 races, too. Its 3.8L V6 engine was borrowed from the Nissan GT-R and made around 550 horsepower, while its chassis was a full carbon-fiber affair designed by Dallara. Unfortunately, things didn't quite go to plan for the racing series: it was canceled after two seasons when it proved to be financially unviable, and RS.01 cars have only made a handful of appearances at other races since.Since it was designed as a pure race car, Renault never planned to make a road-legal version — or at least, no plans were ever made public. That means it's almost impossible for enthusiasts to see an RS.01 in the flesh today, which is a huge shame. In an ideal world, Renault would have launched the car in both road-legal and race-ready versions and transformed its image from a hot hatch specialist to a full-blown supercar maker. In reality, though, the RS.01 remains one of the brand's greatest forgotten cars.