On the face of it, it’s a pointless test. The Megane is a hot hatch, the BRz a sports coupe. Also the 265 hp Renault is much more powerful than the 200 hp Subaru. But, if you are out shopping for a high-performance day to day car, chances are both these cars are on your list. And anyway, who doesn’t want to see two fast, sporty machines challenge each other at such a great track like Bedford.

And don’t think power is everything. The Megane is fast, but the BRZ has one of the best sorted chassis ever fitted to a coupe, with the lowest center of gravity. And it’s rear-wheel drive.